Douglas Jardine: Hero or villain?

[Gambit]

Came across this really interesting article a few days ago. Worth a read. ======================================================= Rubbing almost everyone up the wrong way Martin Williamson October 25, 2007 Seventy-five years ago this week the MCC played their opening match of what was to become one of cricket's most controversial tours. Over the next few months Bodyline became a household word, and the man at the centre of the storm was Douglas Jardine, England's captain. Wherever he went in Australia, he attracted opprobrium. We look at XI of his most eccentric moments. The press Within days of his arrival Jardine had rubbed the press up the wrong way. The custom in Australia was for captains to name teams early to enable the journalists to make deadlines. Jardine refused to play ball, and when challenged by Claude Corbett of the Sydney Sun to reveal the XI for the tour opener against Western Australia, he replied: "We didn't come here to provide scoops for yours or any other bally paper". Corbett explained that the east-coast papers needed the side. "Tell Sydney and Melbourne they can damn well wait," was the response. Late arrival On the third day of the tour opener against Western Australia, Jardine angered local officials by turning up 20 minutes late for a pitch inspection. He refused to apologise and local papers ran reports that he was out shopping at the time. The local authorities lodged a formal complaint with the Australian board. Headgear Jardine was booed in Adelaide during the second tour match when he opted to wear his Harlequin cap rather than the MCC tour caps sported by the remainder of the side. The cap became a symbol of everything the Australians hated about Jardine's ultra establishment persona. In the last tour game, also in Adelaide, Jardine displayed a sense of humour when he took to the field in the official tour cap while his team-mates wore a collection of colourful "jazz hats". Starting XI Jardine refused to name his final XI in any of the Tests until the last moment, going so far as to make all 17 members of the tour party get changed and wait in the dressing room before announcing those that would play. "Jardine did it for two reasons," Harold Larwood later wrote. "To annoy the press and to keep up the pressure on the Australians." The public Bill Woodfull being hit over the heart by a Larwood thunderbolt and reeling away clutching his chest is one of the enduring images of the series. As the Adelaide crowd, already stirred up by Bodyline bowling in earlier matches, bayed and jeered, Jardine - who loudly said, "Well bowled, Harold" soon after - waited for Woodfull to recover and resume. He had been hit while Larwood was bowling to a conventional field. As Woodfull returned to the crease, Jardine calmly signalled for his men to switch to a Bodyline field. The spectators were reduced to apoplexy. Jardine was unmoved, although years later he admitted he regretted the decision. Sulking On Christmas Eve in Tasmania, heavy rain and a brief snow flurry appeared to have washed out the second day, but faced with large losses, the local authorities wanted the game to proceed. Jardine objected but the umpires insisted, and so he refused to bowl any of his frontline bowlers. Jardine himself bowled ten overs, while Les Ames sent down the same number with his trousers rolled up to his knees. Local papers later slammed Jardine, describing his behaviour as that of a "sulky schoolboy". Nets As was customary, large numbers turned out to watch the teams in the nets ahead of the third Test in Adelaide but Jardine was roundly jeered and abused as he batted. Livid, he insisted that the South Australia cricket association bar the public from the final net sessions the day before the match itself. "The display of hooliganism," he explained, "made the practice a farce." Speeches Jardine avoided public speaking, and when he did, his comments were brief. Addressing the crowd after the win in Adelaide, described in Wisden as possibly the most unpleasant match ever, he made the briefest of utterances. "What I have to say is not worth listening to," he said. "Those of you who had seats got your money's worth, and them some. Thank you." His own players Jardine was not averse to upsetting his own men, although he also inspired tremendous loyalty. He fell out with Plum Warner, the manager, so much that Warner wrote he never wanted to see him again. And Jardine had little time for the Nawab of Pataudi. When Pataudi refused to take his place in the Bodyline leg-side field, Jardine turned and sneered: "Ah, I see His Highness is a conscientious objector." Despite a hundred on debut in the first Test, Pataudi was dropped after the second Test and never returned. "I am told he has his good points," Pataudi said towards the end of the tour. "In three months I have yet to see them." Umpires On the third day of the Brisbane Test, Jardine felt he got a rough decision, given out caught behind while sweeping Bill O'Reilly. "How have you got me out in your book?" he testily asked the scorer. "Umpired out or cheated out?" The next morning Jardine requested that the 10-minute rolling of the pitch be split into two five-minute sessions, to allow the moisture brought up by the first rolling to evaporate. The request was in order but the pause meant that the umpires were taking to the field as the second rolling started. George Hele, the umpire, ordered the roller to be removed. Jardine told him to mind his own business. Hele again demanded the groundstaff remove the roller, which they did. Jardine snarled that he would ensure that Hele never umpired a Test again. After checking the regulations and discovering Hele was right, Jardine apologised at lunch. Australia Jardine made no secret of his hatred of the country and its people. This was perhaps best illustrated by a comment made to Warner while the MCC side were on a cruise round Sydney harbour early in the tour. As they passed near the newly constructed bridge, some RAAF fighter planes flew overhead. Jardine turned to Warner and said: "I wish they were Japs and I wish they'd bomb that bridge into the harbour". Martin Williamson is executive editor of Cricinfo http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/bodyline/content/story/316847.html

[Gambit]

He is one of the most controversial characters in cricket history. Even the English despised him for his tactics on the Bodyline tour. IMO he was one of the first 'professionals' in the game who took winning and losing extremely seriously. As he said, he wasn't there to make friends but to win games. Sure, his tactics were unorthodox and at times animalistic(Woodful) incident, but he got the job done. There was no law against that sort of bowling and he took full advantage of that. He stopped a near superhuman Bradman and brought his average down to an earthly(by DGB's standards) to 55. I think he was a terrific captain who's innovative and daring tactics brought Australia to their knees and reduced their demigod to a human. Probably the first great thinker in the game.

[Lurker]

I think he was a terrific captain who's innovative and daring tactics brought Australia to their knees and reduced their demigod to a human. Probably the first great thinker in the game.

I am no Douglas Jardine fan. The man, for lack of better word, was an a$$hole. Yes one can argue that he was there to do a job, but the question is how far is one willing to go to do it? It is not exactly that Jardine came up with some strategy that was a masterstroke. It is not that his opponents were outsmarted. It is also not that his team members stoodfast by their captain, indeed players like Pataudi who refused to be part of the Bodyline agenda were called "conscientious(spelling?) objectors", got promptly dropped and never played again. Not to mention atleast one lead bowler(Bowes) refused to bowl the bouncers. All in all nothing that really makes me admire the chap. xxx

[The Outsider]

He is one of my heroes. Thorough professional and not taking any nonsense about traditions etc., always willing to carve out a new path. All this admiration despite the fact that during his tour to India he was more concerned about hunting tigers rather than playing against sub-standard Indian teams. In fact, this contemptuous outlook can be seen as an admiring trait as well.

[Mr. Wicket]

Hero. Legend. As fine a captain as England has had. Cricket would be better off with another Jardine.

[The Outsider]

Lurker, pretty strange that you don't admire the guy, with all your support for "aggressive" cricketers. True, he was not exactly a kabaddi player, but was as aggressive a cricketer as you'll find.

[Lurker]

Lurker' date=' pretty strange that you don't admire the guy, with all your support for "aggressive" cricketers. True, he was not exactly a kabaddi player, but was as aggressive a cricketer as you'll find.[/quote'] Aggressive, how? Tell me how do you find Jardine aggressive.

[The Outsider]

Aggressive, how? Tell me how do you find Jardine aggressive.

Never the one afraid to take on the establishment. Going to whatever means within the rule book to win a match. Showing tremendous contempt for any opposition he faced. Giving two hoots about being nice to umpires if they botched up.

[Lurker]

Never the one to take on the establishment. Going to whatever means within the rule book to win a match. Showing tremendous contempt for any opposition he faced. Giving two hoots about being nice to umpires if they botched up.

And which cricketer have you seen me tag as aggressive who does any of that? You sure you understand what is meant by aggression?? Care to slot any player that I deem as agressive who fulfills the above mentioned criteria?

[The Outsider]

And which cricketer have you seen me tag as aggressive who does any of that? You sure you understand what is meant by aggression?? Care to slot any player that I deem as agressive who fulfills the above mentioned criteria?

Ok, our definitions of aggression differ. For me Jardine was one of the most aggressive cricketers to have set foot on a cricket field.

[Lurker]

Ok' date=' our definitions of aggression differ. For me Jardine was one of the most aggressive cricketers to have set foot on a cricket field.[/quote'] Fair enough. To me his strategy(leg theory) was not aggression. If he was aggressive then so would be the combo of Nasser Hussain - Ashley Giles who followed the same pattern when it came to handling Sachin. But of course I dont see that as aggression. We can agree to disgaree on this one.

[Mr. Wicket]

Jardine should not be defined by leg theory. He should be defined by his sheer will to win, his desire to not just beat but destroy his opposition and never give them even a thought that they might be dominating. Probably my favourite story about him is in 1933, when Learie Constantine and Martindale - West Indies' very impressive pace attack - opted to use the Bodyline theory (with the same leg field placing) against England. Jardine had refused to back down from the critics of the tactic, constantly saying runs could be made against it. Here he proved himself. He took the strike when other batsmen showed discomfort, and took blows on the ribs, arms, chest, neck, all over basically. Yet he refused to even rub a spot where he was hit, because he would not allow himself to even show the opposition they had caused him some pain. But when he got out five hours later, he had his maiden test hundred. That level of bloodymindedness, dedication and sheer determination is something I have the highest admiration for, and it is something I have seen in very few cricketers since.

[The Outsider]

^ Exactly Salil. That incident should be part of cricketing folklore but for some reason it is not. IIRC, it was also Jardine's only century in tests, showing that he was not the most talented batsman around by any stretch of imagination but if you challenged him he would go to any lengths to set the records straight about who wanted to win more. Leg theory was just a means to accomplish wins at any cost staying within the rules.

[Lurker]

No can do. Jardine's (in)famy is due to Bodyline cricket. He would not be counted amongst the top 20 batsman that England has produced. Heck maybe not even in top 30-40. If you are enchanted by brave efforts there are Ted Dexters in this world who would be considered before DJ. The only reason we are discussing DJ here is because of Bodyline, if you talk about the batsman I am sure you would not get even a fraction of reply that this thread shall otherwise receive.

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Mr. Wicket]

Another great incident to remember - the final test at Sydney in 1933. England had already sealed the series and won the Ashes at the Gabba, so the game was effectively dead. Yet Jardine would not allow his side to relax the pressure. Harold Larwood again was used as a weapon to try and wreck the Australian batting, and with a combination of the effort Larwood had put in through the series, his action and the hard pitches, Larwood ended up breaking a few bones in his foot while bowling during the final innings. Jardine did not allow him to go off the field though, believing that Larwood's presence put additional pressure on Bradman and he told Larwood that he would remain fielding fairly close to Bradman at cover point, and could only leave once Bradman was dismissed. It's a testament to both Larwood's ethic and dedication, Jardine's obsession with staying on top, and the respect his leadership received from those under him. It's hard to think of any player agreeing to such a request from any other captain, yet Larwood did not even argue and hobbled straight to cover point to field. BTW Shwetabh, if you haven't read it, I would highly recommend reading Bodyline Autopsy by David Frith. One of my all time favourite cricket books. I lent my copy to Rahul Nair a while back - bug him and tell him to forward it to you when he's through with it. It's simple phenomenal - I've read it cover to cover at least 3-4 times, and it never fails to amaze me.

[The Outsider]

No one is laying claims to Jardine, the batsman. The point Salil and I were trying to make was that even as limited a batsman as he was, he scored that century just to prove Bodyline was playable. That is aggression in my books.

[Lurker]

No one is laying claims to Jardine' date=' the batsman. The point Salil and I were trying to make was that even as limited a batsman as he was, he scored that century just to prove Bodyline was playable. That is aggression in my books.[/quote'] Again no can do. If this is about DJ as a batsman then I wouldnt even bother responding. I can give you more than a dozen instance of Brian Close when he battled ferocious pace, or the Buccaneer Ted Dexter or plenty other players. This article(OP) is all about one thing - DJ the skipper in Bodyline. If you guys are taken by his batsmanship all powers to you but I dont rate him at all for his batting. xxx

[The Outsider]

BTW Shwetabh, if you haven't read it, I would highly recommend reading Bodyline Autopsy by David Frith. One of my all time favourite cricket books. I lent my copy to Rahul Nair a while back - bug him and tell him to forward it to you when he's through with it. It's simple phenomenal - I've read it cover to cover at least 3-4 times, and it never fails to amaze me.

Will call him up today itself. The thread has got me all excited about history again and Cricket vs. Polo - II might be round the corner as well.:D What was disappointing in the entire saga was that Larwood got shafted the most, though he was just following orders.

[Mr. Wicket]

Jardine was a good batsman, but overshadowed by many others just from his country alone. Anybody who knows the game would not place him anywhere near the same bracket as a Boycott, a Sutcliffe, Barrington, Gower or anyone else. He stands out for his leadership, his determination to succeed at all costs, regardless of opposition, conditions, situation and consequences, and more as a superb (if controversial) leader rather than anything else. But nobody will ever call him a great batsman, or an aggressive bat. Aggressive player, yes. Batsman, no. There's another great story about a tour match in that Ashes series where the crowd was getting very upset with Jardine, constantly hurling abuse at him while he batted - so Jardine deliberately slowed his pace down, scoring something like 27 runs in 3 hours just to piss them off further. :D