In Australia Even A Wild Dog Is A National Hero!!

[adzamundo]

"Ok then. Let me tell you that Sachin Tendulkar has been sledged a lot in his 18 years career, but he never uttered the same words back to them. Instead, he replied with his bat because he has the skills to stand to a pack of big bullying and abusive bowlers and fielders. Soon every bowler and fielder understood that it was harmful to them if they sledged Sachin. Hence you don't have to stoop to their level to stand up to these abusive persons." At last someone gets it. This is the point ive been trying to make Mental toughness is the difference between a great player and an average one. Tendulkar doesn't need to carry on he has his bat which speaks far louder than any spoken comment He knows the proper way to handle sledging

[Andrew]

Audible stump microphone

Hence you don't have to stoop to their level to stand up to these abusive persons. That is the example I'd like my son to follow, not what the Australians showed at Sydney.

Regarding sledging in the middle; I hate it. I see no place for it. Maybe someone can explain this to me; Why not just have a stump microphone the umpire can hear in real time to help them make decisions and... A stump microphone that spectators can hear what players are saying. In tennis there is no trash talking or sledging; what the players say to each other on the court can be heard by spectators. At the end of the day many of these cricketers are role models and fathers. Why not be accountable for what they say in real time? How can someone be a sporting role model (ie Ponting, Warne et al.) to spectators but their language and comments censored from the spectators. Just leave the stump microphone on... and turn it up??? Can anyone explain why this isn't so?

[Chandan]

That is what we've been doing, ad. You'll hardly ever see Kumble sledging a batsman or Sachin or Dravid or VVS talking and giving back mouthful to bowlers and fielders. Yet they have been really successful in their career and are one of the most respected cricketers. You don't have to go verbal to fight fire with fire. If some of the youngsters did retaliate, it was because they couldn't stand the abusive comment which might be common in Australia but is considered too derogatory in India. Even then, we know that to play hard, you don't need to keep abusing others, or have to lose your integrity claiming grassed catches, or despite a previous gentlemanly agreement with the opposition captain, you consider a bump catch to be legitimate, hence losing all respect of the opposition who would never trust you for anything in future, and inturn lose your self respect also which unfortunately you have not realised yet, or perhaps you didn't have any to begin with!! These values mean much more to us than just a loss or a victory.

[beetle]

Just because sachin doesn't sledge back or doesn't need to do it doesn't give the aussies a licence to abuse.sachin is a big player...that doesn't mean your players don't have to respect others. Who gave then the right to disrespect. You say it is the aussie way to sledge players and hence it is right for them to do that. Tomorrow the aussies decide they can kick (which has been done by lillee ..isn't it ?) others...will that be okay? Does it say in the rule book that you can abuse a players family or tease a playuer about his sexual preferences? and by the way....how come the aussies have become so sensitive aboutt racist comments suddenly when they are to gain by it .... Where was the sensitivity,the disgust ,the shock and condemnation when the aussie player was banned for racially abusing the srilankan? Why the sudden sensitivity? ......I say using the race of your player to your advantage is also racism. As for the monkey chanting fans...they were a few idiots in the crowds...(just like there have been in australian stadium in their not so raciallysensitive past. ) When they were found ,they were condemned ,arrested and fined. There are all kinds of people in a society.Some may be racist (just as in your country) but most arenot. And you cannot judge everyone by it. We are discussing the aussie team as per the standards set my you all(as per your words).

[Andrew]

Kumble the magnanimous

These values mean much more to us than just a loss or a victory.

I have been waiting these last few days for some leadership, sportsmanship, humility from Ponting. I did not have high (any) expectations and he has delivered. A LOT of australian's are really ashamed of this team. I do not know if you were informed about a poll by one of the nations biggest newspapers yesterday but arount 80% of respondents did not think Ponting was a good ambassador or was playing in the spirit of the game. The poll had a large sample size as well (>30,000).

[beetle]

Regarding sledging in the middle; I hate it. I see no place for it. Maybe someone can explain this to me; Why not just have a stump microphone the umpire can hear in real time to help them make decisions and... A stump microphone that spectators can hear what players are saying. In tennis there is no trash talking or sledging; what the players say to each other on the court can be heard by spectators. At the end of the day many of these cricketers are role models and fathers. Why not be accountable for what they say in real time? How can someone be a sporting role model (ie Ponting, Warne et al.) to spectators but their language and comments censored from the spectators. Just leave the stump microphone on... and turn it up??? Can anyone explain why this isn't so?

:two_thumbs_up:good post andrew...I wish more people thought like you.

[beetle]

Don't mind some of the harsh posts here...they were just in response to some cockeyed pposts by some"win at any cost posters ....:sad_smile: Not everyone is as restrained as chandan...:P

[aussiefan]

I have been waiting these last few days for some leadership, sportsmanship, humility from Ponting. I did not have high (any) expectations and he has delivered. A LOT of australian's are really ashamed of this team. I do not know if you were informed about a poll by one of the nations biggest newspapers yesterday but arount 80% of respondents did not think Ponting was a good ambassador or was playing in the spirit of the game. The poll had a large sample size as well (>30,000).

I wouldn't trust a newspoll ( fox/newscorp ) as far as i could throw it. many online polls can and have been easily skewed. i've had friends do it for rugby poills on N.Z sites..... both sides being precious.

[Andrew]

Harsh posts? What harsh posts? Its all good.

Don't mind some of the harsh posts here...they were just in response to some cockeyed pposts by some"win at any cost posters ....:sad_smile: Not everyone is as restrained as chandan...:P

I must admit I really enjoy reading the posts by Chandan. He seems like the Kumble of this site! I have not read anything on this site that is not at worst 10% the rudeness of a couple of Australian sites (Aussiefan linked to some league forum and it demonstrated the yobbo element). I have been waiting eagerly for Kumble to speak out. Anil and Stephen Fleming of New Zealand I think are far and away the best ambassadors of the game. Who else? I would love someone to start a thread on the best ambassadors of test match cricket and have a vote.

[adzamundo]

"These values mean much more to us than just a loss or a victory" Yeah, yeah...we wouldn't be having this discussion if India had won. And they certainly wouldn't have been so quick to threaten to leave the tour its all relative. Learn to control your emotions. Where was the sensitivity,the disgust ,the shock and condemnation when the aussie player was banned for racially abusing the srilankan? It basically ended his career This is the classic loser mentality that people in the know are desperately trying to weed out of the sub continent to protect their future. Clamoring for western coaches in an attempt to save themselves from from the tradition irrational, temperamental, and highly emotional mentality. You can say all you want about the aussies but they have a winning mentality, they never give up and it has paid off. And if you think they have done it unfairly, or because of some icc conspiracy then there is nothing I can do to change your small minded indocentric view of the world.

[Andrew]

It was the Daily Telegraph

I wouldn't trust a newspoll ( fox/newscorp ) as far as i could throw it. many online polls can and have been easily skewed. i've had friends do it for rugby poills on N.Z sites..... both sides being precious.

It was actually the Daily Telegraph which is Sydney's highest circulation newspaper. And it was two days ago (my mistake). But the overwhelmingly negative response to Ponting from an online poll the the Telegraph is very significant.

[beetle]

>>>>I must admit I really enjoy reading the posts by Chandan. He seems like the Kumble of this site! Chandan is a lady. Agree she is the kumble of the forum....:two_thumbs_up: >>>>I have been waiting eagerly for Kumble to speak out. Anil and Stephen Fleming of New Zealand I think are far and away the best ambassadors of the game. Who else? Rahul Dravid............:flute:.

[aussiefan]

andrew we are both correct on source of poll. fox/newscorp own daily telegraph which is in turn owned by rupert murdoch and they publish the newspoll in that paper. the daily telegraph sensationalises everything...and isn't worth using as fish wrapping. all rupert murdoch's 189 papers world wide said invasion of iraq great thing to do and rupert was quoted as saying oil per barrell would go to $20 ( twenty ) after successful WMD find and invasion. worth keeping in mind.

[beetle]

>>>It basically ended his career Sure? Are you sure he wasn't on his way out of the talented team?

[jimmyd]

Just to clarify something earlier in this thread re: talking about wives and mothers. It was Sarwan who spoke about McGraths wife a week after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Sarwan was unaware of her condition at the time but that was still no excuse. A recent poll conducted here shows that more than 80% of Australians agree that the teams behaviour is poor and at times unsportsman like. I agree with this no question. India's loss in the 2nd test was influenced in a major way due to woeful umpiring decisions from Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson. I agree with this no question. The implication that these woeful decisions against the Indian team were made as a direct result of pressure from the Australians in any capacity. I disagree wholeheartedly. The umpires take 100% of the responsibilty for their own actions. As far as this racism row is concerned, it's an ugly and sad situation that has no winners, only victims. I don't know if things were said or not, to whom, why, and in what context. No one is relenting at this stage so its only going to get worse before it gets better. It is almost country v. country. But I refuse to make any jugdement on any individual let alone a nation of people purely for the sake of national pride. I just want to watch 2 great cricketing nations play cricket.

[Chandan]

"These values mean much more to us than just a loss or a victory" Yeah, yeah...we wouldn't be having this discussion if India had won. And they certainly wouldn't have been so quick to threaten to leave the tour its all relative. Learn to control your emotions. .

Ad, We had lost in the worst way in 99-00. Did you see us threatening to leave then? We lost the ODI series 4-0 in SA and then lost the test series too, even though narrowly by 2-1, and that series was marred with poor umpring too? Did you see us threatening to leave then? If not then, then obviously loss is not the reason because of which the country doesn't want the tour to go ahead. There are some much bigger issues here. Will you open your eyes now?

[adzamundo]

Have you ever received favorable umpiring......ever?

[Andrew]

I'm gutted.

worth keeping in mind.

Gee thanks. Now that you have ripped away my faith in the Daily Telegraph I suppose you are going to suggest that A Current Affair and Today Tonight aren't great sources of investigative journalism? :two_thumbs_up:

[Andrew]

Great comment Jimmyd.

I just want to watch 2 great cricketing nations play cricket.

:two_thumbs_up:

[beetle]

>>>Have you ever received favorable umpiring......ever? We may have sometimes....just like most teams.... But this is not what you called unfavourable umpiring...this was a mission to give one team every possible chance of winning this particular test. The umpires favour the aussie team...if that was not enough ...ponting's ploy of getting his nemesis out of the scene worked like a dream. How unfair do you want the test to be.