BOOING PART OF LIFE NOW
Ricky Ponting should be applauded
Stuart Broad raps batters | Ashes dream decimated at Headingley
England's Ashes dream is decimated by Aussies at Headingley
THERE has been much made in the past few weeks of the carefully orchestrated booing of Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Cricket administrators in England have condemned it; some of those doing it have tried to offer a defence.
The matter which must be underlined is that cricket is a reflection of life and this has always been the case.
When I played Sheffield Shield matches in Australia between 1948 and 1964 the games were played with the intensity of Tests, but with good humour.
The crowds at the cricket grounds in Australia and England were appreciative and very knowledgeable, the SCG's great and humorous barracker 'Yabba' had passed on six years earlier and no one could take his place, though many tried.
Cricket reflected life then in a courteous fashion on the streets and in the behaviour of people. There was no booing.
When I became a Police Rounds-reporting journalist for the Sydney Sun in 1956, a murder would be front page because it was so rare. Hooliganism, verbal and physical abuse didn't exist.
In this modern sporting age verbal and physical abuse is commonplace and the people doing it at the ground and against an opposing captain regard it as their right to do so because it is part of their lives away from the sporting arena.
It says a lot for Ponting, his outstanding character and his strength, that he has handled this in exemplary fashion.
Equally it says much about the character of those perpetrating the booing, the manner in which they approach their cricket watching and the way they lead their lives. No, I don't think there is any way to stop it, the booing spectators say they do it in that fashion because it is normal to behave in this manner away from the grounds.
Somewhere in the England camp in this Headingley Test there is a person or a group of people devising the bowling tactics.
Either no one is listening or the tactics are nonsense!
Of the first 70 runs the Australians made yesterday, 56 were scored off the back foot.
That was despite the first day's play where the Australians Stuart Clark and Peter Siddle bowled out England by keeping the ball up to the bat with beautiful line and length.
Because of that the Australians could take this Test and then England would have to win at The Oval if they are to regain the Ashes.
The win at Lord's seems a long time ago.
This article has 6 comments
I love the British people every country has their idiots i dint blame them for a few show Pointing how to act and be discipline we all love our sports between the two great nations.
By Joe of Sydney nsw Australia. Posted August 11 2009 at 2:43 AM.
The constant booing of Ricky Ponting has now become beyond a joke. It shows a lack of respect, and ignorance of the game, these morons should be ashamed of themselves. Pontings record as captain is impeccable, runs scored immense, it shows that society in every way is going downwards in this country.
I love to drink at the game, but this is maybe having some factor on this poor behavior, and dont get me wrong, i'm not a big guy and put away 6-7 pints of wife-beater easy during a day out at a test, but I dont disrespect anybody. I wonder how much some of the others are drinking, its a thought.
We need as a nation to show some civility, not just in victory but in defeat, and well, expect the English lads to get the same booing treatment down under when one can only envisage another thrashing in two years time. What goes around comes back around
By Pravstar. Posted August 9 2009 at 6:26 PM.
Weren't there bottles and rioting at a test in AUSTRALIA when Ray Illingworth captained England?"
Yeah - the barmy England fans acted stupidly back then too
By Keith Price. Posted August 9 2009 at 11:26 AM.
Hang on there a minute mate. This does not only happen in England. Weren't there bottles and rioting at a test in AUSTRALIA when Ray Illingworth captained England? That was years ago and in AUS!!!
By Quentin Burns. Posted August 9 2009 at 8:57 AM.
Richie Benaud is spot on. Society has changed all over the world, not only in England. The civility once found in the game of cricket appears to have all but evaporated. I found the '12th man' farce in the 1st test unbecoming of England. Poor examples such as this one, eventually take root and prosper among the rowdy elements. On the other side of the coin, Ponting has been exemplary in his calm leadership. I am glad to see him back in the runs.
By Jose Colaco. Posted August 9 2009 at 5:19 AM.
"BOOING PART OF LIFE NOW "
No - only in this sad little country called England, it is. Ponting is a batting legend who deserves a lot more respect when he comes in to bat than the spiteful, jealous home fans can bring themselves to muster
By Keith Price. Posted August 9 2009 at 2:18 AM.