Cape Town - Cricket is a funny old game. And I don’t mean in the sense of pressure-induced comical run outs at the end of a limited-overs match.
What gets me rolling around on the floor in laughter is cricket’s supposed moral code, better known as the “spirit of the game”. Cricket continues to maintain a level of pomposity by projecting a sanctimonious image, despite the sport continuously being jarred to its core by “evils” such as match-fixing and power-hungry administrators.
The recent spat that eventually became a full-out war - one reader of this column even suggested bringing in the respective governments to mediate - between Cricket South Africa and the Board of Control for Cricket in India emphasised the role how far individuals would go to ensure their “side” emerges as the victor.
Why would it be any different with the players then? They are at the coalface of trying to achieve victories, which in turns increases their personal and respective union/board/ franchises revenue?
And that brings me to what is actually bothering me - which is branding players “cheats”. England all-rounder Stuart Broad was castigated for not walking during the last Ashes when he edged an Ashton Agar delivery. Australia coach Darren Lehmann termed it “blatant cheating” and called on the Aussie public to give Broad a proper old grilling from the terraces when the Ashes gets underway Down Under next month.
Likewise, South Africa’s Faf du Plessis is being labelled a “cheat” after he was caught ball-tampering by television cameras during the second Test against Pakistan in Dubai last Friday. Du Plessis was handed a 50% fine by ICC Match Referee after pleading guilty to the offence.
My view on both these matters is simple: Nobody walks - bar Hashim Amla and a few individuals in the modern game - and everybody doctors the ball. Players know it, administrators know it and umpires know it. It only becomes a problem when it’s highlighted, as in Broad’s case, or when people are caught out - like Faf was.
I was witness to an interesting moment after the Cape Cobras v Titans 1-Day Cup match on Sunday. A batsman had edged the ball through to the wicket-keeper, with a massive appeal by the fielding team ensuing. The umpire failed to uphold the appeal, and with no Umpire Decision Revision System available for domestic cricket, the batsman simply took guard again and played a vital innings within the context of the match.
After the game, the players involved in the incident spoke openly about what had happened earlier in the day, with the batsman admitting “I got a thin inside edge”, to which the bowler just shrugged off as “it’s one of those things”.
While there is little doubt that the pressures and rewards of domestic cricket cannot be compared to international cricket, it gave me insight to the fact that players have their own “moral code”. And that same rule applies to “ball-tampering”, where players know that it exists, but that they simply must not get caught.
It’s a bit like jay-walking. It’s the wrong thing to do, but everyone does it, so it must be okay. Just don’t let a traffic officer see you.
CRICKETER OF THE WEEK
Cape Cobras captain Justin Ontong played a gem of an innings in Paarl last Sunday, but Imran Tahir’s eight-for in the second Test in Dubai was special.
The Pakistani-born leg-spinner showed great character to bounce back in the manner he did after the mauling - on and off the field - he received at Adelaide last year.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Dean Jones @ProfDeano “@cricwit1: did you ever play against Sachin? His 100 at Waca on first oz trip was a classic” Yeah ... I made 150 not out in the same game!
WHO TO FOLLOW
@WayneParnell: The South African all-rounder has been in great form domestically. See if he can continue this upon his return to national one-day side in the United Arab Emirates this week...
Cape Times