Something rotten in the state of Oz cricket

by LES EVERETT

THE second Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground was a sporting farce.

For international cricket that's no laughing matter but there are aspects of the contest that could be seen as funny.

For instance the man-of-the-match award goes to the person who most influences the result. It surely should have gone to Steve Bucknor despite the gallant efforts of Mark Benson who struck telling blows right up to the end. These two men were, of course, the umpires.

Some funny moments involved Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting. In the first innings Ponting nicked a ball down the leg side, was caught and given not out. He had scored 15 runs. He took his score to 55 when he again nicked the ball, this time onto his pad and he was given out lbw. It was poor decision and Ponting showed his displeasure. Apparently he was livid when he returned to the pavilion. Those who don't walk when they know they're out tell us what comes around goes around. Ponting just didn't have the good grace to accept the goes around bit.

India's performance is this Test match was remarkable when you take a couple factors into account. Before we get back to the umpiring let's recall the team that took to the field. Zaheer Khan was injured and replaced by youngster Ishant Sharma and so the attack was significantly weakened. Then, inexplicably, the selectors opted to retain opener Wasim Jaffer and "batsman" Yuvrag Singh who are like crash test dummies.

Then the nine-piece India came up against the Bucknor-Benson combination. It's impossible and distressing to list all the carnage but let's remind ourselves that in Australia's first innings Andrew Symonds was caught behind at 30 and went on to make 162 not out (with even more help along the way), Ponting had his bit of early luck and Brad Hogg was caught off bat and pad well before he got to 79. Second innings hero Michael Hussey was caught down the leg side and then Ruhul Dravid was given out caught behind when the ball hit his pad in India's second innings. There was more from Bucknor-Benson but you get the picture.

Before I change the subject allow me to tell you about another funny thing. In a doorstop interview on commercial TV the day after the game Brett Lee said the umpiring decisions had evened themselves out over the five days. In fact, Brett, a bulldozer couldn't have evened out the Indian team as well as Bucknor-Benson.

It could be argued that poor umpiring decisions have nothing to do with the Australian players. And that's true. But in this game, when truly challenged on the field the Aussies showed their dark side and revealed that the seemingly sporting behaviour they're shown in recent times comes down to one thing - they have been winning.

The shining light of sportsmanship Adam Gilchrist knew Dravid was not out - why did he allow himself to do such a thing? Brett Lee seems an affable young man. He's even brought the smile back to cricket. Why the displays of petulance? Matthew Hayden crosses himself after reaching a century and acts as a schoolyard bully at all other times. Having attended a Christian Brothers school I actually don't find this contradictory. But how does he justify it? And to watch Brad Hogg run in from cover to give the batsman a mouthful was embarrassing as was his snipe at Sachin Tendulkar - almost as embarrassing as his fifth-day SCG bowling. Why not just enjoy his short stint in the sun? As controversy grew about the umpires Michael Clark stood his ground after being obviously caught at slip in Australia's second innings. Was he hoping for his share of the luck?

Of course he was and that's exactly what the team was after on the last day as they appealed and sneered and snorted at the quivering useless umpires.

Ponting says there was only one incident in the game - the alleged racial comment by Harbhajan Singh to Symonds. In his column in The Australian Ponting said he had nothing to gain by reporting Harbhajan. Actually he did. 1. To divert attention (it didn't work Ricky, people are onto your team). 2. To get rid of a bowler who has his measure.

Somehow I'd find it hard to trust anything said by members of the Australian cricket team until there's a major cultural overhaul.

There's something quite rotten about the elite in Australian cricket but it's nothing new. Recent outfits captained by Alan Border, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh were no better, Ponting lacks the grace, diplomacy and insight to improve matters in anything but a superficial way and you can be sure Michael Clark, the one anointed to take his place, would just make things worse.

The big question is whether this week's events will lead to improvement and I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next time Australia faces the prospect of losing a series.

Meanwhile I wonder whether Ricky, Roy and the boys are feeling just a little embarrassed, somehow, apart from Gilchrist and perhaps Hussey and Lee I think not.

8 January 2008

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