NFT - Cricket - New anti-sledge policy

[Doctor]

This is a double-post of sorts - it is also in the cricket section of League Unlimited, but that section tends to be a bit slow in discussions, so I've popped it here to.

By the way: we're only a week away from the first test match against Zimbabwe.

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There is tough penalties coming in for sledging and other actions/behaviour that is deemed against the spirit of cricket.

The report is here:


http://www-aus.cricket.org/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/OCT/266757_AUS_01OCT2003.html

All it shows is that Australian authorities, specifically Cricket Australia, have decided that the standards have been pushed slightly over the years, and that a visible crack-down will reduce incidences of sledging / abuse.

I quite like the idea - some media people have pushed the whole life-ban thing, but that is only for physical assault or racial/religious slurs etc. If players were to do that in some local comps they would receive year-long bans and certainly assault would receive life-bans or equivalent.

I approve of the new measures .

 

[Innconu]

Ofcourse you approve Chook being an Umpire you are normally the one on the end of verbal assults and if anyone was going to get physical it would most likely be with an Umppy. :lol:

Nah I agree to but there is just too much garbage going on in local comps now days in all sports. This is cause people watch the pros blow up and think it is okay. So the only way to stop it is to crack down from top to bottom.

 

[IanG]

Nice to see them crack down on it but I think a possible life ban is a bit harsh. Being a Cricketer myself I know that sometimes things are said in the heat of the moment and you think to yourself shit did I really say that?

 

[Terminator]

Psychological pressure which is called sledging is part of the game, but personal attacks aren't.
It's just not cricket.

 

[Doctor]

Ofcourse you approve Chook being an Umpire you are normally the one on the end of verbal assults and if anyone was going to get physical it would most likely be with an Umppy. :lol:

Well yes and no. I'm not usually on the end of verbal assaults - disagreement and dissent is two different things, but verbal assaults goes further in my opinion. There will always be cricketers disagreeing with each other and with the umpire - no-one expects that everyone will always agree - that would be a boring sport where everyone agreed.

I don't mind if a player says: "well I don't agree umpire" - however rarely would it be expressed like this. Usually it is a comment directed at team-mates or "too themselves", although clearly it is intended for the umpire's ears.

There is room for sledging - but sledging that isn't offensive. eg. a bowler commenting "great shot, you'll have to show me how you do that", or a batsman saying "well, we all know you can bowl short, but can you get me out" - that's gamesmanship.
But "F&#% you , you %%^% cheat" or any physical contact between opposing players is not on - but never has it been.

While there is room for questioning why a decision was made, and perhaps stating one's disagreement (very politely and non-threateningly of course), umpires needn't put up with verbal "assaults" as you call it - players directing offensive gestures/words towards umpires, yelling or abusing umpires - it is not on, and the laws state this. Many local competitions will crack down on this is they are going to be fair dinkum about protecting their sport (and their umpires).

This is cause people watch the pros blow up and think it is okay.

Indeed - I can recall many times when a player says: "ah, there is a new law on this" or says "but I saw this on t.v on Monday - it's o.k now!" in regards to anything in the laws.