Let's try again
ACB sledges Waugh's ugly Aussies
By Mark Fuller, Alex Brown and Trevor Marshallsea in St John's, Antigua
May 14 2003
Bad blood: Australian paceman Glenn McGrath exchanges heated words with West Indies century-maker Ramnaresh Sarwan before putting his case to umpire David Shepherd. Photos: Reuters, Getty Images
Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland yesterday was moved to carpet his national side in the middle of a Test, reinforcing criticism that Steve Waugh's team does not behave well under pressure.
Following another ugly incident in an ill-tempered Test against the West Indies in Antigua, Sutherland phoned Waugh after play and told him the team's behaviour was not good enough, damaging to the image of the game and that they needed to "have a good look" at how they play "when things are not going your way".
The ugliest incident once again involved fast bowler Glenn McGrath, who triggered two nasty scenes with young West Indian vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan.
The verbal clash during the fourth Test on Monday looked bad from the outer and on TV - and it was all because McGrath over-reacted to a sledging exchange that he had initiated.
After being hit for 21 runs in two overs, McGrath fired a barb at Sarwan, then erupted angrily when the West Indian replied.
Microphones picked up McGrath complaining seconds later to umpire David Shepherd that Sarwan had made a reference to his wife Jane, who is having treatment for cancer.
However, rumours Sarwan - a player well liked by the Australians - had callously turned Jane McGrath's serious condition into a piece of on-field psychology were later proved incorrect.
Sources confirmed McGrath had baited Sarwan with a lewd taunt alleging relations with his captain Brian Lara, and Sarwan had fired back with an equally well-worn comeback, by bringing McGrath's wife into the argument.
Soon after, McGrath's second approach to Sarwan was caught in a television close-up, in which it was clearly visible to viewers that the Australian fast bowler raged: "If you ever f---ing mention my wife again, I will f---ing rip your f---ing throat out."
McGrath was understood to have been embarrassed to have reacted the way he did.
Some of McGrath's teammates, who heard his conversation with Sarwan, felt he may have over-reacted. Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer shook Sarwan's hand when he reached his century three overs later.
The ACB found the matter sufficiently worrying for Sutherland to speak to Waugh.
Although Sutherland said he did not blame the Australian players for the "ugly" incident, he said he had spoken with Waugh about the need for his world champion team to improve its behaviour when a match was not going its way.
But Sutherland said he had given the Australian captain no specific directions.
"What we do agree on is that it's all very well to be playing the game in the right spirit when things are going your way but if things don't go your way, that's when the real test is on," he said.
"And if you can't carry yourself in the right fashion, in the true spirit of the game at those times, then perhaps you need to have a good look at yourself."
Sutherland said the ACB had no further role to play because the Test fell under the jurisdiction of the International Cricket Council, its umpires and match referee.
He was not so much concerned about what was said between McGrath and Sarwan "as to the messages that it sends back to the cricket-viewing public".
Although it was the captain's responsibility to ensure his players behaved appropriately, members of the Australian team were experienced enough to know their responsibilities.
"The players are very aware that there are millions and millions of people watching the game of cricket on television, they are ambassadors for their country and the game of cricket, and they need to carry themselves in an appropriate manner," he said.
Asked whether he believed McGrath was justified in his response to Sarwan's comment, Sutherland said: "I don't think that there was a defence forthcoming in the circumstances."
Just three weeks ago, the ACB met in Bowral to discuss its "spirit of cricket" initiative - known to be one of Sutherland's pet projects. The initiative, which deals with the history of the game and the conduct of current players, aims to boost participation at cricket's grassroots and enhance the game's image commercially.
"It's a major preoccupation for James," ACB spokesman Peter Young said.
"Defending the spirit of cricket is one of our four major initiatives."
During this year's World Cup, West Indian great Vivian Richards criticised Australia for lashing out during emotional on-field confrontations.
"I still feel that when it is dished out to them, they don't handle it too well," said Richards, also chairman of West Indies' selectors.
Former Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga added: "When we gave it back to the Australians, they didn't seem to like it at all."
Somewhere amid a ball-chucking scandal, a bottle-chucking scandal and invective hurling from the players, there has been some fine cricket in St John's during the enthralling fourth Test.
It was a wild fourth day, on which a series of astonishing incidents added to a startling core plot - that the young West Indies, flayed and hapless in the first three Tests, had made impressive progress.
Away from the scoreboard, there was the throwing imbroglio which surrounded West Indian quick Jermaine Lawson, who was placed on report by the umpires for a suspect action.
There was a break in play for several minutes on Monday as dozens of bottles rained onto the field after wicketkeeper-batsman Ridley Jacobs's unlucky dismissal.
But through it all the local batsmen made a steady and determined charge towards their imposing target of 418, and they did not need a miracle from Brian Lara to do so.
With Lara scoring 60 and Sarwan a deserved century, the West Indies rose to their enormous challenge.
After a comfortable position of 4-288 turned grave through the loss of Sarwan and Jacobs in successive balls, they then fought back through another century-maker, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and youngster Omari Banks to be 6-371 with a day left, with Chanderpaul unbeaten on 103 and cool off spinner Banks on 28 in only his second Test.
It set up an absorbing final day, with 47 runs required to eclipse India's 28-year-old world record of scoring 406 to win a Test match.
With the new ball two overs old, Brett Lee caught Sarwan off his own bowling following a rash attempt at a pull shot, then Jacobs was given out caught behind off the next delivery by umpire Shepherd, though the ball struck him on the elbow.
The large crowd, sensing their hopes of an epic victory had been pulled from under them, let their loathing be known after the replays, and Lee had to wait several minutes for his hat-trick bid while bottles were cleared from the field.
Banks survived the delivery and on two had a let-off when Martin Love spilled an unremarkable first-slip chance off Lee.
Chanderpaul stepped up after Sarwan's dismissal, bringing the target under 100 with a hooked six off Jason Gillespie, and raised the 17th century of this series off 140 balls soon before stumps.
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