Random thoughts on Cricket

Watching television recently, I heard the saying that football is hooligans playing at being gentleman, Rugby Union is gentleman playing at being hooligans and Rugby League is hooligans playing at being hooligans – so what does that make cricket? Could it be gentleman playing at being gentleman? Maybe. Or maybe it was until Jardine, Larwood & co got worried about The Don one summer.

Ah, here we go – an Aussie complaining about the Bodyline series. “What a shock” I hear you say. Well, perhaps we do have a problem letting go of it, but the question is still relevant: when did cricket stop being a gentleman’s sport? Was it ever?

In 2000, the MCC revised the laws of cricket to coincide with the new millennium. The main change made was the addition of the “the Spirit of Cricket” as a preamble to the laws. Prior to this it had been assumed that said “spirit” was implicit and understood by all participating. Clearly, by the year 2000, someone felt this was no longer the case; now it needed to be spelt out in no uncertain terms, but how seriously are they taking it?

Ponting, for example, treats the lead up to every series like he’s headed for a boxing match. He likes to sledge before a ball has even been bowled. And, ever gracious in defeat, he likes a good whinge when it’s all over and things haven’t gone his way. And this is not a one way game, either: "Hauritz (affectionately renamed “that bowler”, mind) couldn’t bowl my grandmother out"; England time waste to force a draw; Australia have lost their "aura" (not exactly a revelation to us Aussie fans, that one. And at least we had an aura to lose.); my perennial favourite; Ponting screaming “cheats!” up at the England balcony and; Flintoff is a fat f**k. No, wait - that last one was just me.

But is it really something new or is it just that it's all in recent memory? I draw your attention once more to a certain series – that shall remain nameless – played in Australia in the summer of ‘32/’33. But let us not forget, also, the famous Ashes to Ashes chants from 1974. I’m sure Thommo and Lillee haven’t forgotten. Saint Steve Waugh may have been a walker, but we know for a fact that Bradman wasn’t. I’ll warrant W.G. Grace was no cricketing angel either and, if we try really hard, I’m sure we can weave some English cricket evil into the ANZAC legend as well.

So, is it a gentleman’s game or not? Who knows? Actually, who the hell cares? It demands a lot more intelligence than rugby, just as much fitness as football and a truckload more skill than either of them. It may not always be gentlemanly, true, but it certainly is bloody superior.