Salamander
pfm Member
Smith has served his ban.
Did Anderson know he was not 100% fit?
Did Anderson know he was not 100% fit?
Cricket - The Ashes 2019
- Thread starter Andrew C!
- Start date
As much as Smith is an excellent batsman, the damage he and Warner did to the spirit of fair sportsmanship in the game should not have been forgiven. I grew up in oz and always loved the cricket, especially the ashes. These arseholes have completely burst my bubble, much as Lance Armstrongs cheating killed my interest in the Tour de France.
I have no interest in seeing the Australian team win now, and will probably feel that way for at least another twenty years until an entire new generation of players and coaches is around.
I have no interest in seeing the Australian team win now, and will probably feel that way for at least another twenty years until an entire new generation of players and coaches is around.
Martian Sunrise
pfm Member
Please show references...
I don’t think anyone give a shit about the bodyline tour, nor Stuart Broad, yet both keep getting trotted out to justify unsportsmanlike behaviour.
Both sides are at it, yet the English *still* believe they are above it all and holier than thou.
See: sledging/bending the rules/being ruthless/crowd behaviour
When the Convicts do it, they are animals and should be banned for life, yet when the jolly Olde Pommy chaps do it, it’s all a bit of great banter and everyone should lighten up.
Jelly beans? Dirt on the ball?
Andrew C!
Been around a while....
Martian Sunrise has a fair point.
We can be fickle and selective in what we choose to remember and quote.
I'm not sure the punishment was long enough, but the ACB did, and that's that. If the ICC felt differently, they would have said or objected. So its done.
The crowds at grounds will bay on such things for years, as is their choice.
We can be fickle and selective in what we choose to remember and quote.
I'm not sure the punishment was long enough, but the ACB did, and that's that. If the ICC felt differently, they would have said or objected. So its done.
The crowds at grounds will bay on such things for years, as is their choice.
My point, which seems to have eluded you so I should have been clearer, is asking sports fans to forget about the past is pretty pointless. Some sportspeople are forgiven easier than others, Warner & Smith are just not very likeable.
As much as it grates as an Englishman to watch, you have to say that Smith's innings was excellent yesterday, not to mention those of his two support partners Siddle and Lyon. Between them they have dragged Australia up to what looks like a very competitive total on this pitch.
The bizarre thing about all this is that Australia possesses simply excellent cricketers. They never had any need to disfigure the sport with all the sledging and cheating. I think that as long as they now keep the sledging tendencies at bay it will actually help them to concentrate on bringing their A game to the series and yes, dare I say it, retain the Ashes.
The bizarre thing about all this is that Australia possesses simply excellent cricketers. They never had any need to disfigure the sport with all the sledging and cheating. I think that as long as they now keep the sledging tendencies at bay it will actually help them to concentrate on bringing their A game to the series and yes, dare I say it, retain the Ashes.
Martian Sunrise
pfm Member
[edit - @Woodface]
Fair enough. Sorry if it was a bit confrontational
My point was that a lot the justification (like the part of your post I quoted) is nonsense and an indication of the hypocracy (that both sides are capable of!). if everyone just came out and said they were anti-australian/english and without all the bullshit, we could just ignore them and get on with watching/chatting about cricket with the proper cricket fans.
i love the rivalry, and i am going to have to come to terms with the fact that my boy (if he wants to play cricket) is more likely than not going to aspire to play it with a disgusting blue ring around the neck of his sweater, rather than the glorious green and gold.
Fair enough. Sorry if it was a bit confrontational
My point was that a lot the justification (like the part of your post I quoted) is nonsense and an indication of the hypocracy (that both sides are capable of!). if everyone just came out and said they were anti-australian/english and without all the bullshit, we could just ignore them and get on with watching/chatting about cricket with the proper cricket fans.
i love the rivalry, and i am going to have to come to terms with the fact that my boy (if he wants to play cricket) is more likely than not going to aspire to play it with a disgusting blue ring around the neck of his sweater, rather than the glorious green and gold.
matthewr
spɹɐʍʞɔɐq spɹoɔǝɹ ɹnoʎ sʎɐld
To be clear my comment upthread was just a crap joke rather than some OH MY GOD WE CAN NEVER FORGIVE THEM! type stance. I also think a lot of the boo-ing of Smith yesterday was of the panto variety and came from the Hollies Stand. If a cricket crowd disapproves they would be more likely to withhold their applause than boo IME.
I also greatly enjoyed watching Smith's innings yesterday. Indeed that's why I love cricket -- even in the biggest rivalry I find myself enjoying the match and watching great players that is free from the tribalism and "hate" of basically every other sport. Ok that period when England didn't win anything for 20 years seriously tested me and Warner is my least favourite player ever, but this is still the thing that makes cricket unique.
Also while I am being all edgy and controversial, Sky's commentary is now > TMS. There I said it.
I also greatly enjoyed watching Smith's innings yesterday. Indeed that's why I love cricket -- even in the biggest rivalry I find myself enjoying the match and watching great players that is free from the tribalism and "hate" of basically every other sport. Ok that period when England didn't win anything for 20 years seriously tested me and Warner is my least favourite player ever, but this is still the thing that makes cricket unique.
Also while I am being all edgy and controversial, Sky's commentary is now > TMS. There I said it.
Fair enough. Hypocrisy is not a criticism of itself though, IMHO as we are all guilty of it. Cricket fans are far more reasonable than, say, football supporters I honestly don't see the problem with a bit of needle. The Aussies are probably the ones who started all the sledging or 'mental disintergration'; don't recall the windies ever resorting to it when in their pomp.
Martian Sunrise
pfm Member
There has been sledging as long as bats have been made of willow. It was probably the aussies that ramped it up, though, for sure. You can do it when you are playing well.
mjw
pfm Member
This is looking like my favourite type of match - lowish scores and closely fought. That said, I do like to see a bowling attack put a side to the sword but only if I’m on the winning side so I’ll stick with Plan A.
Like most I have opinions about the ‘sandpaper 3’ and always wondered why the best team in the world would feel the need to cheat. If you have the slightest interest in cricket and the culture within CA when all this occurred, I commend Geoff Lemon’s book Steve Smith’s Men. It’s gripping, enlightening and gives fascinating insight - I devoured it in two days. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1743795092/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Which brings me on to Smith’s performance yesterday. It was one of the finest innings in a long time, by a bloke who only knows cricket so will go to sleep every night for the rest of his life knowing that someone, somewhere thinks he’s a cheat. It’s a chastening prospect.
Like most I have opinions about the ‘sandpaper 3’ and always wondered why the best team in the world would feel the need to cheat. If you have the slightest interest in cricket and the culture within CA when all this occurred, I commend Geoff Lemon’s book Steve Smith’s Men. It’s gripping, enlightening and gives fascinating insight - I devoured it in two days. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1743795092/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Which brings me on to Smith’s performance yesterday. It was one of the finest innings in a long time, by a bloke who only knows cricket so will go to sleep every night for the rest of his life knowing that someone, somewhere thinks he’s a cheat. It’s a chastening prospect.
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This was precisely England's problem in the 2013-14 Ashes. They tried to match the Aussies sledge for sledge but couldn't back it up with any decent cricket of their own. So as well being beaten out of sight they just looked like idiots.
Martian Sunrise
pfm Member
the 'Mitchell Johnson Ashes'. speaking of redemption stories and barmy armies...
gavreid
Pretty Words...
I don't buy the argument that it's going to be a low scoring series i.e. 200s per innings. Both sides have a couple of walking wickets, e.g. Bancroft and Roy, who clearly do not have the techiques against a moving ball, but there are batsmen capable of big scores, as Smith demonstrated again. If they're going to play Roy he might as well go out there swinging. The question is can England knuckle down and see off the new ball. At least the drunken banter from the stands is pantomime booing and not the continuous and nasty racist bs that gets dealt out to Pakistan...
This is proper test cricket. As much as I dislike Smith I do think his innings was very special yesterday. An even contest between bat & ball is all we can ask for. I do find it quite amusing how all these ex Aussie test cricketers are now walking about like eminent elder statements when they were not always very pleasant when playing. Steve Waugh has made quite the transformation. We've produce a fair few as well, some of which are still playing (e.g. Stuart Broad, Stokes).
Swamp Thing
Remainiac Terrorist
Good recovery by England after letting Australia off the hook a bit yesterday. Excellent character shown by Burns. Denly somewhat unlucky. So some hope for the top order again. Very much looking forward to tomorrow.
