In yesterday's Ashes Cricket test at Nottingham there was an incident in which England's Stuart Broad clearly hit the ball which was caught at slip by Australian captain Michael Clarke.He was clearly out but the umpire did'nt give the correct decision for some reason probably only known to himself.So Broad stayed at the crease and continued with his innings...This has created quite a storm in the world of Cricket.
Many who don't follow Cricket would'nt really see what the problem is.They would point out that the Umpire made a complete hash of his job in this instant and Broad got lucky.As you were,carry on...
However cricket has this unwritten rule of etiquette called "Walking" in which the batsman basically gives himself out before waiting for the umpire's decision.Indeed earlier in the day English batsman Bairstow did just that when he was out...But in truth it's rare that any batsman does this these days.Infact it's rare that many batsman has ever done so in the whole history of the game.One of the most famous players ever to play the game,WG Grace, famously refused to leave the crease even when given out by the umpire early in his innings saying he'd stay because the crowd had come to see him not the umpire...Lords,the famous old ground which is the cricket equivalent to Wembley has a set of iron gates named in his honour...
So to my mind Broad did'nt cheat,he just took advantage of a bad decision.Apparently to some folks eyes it was against the "Spirit of the game" A nebulous term at best.If the spirit of the game was all prevailing there would'nt be the need for officials to oversee that the rules of the game are being adhered to surely? The only sports i know that are basically self regulating are Golf & Snooker...
This incident has changed my mind a little bit though,especially with regards to Football...If i back Broad,which i do,how can i then condemn players such as Suarez or Bale for diving to gain a penalty? They are,after all,just trying to take advantage of a referee's decision in the same way Broad did.This is further complicated by most sports fans being notoriously one eyed hypocrites when it comes to their own teams.If a player clearly dives to gain a penalty against my team i will be up in arms shouting "Cheat".If a Wolves player does the same i will keep quiet with a knowing wink to my fellow Wolves fans...
So what is cheating? The Broad incident and footballers diving seem to be spur of the moment choices made by the players rather than any pre-ordained regime of blatantly trying to cheat the sport.Like say Lance Armstrong did for years and many athletes have, and continue to do so, taking performance enhancing drugs to gain an advantage and beat their opponents.Christ it was government policy in the old Eastern Bloc!
No doubt Broad will be nudged by the MCC to issue an apology of some sort for not holding up the "Spirit of the game" whilst taking dogs abuse from every Aussie whenever he takes the field---Is sledging against the spirit of the game or just so called "Banter"?---Then it will go down in the history of the game as an "Unsavoury incident" Along with all the other ones.Just check out You-Tube to see plenty of "Unsavoury incidents" that have littered the sport over the years.
Having nailed my colours to the Broad mast i now have to be consistent in my judgment of what is cheating but as i am a one eyed sporting hypocrite i'll probably go ape whenever an opponent does the same against my team...
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