Sledging.. How far is too far?????

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Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

I believe the umpires are there for the hard to judge things. LBWs, run outs and those times when nobody is sure and an answer is needed.

Things like edges were a given when cricket started out. The umpires were brought into the game to decide when someone was intentionally cheating by blocking his stumps with his body, no chance of getting out then (which was why LBW was brought in).

These days it's more competitive and never going to happen like that, but I think the longer we try to preserve 'the spirit of the game', whatever it is, the longer cricket will not turn into something like soccer/football where the gamesmanship is noteably terrible... I simply can't watch it without wanting to punch everyone in the face on both teams.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

Boris;397970 said:
I always walk if I know for a fact I should be/should have been out.

I don't do it fully for the spirit of the game. I do it because the bowler bowling to me just got my wicket, he outplayed me. He should have his win, I should live on to bat another day.

If nobody appeals it's a tough one, but normally I wouldn't walk. That is simply because it would be at no loss to the other team, they don't get cheated out of a wicket.

Only people that play cricket as the first and foremost sport and barely follow/play others seem to understand this.
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I think I probably play in this mode, I reckon if I edged it and it was bloody obvious to me I'd assume that the finger was going up and probably would be on my way back to the sheds anyway before I even thought 'Hold on no-one spotted that'. If it was one of those faint nicks where I didn't even notice myself or wasn't sure I'd hang in there and wait to see the umpires decision. Sledging - exceptionally low level from me if I was bowling and on top of the situation.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

I respect walkers and agree with most points raised but my philosophy is that you take the good with the bad and move on. If I decided to walk do I reserve the right to stand my ground when give out incorrectly? Of course not, human error is part of the game by both players and umpires. My belief is that it all evens out in the end so I should take what ever luck I'm given.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

Boris;397983 said:
I believe the umpires are there for the hard to judge things. LBWs, run outs and those times when nobody is sure and an answer is needed.

Things like edges were a given when cricket started out. The umpires were brought into the game to decide when someone was intentionally cheating by blocking his stumps with his body, no chance of getting out then (which was why LBW was brought in).

These days it's more competitive and never going to happen like that, but I think the longer we try to preserve 'the spirit of the game', whatever it is, the longer cricket will not turn into something like soccer/football where the gamesmanship is noteably terrible... I simply can't watch it without wanting to punch everyone in the face on both teams.
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I have always said that the 'spirit of cricket' refers to situations where the umpire can not make a judgement, or it is very difficult to make a judgement. It involves a player or players intentionally trying to fool the umpire to benefit their team's cause.

For example, saying your injured when your not, or saying your going to the toilet when your going for a quick shower and a change of clothes, or saying you caught the ball when you didn't and the umpire was blindsided.

Standing your ground when you nick the ball IMO does not fall under the spirit of cricket. Rather, you awaitng the umpire's decision and you will accept that decision, whatever it is.

The spirit of cricket has been used to cover everything from sledging to subs to team tactics. As far as Im concerned, the spirit of cricket refers to those factors which are not addressed in the offical laws of the game, or that the umpire cannot reasonably officate.

If sledging is getting out of hand, then if the umpire is capable of hearing he will step in and say cool it, hopefully,discreetly and without bringing attention to himself.

I have always said that the players are in sole control of the 'spirit of cricket', or as I prefer to say, 'playing the game in the right spirit'.

The umpire makes the decision, you accept that decision, and you do not try and UNDULY influence that decision. You can appeal, even if you are not 100 % sure it is out, as long as you accept the umpires decision.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

As far as I'm concerned I'd be disappointed with myself if I didn't walk. If there's no appeal I wouldn't, but if there's an appeal and I know I'm out, I'll walk before the umpire gives his decision. As far as I'm concerned if I KNOW the bowler's got me out and I don't end up back in the pavilion, then quite bluntly I've cheated him, pure and simple. As Bill Shankly said "I'd break my own wife's legs if I was playing against her, but I'd never cheat her..."

That said, if the bowler or his team-mates have been behaving in a way I consider to be unusually unsportsmanlike, I'd reserve the right not to walk.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

Spiderlounge;398081 said:
As far as I'm concerned I'd be disappointed with myself if I didn't walk. If there's no appeal I wouldn't, but if there's an appeal and I know I'm out, I'll walk before the umpire gives his decision. As far as I'm concerned if I KNOW the bowler's got me out and I don't end up back in the pavilion, then quite bluntly I've cheated him, pure and simple. As Bill Shankly said "I'd break my own wife's legs if I was playing against her, but I'd never cheat her..."

That said, if the bowler or his team-mates have been behaving in a way I consider to be unusually unsportsmanlike, I'd reserve the right not to walk.
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Im not sure whether you can reserve the right to walk as based on how the opposition have treated you, I believe its either all the time, or not at all.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

lemmon;398163 said:
Im not sure whether you can reserve the right to walk as based on how the opposition have treated you, I believe its either all the time, or not at all.
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Well they'd have to be pretty bad for me not to walk, but if they'd really got under my skin with bad attitude there's no way I'd give them an inch. But if I'm treated fairly, I'll respond in kind.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;398046 said:
Standing your ground when you nick the ball IMO does not fall under the spirit of cricket. Rather, you awaitng the umpire's decision and you will accept that decision, whatever it is.
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Again, I have to disagree. The umpire is more for Boris' thoughts. The umpire is there to make the difficult decisions. You edge it and are caught you walk. I dont care if the umpire didn't see it, you know you did it, we know you did it, and your a dirty cheat if you dont walk. I dont care if the other team would do differently, if you are honest, and spread the honesty then you'll get treated with respect and ideally honesty back.

The umpire is more a moderator than a referee.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

SteveyD;398202 said:
Again, I have to disagree. The umpire is more for Boris' thoughts. The umpire is there to make the difficult decisions. You edge it and are caught you walk. I dont care if the umpire didn't see it, you know you did it, we know you did it, and your a dirty cheat if you dont walk. I dont care if the other team would do differently, if you are honest, and spread the honesty then you'll get treated with respect and ideally honesty back.

The umpire is more a moderator than a referee.
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I disagree fundamentally.

If I edge the ball, I will wait for the umpires decision, even if I know that I got a scratch on the ball. If the umpire says 'not out', then I benefit from the rub of the green and I have no guily conscience at all.

If you were to call me a 'dirty cheat' on the field, than I'd abuse you with both barrells, the way I was bought up on the game was simple, you accept the umpires decision.

Im not going to walk, for a few reasons: a) Bowlers are idiots and I dislike them b) Bowlers appeal even when they know the batsmen isn't out, or that he got a edge on the ball before it smashed into the front pad.

It has nothing to do with being honest, it is a simple case of knowing your damn role.

As a batsmen, you bat, a bowler - bowls, a fielder - fields and the umpire decides if your out or not.
 
Re: Sledging.. How far is too far?????

The worst thing in cricket is an undecided walker, one who only walks when it suits him. This earns you the least respect from everyone. People will accept if you walk or if you don't, that's just your style or persona on the field, but if you only walk when you want to then no-one likes you because your own team doesn't recognise you as a walker and think your an idiot when you walk and the other team thinks you are a walker and get really pissed off when you don't walk.

Whichever way you go, be decisive. Either let the umpire decide all the time, or not.
 
As a batsman, you wait until the umpire makes a decision - you are not obliged to walk. In the two years ive coached and the ten years ive been playing, I have never told a single player to walk if they edge one
 
In risk of starthing this again...
The umpire is not the referee as per rugby/football etc. He is there to moderate between the two teams more than referee.
If you know you edged it, and I know you edged it, and you stand there because the umpire is unsure/deaf/whatever then two tihngs , a) your not playing in the spirit of cricket b) i'll get on with it and bowl you out...
 
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