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Playing spoilsport
Despite ending in a draw, the Antigua Test will be remembered for the remarkable resilience displayed by both teams.
Despite ending in a draw, the Antigua Test will be remembered for the remarkable resilience displayed by both teams: India’s powerful come-back second innings and the Windies’ heroics in the last over to save the match. But unfortunately, the Test will also go down as yet another example of what is definitely ‘not cricket’. Brian Lara’s outburst on the fourth day when he wagged his finger at Indian batsmen and grabbed the ball from the umpire’s hand to dispute a line call was unwarranted. That even Daren Ganga — who took the ‘catch’ plumb on the boundary line — wasn’t sure if he’d stepped over the line, and the third umpire couldn’t make out from the TV replays, make Lara’s behaviour all the more disgraceful.
Lara’s unsaid defence of his behaviour could be that that it’s in the spirit of the game to play it hard. If so, it will have few takers considering he happens to be in the elite company of batsmen like Adam Gilchrist who are famous for their readiness to walk, even if no one else on the field heard the ‘nick’. It would be sad if cricket has already turned a page in its glorious history where players would indicate if the ball had bounced before they caught it, applaud one another’s milestones, and make sporting declarations, all for the good of the game. For today players apparently want to win at all costs, and appeal when they know it’s not out, don’t walk when they’ve nicked it, and ignore each other’s milestones with nary a handshake.
It’s still not too late to substitute rudeness with acts and sportsmanship. Remember Gundappa Vishwanath’s decision in the Seventies to call England’s Bob Taylor back after being given out? Or Courtney Walsh’s refusal to take off the bails when Abdul Qadir was out of his crease at the non-striker’s end?
