England in India

[m_vaughan]

There are much better crowds in India like Chennai, Bangalore, etc but many instances of crowd misbehavior mostly emanates these days only from India and that too because of places like Eden Gardens and Guwahati!

I dont think you can quite judge how the crowd will react on a given day, just on the basis of the location. Personally, I thought the crowd at Mumbai's Wan(k)hede stadium was extremely hostile when I went there last.

I am not supporting the acts that we have seen at the Eden Gardens (or Guwahati), but to stop or reduce cricket games there wouldnt be the best thing to do, considering how important and historic the stadium is to international cricket. Solution to this is simple, and has been discussed before as well. Like in Football, when crowd trouble results in violence or racist chants targeted at players/officials, we often have future games being played in front of empty stands. If such a method is followed in cricket by the ICC/BCCI, it will automatically pressurise the ground authorities and the crowd to behave in a more responsible manner.

 

[Sureshot]

Guwahati happens to be quite near the place which gets the highest rainfall in the world if my geography is correct. No wonder we didn't have any game there for a long time and for good reason too. What a shame, stupid dumb spectators. What can the players and officials do when the conditons are not fit for playing.

Would be behind the Tropical Rainforests of Amazon which floods to 40ft each year and the rainforests of Indonesia.

 

[Adarsh]

Nope, Cherapunji in Assam is the wettest place on Earth.

 

[harishankar]

I do believe the umpires have some sort of ICC regulation that they have to follow in regards to inspecting match conditions and shortening the match. These regulations will obviously not work in all situations, especially not in extreme situations.

The ICC regulations are not sacrosant. I believe that some consideration should be given for the paying public. Most of the ICC are not bothered about the crowds and their sole intention seems to be to promote television and the commercial media interests. ICC would therefore not make any regulations regarding the treatment of crowds at International venues or the amenities provided to the paying spectators.

I think the match referee should use common sense more often than merely go by the rules.

Two more points--if there is even a 10% chance of play, the officials have to entertain that prospect.

Let me clarify that. A 10% chance means a 90% chance of not playing at all. Which was the overwhelming possibility? And even otherwise, it would only be common sense to abandon the game at an earlier stage. I know there will still be disappointment, but the crowd could be managed better at an earlier stage.

As I see it, it *was* a farce to try and appease the crowds by pretending that there's a chance to play the match when there clearly wasn't and it backfired badly on them this time.

Obviously the umpires need to judge on case by case basis, but the number of pitch inspections should be limited just to one. Just an hour into the day and if there's a likely chance of not playing, the game should be called off. There are other ways to keep the people happy like maybe an unofficial 20-20 arranged at the same venue the next day.

All I say is that there are better ways to deal with weather issues, like having a reserve day just in case... But to try desperately to play on the same day with a curtailed match was merely playing on crowd sentiments, which was a wrong thing to do.

 

[Sureshot]

Nope, Cherapunji in Assam is the wettest place on Earth.

http://www.extremescience.com/wettest.htm

Might fins that interesting, I think many will too.

 

[sohum]

Like in Football, when crowd trouble results in violence or racist chants targeted at players/officials, we often have future games being played in front of empty stands. If such a method is followed in cricket by the ICC/BCCI, it will automatically pressurise the ground authorities and the crowd to behave in a more responsible manner.

This will never happen. People will break into the stadium and watch if it comes to that. There will be no advertising revenue for that given match and the BCCI wouldn't be arsed to hand out a game there, especially when there are dozens of other venues who are willing to host a game.

Let me clarify that. A 10% chance means a 90% chance of not playing at all. Which was the overwhelming possibility? And even otherwise, it would only be common sense to abandon the game at an earlier stage. I know there will still be disappointment, but the crowd could be managed better at an earlier stage.

Thank you for the arithmetic help, I guess I've spent the last 19 years of my life forgetting mathematics. It is all good to say that 'common sense would infer this and that' but rules are created for a reason. The rules will not be applicable for each situation, but then, no one wants to take the risk of going against the rules, based on a personal whim. One person's common sense does not equal another person's. Common sense is a farcical notion in itself. If common sense was so common, the fans at Guwahati should have never come to the stadium, seeing as it was raining so much in the days past.

 

[gary0808]

There is no excuse for what went on in India on Sunday. There might have been ways of stopping it but they are grown adults who probably would have known before they went that play was unlikely.

 

[newzolt]

There is no excuse for what went on in India on Sunday. There might have been ways of stopping it but they are grown adults who probably would have known before they went that play was unlikely.

I agree the behaviour was not at all justified.But please have a look at these facts.
1. Sitting at home we can always switch channels if a match is abandoned but on ground waiting from morning till afternoon when conditions seemed likely for a match and then the match was called off the spectators have very little options with no refund.
2.The curators and also the Assam Cricket Board officials were of the view that the conditions were not adverse to holding a match.One cannot deny the fact that the effort of the ground staff and the local authorities was outstanding.
3.Sehwag had himself admitted in an interview that the player were tired of the heavy schedule and were not that keen to play match.
4.The umpires did see that play could have been carried on and hence offered the captains the options to play the match.If conditions were really that bad then they themselves would have called the match off.
5.It did not rain on that day.
6.Unlike in England and other parts of the world there are no recreative facilities outside the ground in case a match is washed off.
Considering all these facts you could expect the crowd to be frustrated a bit but that reaction in no way can be justified.

 

[vizard]

Lot of English fans have tried to defend their team's supposed indifference towards ODI's..and i might add, with some valid points too..But the fact remains and it's England players themself who have this attitude.

Matthew Hoggard Any team on their day can win the World Cup. It takes two people to win a game of one-day cricket.

.

Winning The ashes was a great achievement by England, but Hoggard doesn't need to elevate it by trying to belittle the World Cup. This really sums it all up.

ANY TEAM ? Then why is it that generally World Cups have been won by the best teams of the era ..West Indies of late 70's & 80's..India in 1983, Sri Lanka revolutionised ODI cricket in 1995 and went on to win 1996 and then the Australian teams which were and are still, the best who won 1999 & 2003.
He also seems to have forgotton that anyone can beat a team on given day to win World Cup, but u need to reach the finals for that 1st..England havent made past group stages for last 2 and well made to so-called Q/F in 1996 by winning 2 games in group.

 

[cricket_lover]

I agree..may be he admits that England are not among the contenders list...yet. Ashes is always a great series, but tell me an instance...where only 2 players won the world cup? Its always a team effort, you see more ODI's being won b/c of team effort than tests.

 

[gary0808]

I agree the behaviour was not at all justified.But please have a look at these facts.
1. Sitting at home we can always switch channels if a match is abandoned but on ground waiting from morning till afternoon when conditions seemed likely for a match and then the match was called off the spectators have very little options with no refund.
2.The curators and also the Assam Cricket Board officials were of the view that the conditions were not adverse to holding a match.One cannot deny the fact that the effort of the ground staff and the local authorities was outstanding.
3.Sehwag had himself admitted in an interview that the player were tired of the heavy schedule and were not that keen to play match.
4.The umpires did see that play could have been carried on and hence offered the captains the options to play the match.If conditions were really that bad then they themselves would have called the match off.
5.It did not rain on that day.
6.Unlike in England and other parts of the world there are no recreative facilities outside the ground in case a match is washed off.
Considering all these facts you could expect the crowd to be frustrated a bit but that reaction in no way can be justified.

I know all of these facts but there is still no need to throw stones and break cameras. I honestly would've been extremely frustrated but wouldn't have acted in such a way. I may have booed and hissed or whatever but violence isn't the answer. I think they have put a bad reputation upon India the country which overall is very well behaved.

 

[Adarsh]

Tresco explains his absence
I know you may think I'm an idiot who doesn't care about others well being, etc., BUT I think it's a very poor excuse to miss the tests and the ODIs. A stomach bug and home sickness. Hmm..., I'd have forgiven him if the rumours about his family had been true but this excuse is simply not good enough IMO. If Tendulkar had done this, imagine the media response.

 

[RoboRocks]

He says its was bad so I can't blame if its as bad as he says it is.

 

[SaiSrini]

Tresco explains his absence
I know you may think I'm an idiot who doesn't care about others well being, etc., BUT I think it's a very poor excuse to miss the tests and the ODIs. A stomach bug and home sickness. Hmm..., I'd have forgiven him if the rumours about his family had been true but this excuse is simply not good enough IMO. If Tendulkar had done this, imagine the media response.

Why cant he bring his family on the trip? The Indian cricketers do it. Is ECB so cruel not to allow the family of players along with them on such trips? If Tresco is so home sick, why cant he pay out of his own pocket and bring his family with him? I mean any cricketer from a top nation should be earning more than enough to buy tickets for his family to a country like India!

First he says a bug, second he says home sickness, Fletcher says personal reasons, etc... Head spinning for anyone? Definitely for me!!!!! Looks like they're trying to hide something under the carpet! May be a way to douse mounting speculations??

Lot of English fans have tried to defend their team's supposed indifference towards ODI's..and i might add, with some valid points too..But the fact remains and it's England players themself who have this attitude.

.

Winning The ashes was a great achievement by England, but Hoggard doesn't need to elevate it by trying to belittle the World Cup. This really sums it all up.

ANY TEAM ? Then why is it that generally World Cups have been won by the best teams of the era ..West Indies of late 70's & 80's..India in 1983, Sri Lanka revolutionised ODI cricket in 1995 and went on to win 1996 and then the Australian teams which were and are still, the best who won 1999 & 2003.
He also seems to have forgotton that anyone can beat a team on given day to win World Cup, but u need to reach the finals for that 1st..England havent made past group stages for last 2 and well made to so-called Q/F in 1996 by winning 2 games in group.

Two players to win a game of ODI cricket, but they need the whole team to just enter the semis of a World Cup, let alone win the final.

I agree with what you say. Teams these days need to have that extra-ordinary ability to beat all other teams and clinch the WC. England doesnt seem to have those at the moment with the ODI form dipping alarmingly.

3.Sehwag had himself admitted in an interview that the player were tired of the heavy schedule and were not that keen to play match.

When did Sehwag admit that he wasnt keen on playing the match? Did I miss something? Sorry guys!

Thats awful then! How is he going to experience himself on captaincy suppose he has to take over the reins in future (right now no hope on him being India's next captain if his form doesnt improve)?? He has to look forward to every available match to attempt getting back to form.

 

[BigCrickNan]

I'm not surprised it he didn't want to play it. I'm getting sick of ODI's now, way too many. 5 would be ok but 7 takes the mick.