The Ugly Australians

[rahulk666]

I feel there is no harm for a bowler in asking umpire why he did not give a batsman out? But, it should be a one question, one answer deal. If the bowler keeps nagging repeatedly over a decision though then he should be warned immediately by the umpire.

Something like:
McGrath:Why wasn't that lbw?
Aleem Dar: Missing leg
End of story.

However, its wrong to tell the umpires though what they should do. The umpire is doing his job. The players have no right to tell how he should do it. If umpire feels a batsmen is not run out or if he feels that catch was not taken cleanly and does not refer to 3rd umpire then players have no right to tell him to refer it to 3rd umpire.

In short asking the umpires once should be allowed but telling the umpire should not be allowed and whoever tells the umpire to do something should be reprimanded.

 

[James219]

To be fair, the rise in incidents has coincided with their decline. They are still the best team in the world but life is a lot harder now and it's inevitable to want to blame something other than their own performance.
I'm afraid that I completely disagree with the idea that this is sport in the 21st century. In order for the umpire/ref etc to do their job properly there has to be an acceptance of their authority. This slow undermining is going to have a serious effect on kids' sport otherwise.
It's all very well saying let's have TV replays etc and make the decisions completely correct but that's not going to happen at club level or school level. We have to show respect for the officials whether we agree with what they say or not. Cricket has never been just about winning, it's been about how you win. Why else did the underarm incident and bodyline provoke such reaction? Competiveness is fine but it has to be within the spirit of the game and as far as I'm concerned that means walking, that means not over-appealing and that means not using specialist fielders as 12th men or moving the field as the bowler is delivering.
Australia certainly aren't alone in this but as the best team in the world it is essential they lead by example in stamping it out.

You're correct, although walking is not entirely in the spirit of the game (even though you can call it honesty) or respecting the Umpire's decision, as his authority deems you out or not out. If you leave without this being made then you are not respecting his ability or position. Moving the field as the ball is being delivered is a matter of the laws.

 

[sohum]

^ Respecting the umpire's decision is not in the spirit of the game? Walking when you're out is not in the spirit of the game? Oh boy, why exactly is cricket a gentleman's game?

 

[ajay2k5]

I think it's great when a batsman walks when he knows he is out, and I would like to see more of it, and not this standing in your crease shaking ya head saying no towards the umpire.

 

[FreddieFan]

To be honest, I'm not really that bothered. If an umpire can't take pressure from bowlers, then he shouldn't be standing in a test match. No, of course players shouldn't tell umpire's they're wrong, but as long as you have a strong umpire (which should be all inetrantional umpires) then it doesn't really make a difference.

 

[James219]

Haha, no that's not my point, you misinterpreted. Walking isn't respecting the umpire's ability to make the decision, and you are supposed to respect his decision, hence you shouldn't walk.

 

[andrew_nixon]

Haha, no that's not my point, you misinterpreted. Walking isn't respecting the umpire's ability to make the decision, and you are supposed to respect his decision, hence you shouldn't walk.

So you don't like it when batsmen walk after being bowled then?

 

[James219]

When that happens it's a pretty self-evident situation on what the verdict will be. In that case if you are actually stupid enough to wait for a decision its not in the 'common sense' of the game. But they can walk or not if they want, I was just saying it as everyone seems to think walking is so honest and etc etc etc, where most walkers are actually selectively honest.

And standing there suggesting that you didn't hit it by like rubbing your elbow or something is slack, just accept whatever your'e given. You get your good and bad decisions you might as well take something in your favour by waiting for the verdict and seeing if the appeal is worthy, for all you know you might get unlucky your next three innings and that might trigger a confidence slump or something.

 

[tsyrmas]

as an umpire and a player, i think that a player has every right to quesion an umpires call. the umpires are there to get it right, thats there job, and thats what they are payed for. they need to be subject to a little pressure. me and my collueagues at the SACUA (south Australian cricket umpires asscosiation) are paid pretty good money to make correct descisions (i can't spell that word). i have got it wrong, as has every umpire at one point, and an umpire knows when they have screwed up. so i dnt mind a player saying, "why wasn't that out?" because it keeps me under pressure, and makes me do my job better.

as for the "ugly Australians" that is the most obsurred thing i have ever read. Australia have never fixed a match, don't use that stupid sub-fielder thing that england do, always check to see if a batsmen is hurt when he goes down or is hit, don't scuff up the pitch, aren't wanted in any countries (south Africa's Nicky Boje and Herschelle Gibbs) and are honest about catches etc. when other players (smith, Parore, richardson) say that Australia get all the umpires calls going there way because of their aggresive manner of appealing, then what does that say about the umpires? im dissapointed that that stupid old man wants a bit more of the action, what an old geezer.

 

[James219]

You're right umpires should be able to take pressure, you shouldn't be at that level if you can't. It doesn't particularly affect the umpires just because a player is appealing when he thinks it could be given out. If they are being intimidated, theny they should not report the issue, rather they should start focusing more on the situation at hand.
Being dubbed 'ugly australians' is a bit far-fetched, but having said that some of their other behaviour such as swearing on field, at crowd members, having extended conversations with umpires as if they have the authority to change the decision, etc is getting out of hand and they should be able to mentally block that stuff out.

 

[kodos]

tsyrmas what level do you umpire?? I think every team at some extent pressure the umpire but it was just more conspicuous during the recent series against windies and sth africa. I remember during the windies test series Lee just charged down the pitch for a LBW without even appealing to the umpire. Also when decisions where turned down Ponting and the bowler immediately walked to the umpire to demand for a reason why it was not out even after the umpire have said "because it was not out". I mean that is just bad and shows absolute lack of respecet to the umpire. The Windies had probably in excess of 10 or so decisions gone against them yet they controlled themselves and just went on with the game. Also it is more often that players such as Ponting and Warne receive a decision which goes against them they then have a hissyfit and act like 12 years olds. Even Mark Taylor, Tony Greig and Ian Chappel disagrees with the Aussie behaviour on field, but it is a good sign than Ponting says that they will change. Since Aus are the best team in the world they should lead the way and since so many young Aussie cricketers envy them to attempt to emulate their achievements on the field. But as I said earlier all teams at some extent do put a lot of pressure on the umpires.

 

[brad352]

Something like:
McGrath:Why wasn't that lbw?
Aleem Dar: No idea mate, I just guessed

Fixed!

I think the players are within their rights to enquire why a decision wasn't out, but equally the umpires are quite welcome to respond with "because I didn't give it", that'd end the questions pretty quickly. Bowlers asking the question several times and Ponting charging over to have a bitch at every opportunity is a waste of everybodys time and not a particularly good look either.

 

[andrew_nixon]

When that happens it's a pretty self-evident situation on what the verdict will be. In that case if you are actually stupid enough to wait for a decision its not in the 'common sense' of the game. But they can walk or not if they want, I was just saying it as everyone seems to think walking is so honest and etc etc etc, where most walkers are actually selectively honest.

But you were saying that walking was not respecting the umpires decision. Under the laws of the game, an umpire can only give a batsman out after an appeal from the fielding side. This applies to all wickets, including being bowled.

So technically, if a batsman is playing by the letter of the law, when he is bowled, he should wait for the fielding side to appeal, at which point the umpire gives him out.

 

[MUFC1987]

The problem with Batsman walking is that it can lead to assumptions. For example a player such as Adam Gilchrist has stated that he will walk when he thinks he's out. So he does this 4 times in a row (Hypothetical) on the 5th Occasion he Edges the ball but does not walk, this leaves a nag in the Umpire's mind saying that if he'd hit it, he would have walked. This is where problems come in. As someone said earlier it's selective on the Batsmans part. In the World Cup final with 1 run to win and 9 wickets down, no one's going to walk and you're dreaming if you think that they will.

 

[sohum]

That is just a claim against Gilchrist's honesty, and in my opinion, that is up to you (as in you, personally) to decide. I think Gilchrist's honest. The umpires respect Gilchrist's honesty. So they honor it. Secondly, if the umpire begins to make decisions based on particular players, they are running into trouble. I don't think the umpires let down their guard if 'walkers' are playing.

Let me now pull out an exaggerated situation out of my ass:

Student: "Why did I get this problem wrong?"
Teacher: "Because 4+4 isn't 9."
Student: "Why can't it be 9?"
Teacher: "Go screw yourself."

Okay, I just felt the need to include that. It's okay to enquire about an umpire's decision. But like you said James219:

You get your good and bad decisions

That applies to the bowlers too. Get on with the game. As Geoff Boycott once said, if Hawkeye was used in matches, teams would be getting all out for under a 100. How much would you like to watch cricket then?