What’s the difference between South African, Indian, English and Australian cricket?
When a South African player, Faf du Plessis, gets nicked for ball tampering (twice) he is made captain. When Sachin Tendulkar does it he remains a demigod. England’s Mike Atherton became a few thousand quid poorer. In Australia we assemble an ugly mob who bay for the blood of our cricketers and get to work with the four-by-two and a packet of roofing nails.
These distinctions offer an unusual look at national identity. Put succinctly, Australians lost their minds and their judgment over a piece of tape, some pitch dirt and a cricket ball.
I’m not sure I would refer to what happened at Cape Town between 2.00pm and 2.42pm local time as cheating. It’s an unhelpful term given approximately 99 per cent of Australians don’t understand the vagaries of reverse swing and how a cricket ball tampered with or not may suddenly start swinging around corners or stubbornly refuse to shift one millimetre off its trajectory.
It was not cheating by any legal definition. Broadly speaking, common law defines cheating as a contrived act set to deny people of proprietary rights. In Australia, where criminal law refers to cheating, it usually falls into the category of obtaining financial benefit by an act of deception. In the UK, where laws for cheating on the sporting field were brought in recently and used in the prosecution of Pakistan cricketers, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, Smith and Co.’s actions would not, by definition, rouse the interest of the plod.
When madness abounds, it is sensible to return to some measure of sanity by using the terms the rules stipulate. It was a code violation grade two (of four with four being the most serious).
Full column here.
Appalling as it was, the cricket cheating scandal is merely a symptom of a wider national sickness. A culture of greed, selfishness, envy, cruelty and often criminal corruption is gnawing at the nation’s heart. It stands to reason for example that if we can produce a politician like Peter Dutton, the most despised man in Australian politics, it stands to reason we can produce what has become the most hated cricket team in the world.
Hey Bassy
He is a long way from being the most despised pollie in Australia.
I think Shorten has that mantle in the Federal sphere – even the rusted on cannot stand him..
Then we could throw in Andrews, Foley, what’s her name in QLD – the list is quite long actually.
Depends very much on who is doing the despising 🙂
But yes – the win at any costs by the pollies on all sides has permeated through all walks of life.
Not according to the Polls JS. I don’t like Shorten, but I think you’ll find that there are many more “despised” politicians than him. I once had a FB friend who was married to a Liberal politician who kept posting about Julia, Kevin etc. being the most despised politicians in Australia, until the marriage broke up and her tune changed dramatically…..she started going on about how Turnbull etc. were the most despised….ho, hum.
All in the eyes of the beholder Penny.
Despised by who Bassy. Do you think you’re generalising?
Emotional claptrap BASSY. And as for “… we can produce a politician like Peter Dutton …”, speak for yourself if you don’t mind.
The most despised man in your head doesn’t equate to the most despised man in Australian politics.
Well, SNAP Bassman!
Dutton IS the most despised man in Australian politics (in my head of course) but he’s earned that.
I will never support the incarceration & torture of people who’ve committed no crime. It’s quite obvious this prick enjoys misusing his power.
Time will sort out it all out Bella.
Come late 2020, there will be a boat arriving daily, the on-shore facilities for processing the people will be overflowing and the left wing of the Labor party and the Greens will be as happy as pigs in mud.
In the election of 2021, the ultra-right wing will have control of the Senate.
I was talking to a rusted on and the subject came up – I asked the question I always ask – “The success of the immigration scheme has been based on selection, why do you prefer people who come by boat over people who have gone through a selection process and how many boat people would you be comfortable with – 50,000?”
No answer to the first. 50,000 is too many was the answer.
Next question “How are you going to keep the boat people at a specific number – pay the people smugglers to stop when the magic number is reached?”
It is all or nothing with the boat people and that is the problem – where “all” is an indeterminate number.
I suspect that under Dutton, there have been thousands of refugees from Syria quietly settled in all parts of Australia but we never hear about it.
We only hear about his being a racist and a Nazi because he dared suggest that those dreaded “white males” from South Africa should be given some sort of preference.
Whatever JS I don’t agree.
Nobody’s being tortured. You need to stop listening to Sarah Sea Patrol. It’s not good for you.
Mental torture is viral
These people have committed np crfime
and stuck on a 40degree island for 5 years INDEFINITELY.
Murdrerers get better treatment. At least they know how
long their sentence is.
So mental torture is okay?
Thanks to a heartless government this country has been hardened to human rights abuses & it’s shameful.
I’m certainly not fond of him.
If he isn’t, he should be.
I’ve put a bit of thought into it and decided sandpaper is a waste of time; a lot of trouble and effort for modest outcomes. Next time i’m out in the backyard i’ll be packing a lemon zester.
Hope it’s a Microplane Milt, none of your cheap rubbish
Cheese grater.
Having a PR wizz in the photo sort of takes the gloss off the main message and makes one wonder………
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/candice-warner-i-blame-myself-for-balltampering-fallout/news-story/918dc78dbdaf04f74ca077dc9d6b6345
Exactly Razor. Roxie whatshername is the PR industry’s nightmare and Candice is now making it all about herself. Had to happen though, it will all be revealed in the pages of Woman’s Day or New Idea or some other useless magazine and the Warner’s will rake in more money.
I know a few of you were criticizing Tracy for her take on Warner, but I think it was pretty accurate. Personally I hope we have seen the back of them, but what’s the bet they turn up on Celebrity on a Desert Island or something similar.
There are any number of decent PR companies in Sydney, why her?
I’m going to wait and see. I’m just a bit peeved that so many people (not explicitly Tracy) think they know what’s going on with the Warners, why they’ve acted the way they have and think they’re inside their heads. I know how I’d be feeling if I was them. If I’d just thrown away my lifelong dream and livelihood the way he has, devastating would not come near it. I don’t even know who this publicity woman is but I assume that they are getting advice from some quarter. They mightn’t take the best option; I’m not accusing Davey of being an Einstein.
Wait and see.
I wasn’t criticising Tracy mate. Every fire in the cricket world which has been lit lately has had David Warner walking away from it with a box of matches.
No, I have disagreed with Tracy over this already. Just saying it’s not about her.
Certainly seems to be at the centre of unrest most times Razor. Probably an alpha male
Your 1 April, 1.10pm appears characteristically uncharitable Penny, if I may say so.
When one is suddenly, summarily, directly and forthwith given the heave-ho for what is ostensibly a mild misdemeanour, it seems quite prudent that one would seek the best advice/assistance possible in order to protect/salvage and rebuild one’s prospects for a positive future.
Seems to be a modestly reasonable approach one should take when the totality of the error of judgement is realistically considered in the calm light of day. Dont you think?
Penny, my opening one line comment is in error, I don’t think your post typifies your character, there should be “un” attached. My apologies.
🙂
As Tracy has said Carl, there are qualified and competent PR agencies to handle this stuff, Roxy is not one of them. If they want credibility and sympathy they need to handle this better than they have.
If they want to go in the celebrity bandwagon then good luck to them. I have heard wonderful things about Smith and Bancroft that come from friends and fellow players, not hired publicity seekers. Sorry Carl I don’t withdraw my comments at all.
Penny says: ” ….. there are qualified and competent PR agencies to handle this stuff, Roxy is not one of them. If they want credibility and sympathy they need to handle this better than they have.”
Not a believer in free enterprise, freedom of choice, Penny?
Don’t be sillyCarl of course I am. But we need to look at the definition of public relations or if you like corporate communications agencies. They are there to promote the interests of their clients to their stakeholders, not to be part of the publicity machine themselves. This is why ex journalists make the best PR people because they understand how the media works.
I know JTI understands how it works, but just FYI we still run a strategic communications consultancy both here in Australia and have been doing so for well over 25 years, my husband even longer. Never have we made ourselves the centre of the story. Roxy is consistently in the news, whether to bemoan the her husbands jail sentence or to put her daughter in the limelight by posting photos of her wearing cute clothes.
Good luck to her, but she should be ensuring her clients (not just friends) don’t attract the negative publicity they are attracting with the ultimate cheque book sensational story. Go ahead and tell me who the most professional PR people are in Australia, I bet you can’t because they aren’t the story, their clients are.
Of course they would……..
http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/david-warner-could-call-australia-players-to-the-stands-if-he-challenges-ban-reports/news-story/c48f861955fd34d81a893c9ff490f72f
Bit of trivia for you all.
Who is the biggest tyre manufacturer in the world?
Goodyear, Bridgestone, The Chinese Ministry of Transport, or Lego
https://www.howtogeek.com/trivia/the-largest-tire-manufacturer-in-the-world-is/
Too easy!
https://goo.gl/images/3AVHLP
Yeah it’s an oldie, but a goodie
It is April 1st after all 🙂
https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/cricket/2018/03/31/cricket-smart-ball-end-tampering/
JS,
I fell for it, even told my husband about it, until he reminded me what the date was….
So did I initially.
A mate came back thanking me for the update on technology and how the Chinese could do this and this.
This guy, way back when, was a university medalist.
I had to go back to him reminding him of the date 🙂
Do you remember those ListServ mailing lists Penny? Where you could forward an e-mail to hundreds or thousands of people? I ran one for the OMT division of the Academy of Management. At my peak I think I had over 3,000 management professors around the world. On April 1st one year, I dutifully informed my network that I was leaving academe and heading to the ashram in Madison and work on enlightenment.
I received dozens of congratulatory e-mails. I felt a bit guilty having to send the explanation out on the 2nd. *lol*
Found the archive. I stopped doing it in 2005. Pablo Martin de Hoya replaced me and the archives contain his first e-mail and none of mine.
Om
Usually buy a mixture of the small Cadbury eggs at Easter and put them in a big jar, every time I go out to the kitchen to sneak one the dog catches me.
She tails me as soon as I move and stares at me, no choc for doggo, paid $1500 in vet bills last week, don’t fancy another one.
I thought choccie was a absolute no-no for dogs? Poisonous to them i believe?
Yep it is a no go, not as deadly as grapes or Macadamias
Dark chocolate is especially deadly.
Happy Easter to all in Jacks bar!
Thanks Razor! No family about and my wife is on her way to Moscow tomorrow. Quiet day.
Did Malcolm boot her out in the tit for tat
Womens Weekly exclusive coming up next probably.
What as Mrs Warner thinking – taking along PR Roxy Jalenko, of all people, for the press conference?
It is all about CA and her husband – not her
Have to disagree Boa – it is all inter meshed.
Something she did long before she was married was the subject of the comment that sent Warner off the deep end in the corridor.
She apparently was subjected to abuse.
All very nasty stuff – probably on both sides.
Warner is being set up as the fall guy and that is a little unfair.
If it does not rain there is an innings defeat coming up.
If they had to tee up the PR management (and it didn’t look good to me) anyone other than Roxy would have done, JS. Read up some back news on her.
PS: It is, or used to be, unusual for wives to go on tour. The reason she was there apparently was to keep him calm – which is a bit ominous if that is correct. Was she the only wife on tour?
As it turns out, that was a disaster.
I realise it’s tough being on tour all the time as these guys are now. Didn’t used to be like that when they just played test and maybe one-dayers.. But if they are chasing the mighty dollar then there has to be some personal sacrifice I guess.
Maybe if she hadn’t been there, none of this would have happened and two other guys would still have a career. That is if Warner as the instigator of the plan.
So, she had it on with SBW. Most of us would. *rotfl*
Candace or Sonny Bill, I go with Candace Dwight.
Well no, our was very much about her the week before. Not involved in the ball tampering obviously but she’s in the mix.
TO – It was about him saying sorry like the others did. “Shouldn’t have done it, sorry I did.” Anyone who expected him to detail the whole episode (and note that the others don’t seem to have been expected to) were clearly disappointed but should not have been. Did anyone think he was going to drag the rest of the team into it? Confirm that it was all his idea? get off the grass.
A piece of good news, Jack. My newsreader (Feedly) now gives option to screen out articles with selected words and phrases. I tried “ball tampering”. That’s 20 (twenty) I won’t see. I have a few more in mind, will let you know how it goes.