Our system detected that your browser is blocking advertisements on our site. Please help support FoxesTalk by disabling any kind of ad blocker while browsing this site. Thank you.
Jump to content
Grandad.

England Cricket 2014.

By Grandad., in General Football and Sport

Recommended Posts

Voll Blau

Voll Blau

Posted
Posted

 

It should have been the perfect end to an absorbing summer of international cricket. We had beautiful weather. We had a sell-out crowd. We had a run-soaked T20 that contained outrageous skills and an exciting finish.

We should have gone home talking about MS Dhoni's decision to turn down singles in the final over. His self-confidence and his preparedness to take responsibility for the team. Or, perhaps, his lack of confidence in his team-mates.

We should have gone home talking about Virat Kohli's only half-century of the tour in international cricket - the same number as James Anderson - or Eoin Morgan's brilliant innings. The England captain, so short of runs in international cricket this summer, helped England thrash 81 from the final five overs of their innings and scored 56 in the 15 balls before his dismissal. We might even have witnessed the birth of a new-look England side for both forms of the limited-overs game.

Either way, this should have been a brilliant advert for cricket. But instead there was a sour end to the summer. An unsettling end. An end that suggested, for all the progress we think we have made in creating a multicultural society in the UK, we have a long way to go.

 

  193375.jpg

Moeen Ali's contributions were not universally appreciated at Edgbaston, the ground where he began his career © AFP  Enlarge

 
 

 

 

Because, in the middle of Birmingham on a bright afternoon in 2014, we saw at least one player subjected to abuse from a far from insubstantial section of the crowd on the basis of either his religion or his national or ethnic origin.

Moeen Ali was booed when he came out to bat. He was booed when he came on to bowl. He was booed most times he touched the ball. And he was booed either because he is a player of Asian origin playing for England - Ravi Bopara also attracted some boos, though far fewer - because he is Muslim or, perhaps most pertinently, because he is of Pakistani origin and the vast majority of the crowd were India supporters.

On the back of every ticket and inside every match programme it states: "Spectators shall not engage in any conduct, act towards or speak to any player, umpire, referee or other official or other spectators in a manner which offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies that other person on the basis of that other person's race, religion, colour, national or ethnic origin."

By such a definition, it is impossible to justify these boos. It is inappropriate to dismiss them as "banter" - an invidious description used to excuse sexism, homophobia, bullying and racism in many walks of life - and it is inappropriate to dismiss them as a symptom of any rivalry that exists between Pakistan and India.

Nor should we link this with the booing experienced by Stuart Broad in Australia and James Anderson and Ravi Jadeja this summer. Those jeers, unappealing though they were, do not stem from a dislike of origin or religion. They reflected specific issues.

Nor should we fool ourselves that these are pantomime boos. Just as the monkey chants that used to shame football grounds in the UK were unacceptable, so it must be unacceptable to hear a player derided for their religion or origin. It is not funny.

And let us not mistake this issue with any pretence that this is simply a manifestation of support for India. Spectators are free to support whichever side they like and the passion for cricket from spectators of Asian origin in the UK is of huge benefit to the game. But there is a chasm between supporting one side and denigrating the players of the opposition. It would be irresponsible to link the two.

What, it might be asked, would be the reaction if an all-white crowd booed a player of Asian origin? What would be the implications if a black player was booed each time he touched the ball? If such behaviours are deemed unacceptable - and, thankfully, in this day and age, they are - why should the booing of a man on the basis of his religion or origin be any different?

Moeen was born in Birmingham and he graduated through Warwickshire's youth system. He has a mixed-heritage family with a white grandmother from the Birmingham area. His religion or ethnicity should not be issues and he has previously said that such behaviour does not affect him.

But there is an irony that Moeen has spoken of being a role model. He has spoken of showing that it is possible to be British, Muslim and proud of both. He has spoken of encouraging other Asian cricketers into mainstream league and club cricket in the UK. He has, despite his relative youth and inexperience, spoken only of inclusivity and unity. He makes an unlikely villain.

The episode proved difficult for the ground authorities to handle. Had the stewards started to eject those involved, the situation could have deteriorated. Had Morgan, who denied any knowledge of the booing, led his team from the pitch, the situation could have deteriorated.

But just because a situation is difficult, it does not mean it should be avoided. This sort of episode should not happen. It must not happen. And if we find it unacceptable - and we really should - we must not ignore it. Whatever the many mistakes of the past, 21st century Britain cannot be accepting of intolerance based around race, religion, colour, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other such issue.

Cricket can unite. In Afghanistan and the Caribbean and LA and Ireland, it has been shown to bring people from differing backgrounds together. It does it in league teams around the country every week. Here it provided a peek behind the façade of multicultural Britain. It was an ugly, depressing sight. And it should not be ignored.

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-india-2014/content/story/778919.html

 

Good piece on the booing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Eddie Big Balls

Eddie Big Balls

Posted
Posted

Remarkable stat - England have only failed to defend a total of 180+ on 1 occasion (out of 10) in T20Is - and that was when we were blatantly robbed by D/L in the West Indies in 2010. I don't think there's any other side with as good a record, even Sri Lanka?

 

And another: there have only been 6 occasions where a team has scored 80+ off the last 5 overs of a T20I, and 3 of them were by England. It really shows just how much of a problem those middle overs have been and still are for England, in all formats. There's so much to like about the way they play in virtually all other aspects in short-form cricket.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fuchsntf

fuchsntf

Posted
Posted

Pot and kettle comes to mind.

In these racist aware times, what I find contrite, and is always pushed under the carpet.In India, in Africa, in Persia, and in

oriental Asia, the poorest, the biggest, most disturbing acts of racism (forgetting civil wars) in everyday lifes is not in Europe, but in the parts of the world previously mentioned.Not forgetting the cast and tribal differences, that cause aggressive outbreaks of violence or riots bordering on civil war levels.

There is more black on black, racist issues than one sees or hears in Europe.That said USA hasnt sort out its black white issues.Britain and France, Italy, oh yes we still have our problems, but we dont hide it in the closet, and we have great melting pot areas where various peoples of various origins mix readily without contempt or suspicion.Yes we both have frontline

racist issues, but we are facing them and together trying to eradicate them.Africa and Asia havent even begun.

Though we shouldnt get on our high horse, with Old Yugoslavia, in the recent past, Spain and some old Eastern block countries,still suffering from a lack of human civilities.

One other thing, when Europeans go to Africa, India, Far east, they are welcomed has valued guests,and not faced with being called white trash.Showing our society at all levels is still full of human vermin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
StanSP

StanSP

Posted
Posted

I'd rather not get be lumped in with the rest of the Indian fans that are racist, but no doubt I probably will. I find it despicable to say the least. 

 

I wonder just how many fans booed Ali/Bopara, though. Can't imagine it would have been every single Indian fan. Bet some/most weren't even bothered where he's from. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Samu

Samu

Posted
Posted

Just been looking at the County Championship scores today and surely Adam Lyth at Yorkshire must be close to a test call up. He's scored well over 1,000 runs and hit 200 odd last week against Lancashire followed by an unbeaten century today. He has to replace Sam Robson in the team (and I hate to have to say that as Sam Robson is also my name).

 

With Stokes batting his way back into form, how about this for a test lineup:

 

Lyth

Cook

Ballance

Bell

Root

Ali

Buttler

Stokes

Woakes

Broad

Anderson

 

My only concern is we may be a bowler light. I think ideally England would want Stokes to be able to play a Flintoff type role. It would be an unbelievably strong batting lineup on paper with Woakes at 9 and Broad at 10.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shum

Shum

Posted
Posted

Really can't understand the abuse of Bopara and Ali by the Indian fans, as both of them have more in common with them as 2nd and 3rd generation British Asians than the deities they're worshipping.

 

OK, support the Indian team, but there really is no need for the active abuse of fellow British Asians simply taking pride in representing their country of birth.

 

Totally Agree.

 

I am a British indian. Born in England. Support the England football team AND the cricket team... the amount of times I have been abused by India fans at cricket games is ridiculous hence I didn't bother going to watch an International game this season.

 

I was at Old Trafford a few years ago for a t20 and Samit Patel copped a real load of abuse and then a couple of years ago at Trent Bridge for a Teat Match and the amount of racist chanting by the India supporters was a joke.

 

Funny how when the football world cup or Euro tournament comes round all of the yound Indian fans bring out the England shirts - crazy world we live in!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Eddie Big Balls

Eddie Big Balls

Posted
Posted

However Woakes is awful. 

 

Totally disagree. I think he and Stokes should be in the team for all 3 formats - both are genuine batsmen as well as very good bowlers. Woakes's problem is that he always comes in too low, I think to see the best of him he would have to come in in the middle order as he's more of the build-an-innings type of batsman rather than the lower order counter-attacker people seem to prefer in their tailenders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
I am Rod Hull

I am Rod Hull

Posted
Posted

Squad for Sri Lanka tour:

Alastair Cook (Essex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Harry Gurney (Nottinghamshire), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

 

 

Pretty much expected that squad, but no James Vince? Again? baffling

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
purpleronnie

purpleronnie

Posted
Posted

ECB document regarding Pietersen's behaviour in Oz leaked.....

 

http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/DOWNLOAD/100/0135/KP.pdf

 

The whole thing is quite pathetic, I'd be embarrassed if the school teams I played with behaved like this towards each other.

Thanks for that Matt, it's playground stuff, childish immature nonsense, although not surprising at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...