Tourists throw a wobbly over 'chuckers'

[Beny]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/cricke...143848159.html

I've said before that I think England are going beyond competative and right into rude and ungamely.

While Langer said relations with the opposition players were friendly, there were incidents before and during the Test that could strain them. Before the series Vaughan refused to accept Ponting's push for an agreement to rely on the fielder's word alone for contentious catches.

Langer noted none of the England players asked after the wellbeing of any of the three Australian batsmen - he, Hayden or Ricky Ponting - struck by Harmison in the heated early overs of the match.

"On the first morning when Ricky got cut under the eye, we went to a drinks break and I said to a number of their players, 'This isn't a war, this is a game'," Langer said.

"I know we're all playing tough but to me, you've still got to have the courtesy or whatever to say, whether he's the Australian captain or just an Australian, 'Are you all right mate? You OK?'

[Trescothick]

I like this rudeness... About time the Aussies got some of what they give back! You love it when you dish it out, but when its back at you... you complain

[Seamer]

No mate, you are wrong. The Aussies play hard, but fair. If relations become strained between the teams, that will only play into the Aussies hands - they have mental strength which is why they are so far better than any other team in the world.
After that incident, how did the two captains play? Ponting put in a gutsy 40 odd, Vaughan put in a limp wristed nothing.
No point talking the talk if you can't walk the walk.
Would expect more from an English captain and team.

[Trescothick]

You have a good point, But you can't really say that Any of the England players have any cruel intentions because they are all, if anything, too nice!! I think those bashes were just trying to shake the Aussies up and they could have easily been ducked if played correctly. It would have been nice I agree to just ask if they were ok but I guess we were on a mean streak. lol

[Lemming]

I don't see what the problem is. No one forced Ponting or Hayden to take on a mistimed pull, Langer turned his head away from the ball. If the Aussies don't like getting hit in when playing cricket, they'd better get out of the team and find someone who does. Brett Lee doesn't let up with his short balls and so he shouldn't.

It is a game, yes! But part of the game is to knock the opposing captain's head off with a legal ball. If Ponting wants some sympathy next time he'd better duck the short ones and not attempt a poorly timed stroke.

[Notts Exile]

At least England are trying to knock the Aussies out the legal way, rather than the Brett Lee "Beamer" way. Ask the Kiwi keeper what he thinks of them!!

[greg]

Originally Posted by Seamer

No mate, you are wrong. The Aussies play hard, but fair.

So Brett Lee bowling beamers cosistantly is fair is it?

[Alison]

Maybe I'm missing something, but where does 'chucking' come into this?

[Aussie-Yank]

Originally Posted by greg

So Brett Lee bowling beamers cosistantly is fair is it?

How does bowling 1 beamer constitute consistantly? Which was also bowled in the ODI and not the test match.

[Occasional Fan]

I'm having some trouble understanding this. From the newspaper article, the problem seems to be that England's fielders are returning the ball to the middle in an unnecessarily aggressive manner. The complaint is not against batsmen being hit by bowlers, but against them being hit by fielders (who happen to be bowlers). Is that right? If so, then I take no offence at the "chucking" term - it's only offensive if used against a bowler who is bowling (legally) - but it does muddy the waters a bit and the sub-editor who wrote the headline should talk to his cricket correspondent before writing another one.

Now, if my assumption is correct, and balls are being hurled back to the centre after the batsmen have stopped running and while they are in their ground, then the Aussies seem to me to have at least some part of a case. If you hit a batsman who is harmlessly in his ground with a return throw, seems to me that at least some acknowledgement of your error is due, which might take the form of "Sorry, mate - you OK?". On the other hand, it's a man's game we are talking about here, and the expression about mountains and molehills might well be in point.

If, as is suggested, Stephen Harmison roughed up three Aussies like this, then Michael Vaughan ought to be telling him to cool it before he gets reported for a level two Code of Conduct violation.