Around the Wicket - Horses for Courses and Arrogant All Rounders - Web Blog - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Fan blogs

Around the Wicket - Horses for Courses and Arrogant All Rounders

Did you know that in the last eleven tests, Australia has fielded eleven different XI’s? That’s a lot of 11’s. But, it’s also a very unsettled side. The selectors are trying to get around that little stat by telling people they have a new “Horses for Courses” policy.

I don’t buy it.

In this modern day and age, where the majority of pitches around the world are all beginning to become exactly the same, there should be no such thing. Look at Australia – once upon a time it used to be that Perth was fast and bouncy, Brisbane swung, Melbourne stayed low, Sydney turned, and Hobart and Adelaide were batsman’s paradises. (What’s the plural of paradise?) With the advent of “drop in” pitches, the only thing differing from stadium to stadium in Australia now is the stadium itself! And even they are starting to look similar!

That’s why the notion of horses for courses is a load of rubbish. It used to be harder to get dropped from the Australian side than it was to get picked. And that was only 4 years ago. Now, we’ve gone eleven tests where somebody has been dropped. Horses for courses? Or simply don’t know?

Tell me how Horses for Courses helps the player who has been dropped... and for that matter – how does it help the player who has been told – “Adelaide’s going to be a turner mate, we’re going to play you, and we expect that you will take wickets”? Talk about pressure.

Surely it’s better to tell a player “we believe that you are good enough to be a part of this side, and you will be given 5 tests to show us that our belief is warranted.” It takes the pressure off him, and helps him relax and play the cricket he is capable of, rather than thinking – well, I’m probably going to miss out next test anyway. I reckon that’s what Shane Watson was thinking going into Brisbane. The interviews he gave seemed to indicate that he knew it was only a matter of time before he made way for Symonds.

Speaking of Roy – some very silly writing by a man named Robert Craddock focussed on a couple of unnecessary things today. First – he pointed out that Roy was so loud and arrogant in the ‘bar incident’ that several rugby league players walked away from him. So what? What does that have to do with him making a hundred in Adelaide next week? We don’t have to like our cricketers – they just have to win test matches. Sportsmen are not automatic role models.

Then Crash Craddock mentioned that Mark and Steve Waugh managed to go a combined 35 years and not have one single bar incident, but Symonds has one per year. Well sure, that may be the case right now – but tell me the last time Symonds gave pitch information to a bookie? Or the last time Big Roy called the journalists at a press conference a “pack of dickheads”? Nobody’s perfect.

The thing that irritates me is – there wasn’t even an incident this time. The facts are that Symonds was drinking light beer with some mates, was NOT drunk, and Joe Public was removed from the premises by the publican. All of a sudden, that becomes “Symonds involved in bar altercation!”

Here’s a quote I found from the Bar Manager: "A patron tried to hug and take pictures of Andrew Symonds, Symonds declined the invitation and after he was further harassed, the patron was required to be removed."

He went on to say: "The incident was not a result of Andrew Symonds doing anything wrong and it's disappointing that sportsmen cannot socialise without being harassed."

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that an official with the Australian armed forces, allegedly threw two punches at Symonds after being refused a photograph and witnesses said Symonds left the bar shortly afterwards.

Pretty black and white if you ask me, but still – the media persist. I have some advice for those who are campaigning to bring Symonds down (probably journalists who Roy has told to get stuffed):

1. Give the bloke a break, or he will be lost to cricket sooner than he should be.
2. You can’t make a square peg fit into a round hole.

Make of that what you will.
Tue 25/11/2008 Dave Bremner 90 views

10 Comments about this article

  • good call on both accounts! Surely a side performs better when they know who they will be playing with. Isn't that what a TEAM is???
    And regarding Roy: the media need to leave the guy along. Ok yes he was dropped for breaking the team rules, but now it's gotten to be a witch hunt! soon they'll be reporting on his bowel movements (Bit of turn on that one, Bill!) LEAVE HIM ALONE AND LET HIM PLAY CRICKET!!!

    Posted by Scott Rowlings Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:41pm AEST
  • The media attack on Symonds now is concentrating on him being at a 'notorious' Brisbane sportsmen hotel, i.e. he shouldn't have been there. Yet the same stories list Brad Haddin, Mitch Johnson and Jason Krejza as also being there.
    If its wrong for Symo to be there, why isn't it wrong for the others to be there? Or, is it OK if you make yourself available for interviews?

    Posted by Gill (mr) Mcclelland Wed Nov 26, 2008 02:26pm AEST
  • Dave – Firstly, I completely agree with and like what you are saying about the team selections. All I can add is that the selectors seem to be very confused at the moment.
    Secondly, why would you be worried about what Craddock is saying in the Daily Astonisher, or wherever else he is writing? Craddock is not exactly a serious cricket journalist is he?

    Posted by Valerio Dibattista Thu Nov 27, 2008 02:33pm AEST
  • Thirdly, and most importantly, I disagree completely with your statement that “we don’t have to like our cricketers – they just have to win test matches”. I think this is completely wrong-headed thinking. Of course we have to like our cricketers, why else are they there? Why bother with it all if we don’t like them?
    Finally, I agree with you that everyone is giving Symonds a hard time and they should give the guy a break.

    Posted by Valerio Dibattista Thu Nov 27, 2008 02:34pm AEST
  • Gill - spot on, as usual. The journo's have their favourites. Roy isn't one of them.

    Valerio - I don't care what Aussie cricketers do when they're off the field. What they do on the field is important to me. I don't care if Roy is arrogant, or a bit full of himself. I care that he plays good cricket. I never liked Steve Waugh much, but he was a brilliant cricketer who did the job for his country time and again. We don't have to like our sportsmen, nor are they automatic role models.

    Posted by Dave Bremner Sat Nov 29, 2008 08:23am AEST
  • Just to clarify my above point... clearly I would care if Aussie cricketers were out beating people up, taking drugs, and associating with underworld figures.

    But - I don't care if a cricketer is a bit arrogant, loud, and refuses to sign autographs. He's well within his rights to do so.

    It's also silly to think that out of 12 players in a team, they will all be best mates. I can safely say that there is a few people at my cricket club that I would avoid having a cold one with if I could.

    Posted by Dave Bremner Sat Nov 29, 2008 07:49pm AEST
  • Dave – Thanks for the clarification and for expanding on your views. Much appreciated.

    Posted by Valerio Dibattista Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:27am AEST
  • brem, if they did take drugs, beat people up, etc...

    what would you do?

    Posted by Udara Wis Mon Dec 01, 2008 06:01pm AEST
  • Well if they did, I highly doubt they would even be in the Australian cricket setup. Cricket Australia wouldn't allow it, and if they did - the Australian public wouldn't allow it.

    I read Michael Slater's book, and he was accused of having a drug habit by CA - because someone saw a syringe in his bag when it was xrayed at the airport before he went to India. He actually had syringes to administer vitamins prescribed by a herbalist recommended by Steve Waugh. So CA obviously monitor it.

    Posted by Dave Bremner Mon Dec 01, 2008 06:28pm AEST
  • so steve waugh was behind it so it was ok with CA

    ;)

    Posted by Udara Wis Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:58am AEST

Post a comment about this article

Please sign in to leave a comment.
Becoming a member is free and easy, sign up here.