It just wasn’t cricket, says Sinclair
Former Black Caps batsman Mathew Sinclair has slammed the unsporting actions of a lowgrade English cricketer and called for at least a one-game ban, following an incident remarkably similar to one he was involved in in his own career.
The Purnell Cricket Club is promising disciplinary action after an unsporting end to its Somerset league match against Minehead at the weekend.
A bowler, who the club have opted not to name, reportedly threw the ball over the rope for a no-ball six to end the game, when batsman Jay Darrell was on 95 not out, and in search of his maiden century, with his side requiring five runs to win.
For Sinclair, who represented New Zealand from 1999-2010, the episode – thanks to several mates tagging him in the story on Facebook – brought up a slew of memories from 1997, when he was denied his own century, playing for Central Districts against Northern Districts in Hamilton.
In a dead-rubber final-round Shell Trophy match, Sinclair was approaching his second first- class ton when ND off-spinner Grant Bradburn bowled a legside wide which went for four, to hand the visitors a six-wicket win and leave the 21-year-old stranded on 99 not out.
It sparked fury amongst the CD team, who refused to shake the hand of Bradburn – who later claimed he was trying to achieve a leg-side stumping – and verbally abused him under the grandstand.
Sinclair recalls the incident vividly, and says the overarching feeling at the time was ‘‘s..., did that really happen?’’
‘‘I know they had talked the over before as to a little bit of strategy,’’ he said. ‘‘I sort of walked off the ground thinking ‘Oh heck, is this what first class cricket’s all about’.
‘‘It was pretty gutting, because I’d batted quite a while there to achieve what I wanted to try to achieve. It took about a whole day or so to get over it.’’
Sinclair went on to become Central’s highest-ever first class run-scorer, but said the incident would always be there and couldn’t disappear from history.
‘‘He was a Black Caps player. What are the youngsters thinking – ‘if it’s all right for him to do it, does that mean it’s all right for me to do it’?
‘‘But then you’re conversely thinking ‘well it’s actually still in the rules of the game, like the underarm was’.’’
Bradburn – a future national team-mate of Sinclair’s – was fined $100 for the incident following a code of conduct hearing.
Sinclair doesn’t believe a monetary fine is in order in this latest instance, but does hope a dim view is taken. ‘‘Harsh penalties need to be imposed – that’s going to stop it,’’ he said.