Paul Nixon:
Too much sledging is dripping down into club and junior cricket
Sledging has always been a part of cricket, and we’ve seen a lot of it so far in the current Ashes series. Former England man Matt Prior revealed this week that some of the current Three Lions squad are taking the comments from the Australians personally, but you have to remember the comments are just said in the heat of the battle.
I was a keen chatter but knew where the line was. Everyone on that field knows it’s all about winning the match and lifting the Urn. People shouldn’t cross the line, but if someone has gone close to the mark, then it’s one of those where you have to blame the emotions of the game.
You hope people have got control, but Australia is a tough place to tour. We are still seeing the handshakes at the end of the game and these guys will still be sharing a beer come the end of a series.
It’s not uncommon in sport for emotions to get the better of you. Whether it’s football, rugby or cricket, things are often said on the field of play that aren’t meant to cause any real upset. You just want to get into an opponent’s mind and get their focus off the game.
The unfortunate thing is, though, that youngsters are seeing players getting in each other’s faces, pointing and having a few verbals, and seeing it as the norm. That’s not what we want. It turns newcomers away from the game if they are just getting bombarded when all they want to do is spend their Saturday afternoon having a good game.
I’ve heard of times when it’s come very close to people walking off at club level because of the amount of sledging going on, and I remember a guy getting banned from club cricket in Perth for fighting. So it’s not just in this country.
At international level, it’s almost become part of the game. Being sledged is not an excuse for losing and there are plenty of people on the field to decide whether anything has gone too far. But we want to see aggression and passion in the play, it’s just about keeping it in check.
Umpires bear a lot of the brunt at club level, and that’s where we need to be careful. Without them, club cricket wouldn’t be able to continue. Most of
Things that are said on the field aren’t meant to cause any real upset, but rather to take opponents’ focus off the game
these guys are being paid peanuts, and it’s time away from their work life. They don’t want to be questioned in between every ball.
Sunday football is running a risk of not being able to continue in some parts because they can’t find referees. That’s because people don’t want to be shouted and screamed at for one decision. We could be going the same way in club cricket. Ultimately, though, it’s about what’s right for the individuals. As a coach, I’d never tell players to sledge or to not sledge. For some, a few words will fire them up, for others it can affect them.
For those that do get affected, I’d just remind them that it’s just passionate guys trying to win a game. The words aren’t meant to cause any harm, and if you can let them bounce off you, sledgers get bored. It’s when you retaliate they know they’re getting the better of you.
Captains also have a huge part to play. They need to stay calm-headed and not get involved. If they see someone is going too far, then they need to be the one to calm it down, not get involved.