Cricket - Recent developments

The cricket game is known as a gentle man's game. However the developments in the last few series were almost taken away the good name of cricket. It is no more a gentle man's game. Rather the players taking it to level high, like a war against the opposition.

Sledging

Sledging is the practice in cricket of insulting opponents to break their concentration and cause them to make mistakes. It started in late 70's in West Indies. However it spread to all cricketing nations. Now it even spread to domestic level. The young players who gets into the national team, will have good experience in sledging. In both receiving and giving ends. This became a universal phenomenon and the words they use on field is unimagineable ina gentle man's normal life.

Why do a team needs to sledge the opponent player? To win the match? Is that the ultimate? Earlier ther was a time, in which players from both sides meet for cofee after the match and discuss lots about cricket. That was the time cricket got their name " The Gentle Man's Game". Now even before a match the players start verbal fighting. For what?

Last we few years the Australian team was invincible. Winning three world cup in a row. Winning 16 Tests matches continuously. Have a close look. Does this mean that they are really invincible? Following the incidents in Sydney Test, Australia'n team members reduced sledging as well as the on-field aggresion to show the world that, they are still Gentle men. In the end they lost the next match at Perth.

I feel that if it is a gentle man's game, Australia is not invincible. For that matter any team.