Why blame Australia? - Inbox at Cricinfo

The problem stems from the recent trouble over suspect bowling actions, with Saeed Ajmal reported for problems with his 'doosra' and before that Johan Botha was called once again during the South African series over his 'doosra' and quicker ball. Now the suspicion in this case would not have come across in most cases, except that the team involved following both incidents was Australia. It takes only that sort of evidence for the narrow-minded to draw to the conclusion that Australia, who have struggled recently, are attempting to take bowlers who have had successes against them out of play. And to be honest, it is really easy to see the connection considering the history.

Muttiah Muralitharan was initially called for throwing in Australia in the early 90's by Darrell Hair, and that sparked a massive controversy. Ross Emerson did the same thing on Sri Lanka's next tour during an ODI, and that again sparked problems. When the '15-degree rule' was introduced, Murali no longer has any problems. Part of the problems is not with the Australian team as such, but as how the Australian team is viewed.

The Australian team that has dominated the greater part of the last decade has played superb cricket, but has come to be viewed as boorish, arrogant, overconfident and aggressive. That is true in quite a few respects; they were certainly no angels on the field. But there is no such thing as a saint on a cricket field. That issue was mostly developed under Steve Waugh's 'Mental Disintegration' ploy. It's not like Mark Taylor needed to sledge so intensely to win.

The Australian team has been viewed, primarily in the media, as bad losers and even worse winners and thus a lot of teams have their opinion switched firmly on the dislike. This has not been helped by the controversies that seem to follow them around, some of which they cause and some of which they are unfortunately drawn into. It wasn't the Australian team that called Murali, and in the two recent cases the spinners were called by neutral umpires, one of which was from the home country. Saeed Ajmal claimed that Shane Watson spoke to the umpires about it, but I'm sceptical about that claim as there isn't really any evidence of it and it wouldn't make any sense for the Australians to do it. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The last Indian series was one of the bitterest series in recent memory. Indian fans were baying for blood following the Sydney fiasco (Many STILL go on about it), and the attitude among the newer elements of the Indian team was to match the aggression of the Australian team. Australia was never going to win that series, but the many on-field and off-field incidents left a bad taste in the mouth. Australia has become a great scapegoat for problems due to the fact that they are most unpopular team in world cricket. Hell, they are liked less than George W Bush.

The problem is that Australian team does not like the taste of their own medicine. The 'Mental Disintegration' of Australians is quite visible when opponents like India return the sledging. It is even more visible when Ricky Ponting condemns Journalists for 'questioning his integrity' when he argues with Umpires for a catch that clearly hit the ground before falling into Michael Clark's hands. It is ever so visible when Brad Haddin gets offended - clearly when people question his integrity - after clipping the bails off with the hand and claiming a dismissal. When you have (had?) a team as strong as that, you do not need to resort to such things at all. These are few of the many reasons why they are less liked than GWB.

Sydney didn't bring out worst of indian media and fans alone even the aussie media and fans. It was like watching totally different matches depending on which newspaper or TV you watched. I thought only Indian media tries to play on this pseudo-nationalism for TRP, but it seemed Aussie media was no less. A good match remembered for all wrong things !! But I think Younis has a point.
Most times, Aussie captains (Clarke currently and Ponting after Sydney) have tried to sweep things under carpet by saying that the match was played in good spirit. First step is to accept that there is a problem then they can look for the solution. Of course, even sub-continent sides need to get rid of their perceptions of aussies.

everyone blames the aussies because it is very easy to pick on the tall poppies but has anyone stopped to think about the fundementals of the problem. The overextension of the arm is something that is more likely to occur when you are pushing yourself to get even more turn out of the ball. When you are playing against the best you naturally feel you need to give 110% and are therefore more likely to hyperextend your arm and bowl an illegal delivery whereas when you are bowling against lesser teams or in lab testing conditions you are less likely to push yourself to your absolute limits and should therefore be able to bowl the deliveries legally.

Dont blame the aussies - if the bowlers bowled within the rules then there would be no reports being made by the umpires - its as simple as that!

Once again we see the old saw "The WI were the best in the world, and they were OK." What many people forget is that at that time there were far fewer restrictions on intimidatory bowling - you could bowl six bouncers at the chest & throat per over without being warned or called on it. The WI never had to extensively sledge, I agree, but instead used the threat (and the actuality) of physical mayhem to achieve the same aim of mental disintegration. Why is bodily harm acceptable and popular, but verbal prodding not? Are we still of so gladatorial a mindset? Besides, it is tenuous at best to suggest that the idea of mind games in cricket is a uniquely Australian invention.

Moreover, to those correspondents who suggested that the WI were bereft of arrogance in that period, I ask the question "Did you ever see Viv Richards play?"

All that said, if the Australians adopted a zero-tolerance anti-sledging policy tomorrow, I wouldn't weep - it's an unattractive part of their game.

A follow-up. The most beautifully executed and subtle piece of mental disintegration of a team I have seen was done after the Sydney test a couple of years ago. The captains choice of paraphrasing Bill Woodfull, the "take the bat & go home" mindset, abetted by hysterical columnists; all beautifully executed to achieve mental disintegration of the Australian public, and generate an off-field incident that would (a) distract, and even better (b) change the game plan and psychology of the opposing team in the middle of a series - brilliant!. Far more effective than turning up to the toss late, or leading the team off the ground when a decision goes against you. The fact that it also ruined one of the more dangerous (although unpredictable) players in the opposition squad was probably icing, rather than design.

Meticulously planned, executed with dispatch, with the correct pinch of wounded moral righteousness. Truly a thing of beauty. Marvellous effort, that...Marvellous.

The aussies are viewed as "boorish, arrogant, overconfident, aggressive"? Over-confident? They have every reason to be confident in their abilities. Arrogant? I think players like Gilchrist, Clarke, Johnson, Clark are quite humble. Boorish & aggressive I think is an extension of the national psyche, evidence of mongrel in "the larriken", something fostered by Border that I see everyday in sports and between friends in Australia. It's probably why the 2 cultures of India/Aus clash so strongly, they are quite different in those respects.
Most of the contemporary attitude towards the Aus team stems from the Sydney test where bad decisions were made against both teams. I hoped for a draw but I saw no difference in celebration to the Indians at Eden Gardens in 2001 with no acknowledgment of the dismissed batsmen. If the Indian team live up to the hype maybe they will be under scrutiny as much as the Aus team has been for the last decade and we will see how every action is analysed.

as a aussie all we here these days is respect other peoples cultures all the time! well what about showing a bit of respect to ours!!! if you watch any domestic australian sport u would see the same charcteristics that u see in the australian cricket team only targeted at australians on the other team. what u dont see is afterwards they all go off and have a beer (or paweraide in these alcohol bad days!!!) with one another after the match and have a laugh about it! we play our sport hard but fair its how we were taught to, but once we cross that white line and come off the field its completly different story and im sure some english, new zealander, south african would vouch for that! hell younis should know this after we welcomed him with open arms in south australia last summer!

Australia's ascendancy coincided with the media saturation of cricket. They have been far more scrutinised than anyone before them. I think the worst thing the cameras caught was Glenn McGrath standing over R Sarwan and abusing him. Compare that to Michael Holding kicking down the stumps because a decision wasn't given, or Colin Croft deliberately running into the back of the umpire in NZ because things were running against him. The WI did far worse things than claim a disputed catch - they just did them before TV caught every moment and opposing fans put them YouTube. WG Grace was bigger cheat than any current Australian player but he is regarded in the mists of time like a lovable rogue.

When Ricky Ponting appeals for a grounded catch, he has the gall to retort, do not question me. Pup taking a one drop catch, come on. The Almight Ricky send the indian Batsmen on his way and we are not allowed to qurestion his sportsmanship. What happened to Symonds Monkey call. Who got rapped, certainly not the Indians. Symonds does not believe in sportsmanship aka cannot be friends with opponents. That is the way Aussies paly hard and unfair. Last but not the least, the entire tone was set by Tendulkar's Shoulder before the wicket. But Of course Why blame Australia?. Because if you actually see those controversies. Sussies come on top in every region. the Author forgot to mention, West Indies Also had a lot of issues with one drop catches, are you listerning steve !! And ofcourse Mcgrath and Sarwan is to be hidden under the carpet. right on mate