Collateral damage

‘Spirit of the game’ is something that has never been clearly defined

Suraj Randiv, 25 years 203 days and two Tests old, has already served a one-match ban. He also lost his match fees. What did he do to deserve this?

With Virender Sehwag on 99 and India one run away from victory, Randiv bowled a big no-ball that denied the batsman a chance to get his century. He did not break any law; he did not violate ICC’s code of conduct. Heck! He did not even make a racial slur (which can be a difficult task in an India-Sri Lanka match). Seen from the eyes of his well-wishers, Randiv was naughty. From the point of view of adversaries, he was mean. Nothing more. That Randiv did not really commit a crime was reflected in Sehwag’s initial reaction — he shrugged off the incident, only to stoke it later at the post-match press conference.

Following the furore on television, the Sri Lankan cricket board, apart from punishing Randiv, issued a public apology, fined Tillakratne Dilshan, who was accused of instigating Randiv to bowl the no-ball, and advised captain Kumar Sangakkara to ensure that such incidents were not repeated. Such swift and decisive action by a board that took on the mighty Australians on the issue of Muralitharan’s bowling action is extraordinary.

The board, in punishing its players, invoked the spirit of the game. But that is something which has never been defined. Besides, it is also something that gets violated in nearly every match.

Was anyone banned after the India-Australia Test at Sydney, perhaps the most ill-tempered Test in recent memory? The Australian cricketers have the worst manners and the most colourful language, and frequently get into fights. But the show goes on. The Indians, as they have risen to challenge Australia’s supremacy in world cricket, are not too far behind them in manners. It’s not much different with players of other countries.

Now that Adam Gilchrist has retired, it will be difficult to spot a batsman who would walk when he knows he is out, without waiting for the umpire’s finger. Few fielders can be relied upon to claim only legitimate catches. The history of cricket is littered with instances of teams acting in the most petty ways to deny milestone to rival players.

As far back as 1948, batting for Maharashtra in a Ranji trophy match, Bhausaheb Nimbalkar was 10 short of Don Bradman’s highest first class score of 452 when Kathiawad conceded the match. As recently as this year, Sehwag, holier than thou and counting Sri Lanka’s transgressions, kicked a ball to the boundary ropes to prevent Hashim Amla from retaining strike. In setting a negative 8-1 field, Dhoni does no service to the spirit of the game.

So it is down to this: Sri Lanka’s board is poor, India’s board is rich. Sri Lanka is always ready to play India because these matches provide oxygen to the Sri Lankan board. To choke a young man is a small price to pay for keeping that flow of oxygen going.

(suveen.sinha@bsmail.in)