Friday 20 April 2007

Sledging

You might have heard the recent controversy over some sledging in top level Aussie Rules in which a player broke the "sledging taboo" by "using a child target." Former AFL player Tony Shaw -- who's been known for a fair bit of successful sledging in his own time -- reflects on the recent sledging, why some players are targets for it, and whether sledging should have taboos. [See The Silly Science of Sledging.]

His point, perhaps, was summed up once by former Australian cricket captain Ian Chappell. We view a mental weakness the same as a weakness outside off stump, he said: Something to exploit.

I trust all the Black Caps' mental weaknesses will be well buttoned up come Finals time next week. Let's hope so.

4 comments:

leelion said...

is sledging a recent phenomenon? did cricketers sledge in the 50's and 60's for example? I've never played cricket, I just watch it.

Anonymous said...

Yes they did. As did the spectators.

A famous SCG heckler by the name of Yabba once yelled to a batsman having trouble getting off the mark “You couldn’t hit the water if you fell out of a boat.”

To a bowler once beset by Don Bradman in full cry he's also said to have yelled "Why don't you send him down a piano, see if he can play that?"

Warne was trying to tempt portly Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga out of his crease. Wicketkeeper Ian Healy believed he had the solution: “Put a Mars bar on a good length. That should do it.”

Another favourite sledge was said to Phil Tufnell by an Aussie spectator “Hey Phil, lend us your brain, I’m building an idiot!"

Then there's Warne's crack at Paul Collingwood in the last Ashes series, reminding him that he got an MBE for making 7 at the Oval in the previous series. I believe that one's on youtube...

Anonymous said...

I don't know who said this classic, but as the batsman departed his shattered stumps he sportingly remarked to the bowler "nice ball" the reply came-
"Aye, but it was wasted on thee"

Greg said...

I turned the cricket on at about 7am and saw Fulton and Mason were at bat with about 220 to get.
I thought, "Mason, he can get a few."

Bring on SL and glory of beating Aussie where it matters: in the final!