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17
“it’s just not cricket” is still used
to describe something that is
unjust or improper. Until recently,
the spirit of the game was so
well-regarded that batsmen were
expected to give themselves “out”
by “walking” even if the umpires
failed to detect the dismissal.
With increased commercialisation
and very lucrative contracts
dependent upon individual
performances, it is perhaps
inevitable that these honourable
qualities would fray. The
administrators have demonstrated
their desire to preserve them
by stipulating adherence to the
spirit of the game in the rules. It is
against the spirit of the game to
direct abusive language towards an
opponent.
“Sledging” is a term used to
describe humorous, insulting or
threatening remarks directed
at a batsman or spoken in his
hearing with a view to intimidating
the batsman or breaking his
concentration. It is very common
at all levels of the game: indeed,
one experienced player said it had
occurred in every high level game
he had played in, prior to Phillip
Hughes’ death.
Philip Hughes’ brother Josh and
another witness gave evidence
that following the incident, one
of the players, Cooper, recounted
threatening comments made
by a bowler to Phillip Hughes
before the injury. Cooper and the
bowler denied the allegations.
The conflicting evidence was
left unresolved because Coroner
Barnes found it was irrelevant
to the cause of injury. This is
because the nature of play,
whether dangerous or not, was
video recorded for all to see. If the
alleged comments were intended
to unsettle Hughes, then the
video evidence showed they were
ineffectual. Hughes was playing
well and confidently, showing no
signs of intimidation or fear. It was
universally considered he had the
upper hand against the bowlers
immediately prior to injury and
in fact on the ball in question he
confidently attempted to play an
attacking shot
The presiding umpires, Hughes’
batting partner and other players
on the field at the relevant time,
all gave evidence that Hughes
appeared comfortable, relaxed and
in control in the session of play
after lunch when the threats were
allegedly made. That suggested
that even if the threats were
made, they did not affect Hughes’
composure so as to undermine his
capacity to defend himself against
short-pitched, high bouncing
bowling and so the threats could
not be implicated in his death.
On that basis, no finding was
made as to whether the sledging
alleged actually occurred.
However, the Coroner hoped, the
focus on this unsavoury aspect
of the incident may cause those
who claim to love the game to
reflect upon whether the practice
of sledging is worthy of its
participants. An outsider is left to
wonder why such a beautiful game
would need such an ugly underside.