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Ashes tension threatens to boil over
Tom Collomosse and David Lloyd at Cardiff13.07.09
Tensions between England and Australia are on a knife edge after a series of bust-ups before, during and after the drawn First Test at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
The two teams meet again in the second game of the Ashes series at Lord's on Thursday and there must now be concerns that tempers will boil over at the home of cricket.
The worst incident occurred yesterday morning before play had even started as Kevin Pietersen and pace bowler Mitchell Johnson had to be pulled apart by Australian 12th man Stuart Clark. It happened after Pietersen had hit a stray ball towards Johnson in the tourists' warm-up nets and clearly rattled the England batsman who was then clean bowled for eight. Pietersen, who was labelled “Dumb” by Sydney's Daily Telegraph, tried to forget about his woes by visiting Boujis nightclub in Kensington, where he was pictured emerging in sombre mood at 1.30am this morning.
There was another clash when Stuart Broad appeared to deliberately barge Peter Siddle during the bowler's follow-through. Umpire Billy Doctrove was forced to intervene and warned the players to cool down.
Then, Australian captain Ricky Ponting reacted furiously at England's delaying tactics as Jimmy Anderson and Monty Panesar survived 69 balls to earn an improbable draw.
“As far as I am concerned it was pretty ordinary,” said Ponting after England 12th man Bilal Shafayat twice went onto the field in the dying stages of the game while physio Steve McCaig was also ordered off.
“They can play whatever way they want to play. We have come to play by the rules and the spirit of the game.”
But Anderson insisted today that the interruptions were not part of a delaying tactic.
“There was genuine confusion out there,” he said. “The 12th man came out (left) to let us know that we needed to be playing the time left on the clock and not the number of overs showing on the scoreboard.
“As he was doing that he spilt a drink on my glove. When he came out the second time I had signalled for another glove but they didn't know in the dressing room whether I had called for that or because I needed attention from the physio. So that's why he came out as well.
“Obviously the Aussies thought we were time-wasting and, because of the situation of the game, I can understand where they are coming from. I think the physio got a few choice words from them. But it wasn't that, it was genuine.”
Panesar finished unbeaten on seven, from 35 balls, while Anderson contributed 21 not out as England finished on 252 for nine.
“When Paul Collingwood was out I did think we still had an awfully long time to bat because almost 12 overs were left,” said Anderson. “But then Monty came in and, after missing his first ball, everything else hit the middle of his bat.”
Reader views (31)
Just for the record this is a brief summary of the Australian Cricket teams sense of 'fair play'.
In recent times, Ponting has often failed to get his bowlers through their overs quickly. Australia have been fined 33 times for slow play since 1995, 20 of them under Ponting's captaincy and nine times since the start of 2008.
Australia were fined six times, costing A$123,000 (now about £59,000), in four Tests and two one-day internationals in 2008. They have infringed twice more in 2009, most recently in the World Twenty20 defeat by Sri Lanka.
The country that gave us underarm bowling, sledging, players taking cash from bookies & whose champion bowler was banned for being a drugs cheat has the front to question this country's sense of fair play!
Need anymore be said.
- Paddy, Croydon Uk
Notice that Punter didn't dwell on the fact that he over bowled Johnson and under bowled Siddle at the tail enders. He is just trying to deflect attention away from his own performance. The bowlers gave real hope to the tail enders who, it must be said defended valiantly. Anderson, to his credit told the physio to get off.
- Bleeding Heart Liberal, London
Ravi Bopara was "out" LBW according to Umpire Doctrove and no one else in the world, did I see that fine sporting hero Punter ponting, calling the batsmen back? No, of course not. winding the opposition up is part of the game (like it or not), and the Aussies have been doing it for years, therefore them whingeing is typical of their hypocrisy.
And what is that numpty doing complaining about KP? I seem to remember Keppler vessels, changing nationality to play for OZ, then back again when it suited him, what's the difference?
- Kerry, Purley
It's the Ashes and no one wants to lose. Great first test!!! All you negative people should have organised tickets and went like I did. Cardiff did a absolutely fantastic job in hosting the 1st Test. Bring on Lords!!! Please do not rain on Sat though when im there with my family from Auz....Yeah of course we would have done the same thing and yeah of course the papers would have gone to town on it......
- Dazza, Auz but London for now
Keith Price - if you REALLY think that Gordon Brown is "fine PM" who deserves any credit at all, then you really do deserve a great deal of sympathy! At one point I began to think your posts were just designed to provoke debate. But it seems you might actually BELIEVE what you write - UNREAL!!!
- Malcolm, London
To all our Australian cousins.
I accept that I made an error in suggesting Ricky Ponting was the Australian cricket captain responsible for the 'underarm affair' against NZ, rather than Chappel. However, such incidents only demonstrate the Australian cricket teams propensity to bend the rules of 'fair play' as and when it suits them, no matter who is the captain. The original charge that if the Aussie team is unhappy with Englands so called time wasting or bending of the rules, then they need to clean up their own act before complaining about anyone else.
- Pete, South London
Moz, the facts might have been reported a little askew elsewhere here but they are broadly correct - as was shown on BBC2 recently. I think it was Ian Chappel who "ordered" his younger brother to bowl the last ball of a game against New Zealand underarm, when New Zealand required 6 to win. In the closing moments the Aussie wicketkeeper, Rodney Marsh, no wallflower, is seen behind the stumps telling Chappel this is just not acceptable and not to do it, it was not within the spirit of the game, yet Chappel insisted it be done, and it was. The Kiwi batsman played the ball back down the pitch and then threw down his bat in disgust.
It is infamous in cricket and anyone who knows anything about the sport knows of that dreadful incident.
- Captain Black Of The Mysterons, London, England
Exactly what is it about the UK that you hate so much and, more importantly, why haven't you emigrated!!! "
I AM A TRUE BRIT - Malcolm, while you seem to be a total loser, who won;t give our fine PM any credit whatsoever. Fortunately the British electorate don't like your Tories as they haven't elected them for almose 20 yearsd now
- Keith Price, Luton, England
Guys, just calm down it`s a game. However I won`t be very pleased if we don`t win.
- Richard Ratcliffe, England
"Add to this his one of [Ponting's] previous decision when he directed his bowlers to bowl the last few balls of the remaining overs against New Zealand underarm"
er...you can't possibly mwan Ricky Ponting. Why lie like that ?
- Keith Price, Luton, England
Keith Price from Luton - What is it with you, first you support a total loser in Gordon Brown who has almost single handedly brought the UK yo it's financial knees , and now you seem to support australia in the Ashes. Exactly what is it about the UK that you hate so much and, more importantly, why haven't you emigrated!!! You won't be missed
- Malcolm, London
Both sides should just save it for the pitch... more so English players I would say! Outclassed in every aspect of the game! Whilst I support England, I don't think there were any reasons for celebration at all yesterday! Scraping and I really mean scraping... a draw... is that all that's left of English cricket? Where's the fight... the ambition... the hunger?! I haven't seen it for a long time in this England side...
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
"i am now a proud Aussie, living in a great country with a great lifestyle and hardly any recession"
Recessions never hit deep in third world countries.
- Jo, London
Pete of South London, Your accusing the wrong Australian captain, the underarm affair against NZ was when Greg Chappel instructed his brother Trevor to bowl underarm for the last delivery of a one day game. If your going to throw crap around get your facts straight.
- Phil, Coolum, Australia
"Strange isn't it? If the Aussies had employed similar tactics and we had said it wasn't in the spirit of the game, we would've heard the classic accusation of us being "Whingeing Poms" blah blah blah.!"
Nobody really believes this pile of rubbish, David. You come across as a sad "hater" when mature discussion and analysis is what is really called for
- Keith Price, Luton, England
as former native of a once proud country before labour got hold of it, i am now a proud Aussie, living in a great country with a great lifestyle and hardly any recession. Oh, and yes we have a great cricket team. Go the Green and Gold. All England have to offer these days is a whinger of a south african who doesn't understand there is no I in team.
- Peter Rowe, corindi beach, nsw
"Add to this his one of [Ponting's] previous decision when he directed his bowlers to bowl the last few balls of the remaining overs against New Zealand underarm, in so doing he prevented the NZ batsmen from scoring and secured a draw for the Aussies."
Now, now Pete from South London, you made that one up, didn't you. Or are so clueless about cricket you've completely confused the last 30 years of history...
- Moz, London
Picture the scene, England get away with a couple of dodgy LBWs in the first innings at Lord's on Thursday, the Aussies are furious, time to send in the same physio and the same twelfth man!
The Aussies have allowed this very minor incident to get under their skin and you can bank on us repeating it!
- St, London
Strange isn't it? If the Aussies had employed similar tactics and we had said it wasn't in the spirit of the game, we would've heard the classic accusation of us being "Whingeing Poms" blah blah blah.
Funny how they all keep quiet when it's their own captain doing the whingeing.
- David, London
"As jones says in dads army They dont like it up them"
er.....exceot the Australians fought on our side, Pete, or didn't you do History at school ?
- Keith Price, Luton, England
I heard an Australian writer on the BBC say the Aussies would have brought the physio on earlier and more often!
- Gwaddilove, London..England
Kieth Price - yawn
- Alex C, London
Delaying tactics are a part of any professional game, take football for instance. During the final stages of important games, particularly when they are winning or looking to draw, they hold onto the ball at corner flags to waste time. However, Ricky Ponting should be the last person to complain about cricket not being played in the 'spirit of the game'. Does he not recall his captaincy of the Australian team against India in 2008 when his own countrymen responded to allegations of bad sportsmanship and racial abuse in a poll conducted by the Sydney Telegraph in January 2008. "The response was devastating. An opinion poll in the Sydney Daily Telegraph showed 82% of Australians believed Ricky Ponting was not a great ambassador for the country, and 79% felt the national team did not play within the spirit of cricket...". Add to this his one of his previous decision when he directed his bowlers to bowl the last few balls of the remaining overs against New Zealand underarm, in so doing he prevented the NZ batsmen from scoring and secured a draw for the Aussies. Now that is taking the 'spirit of the game' to another level. If you cant't take it Ricky, then don't dish it out!!.
- Pete, South London
As jones says in dads army They dont like it up them
- Richard Edmunds, Rayleigh Essex
Alex you come across as a chip-bearing bore yourself, with your totally inaccurate abd unfaur attack on Ricky Ponting. Oz scored in one innings as many runs as England managed in two. End of. Oz will move on to win fairly at Lords
- Keith Price, Luton, England
I can't believe John Inverdale said live at the atheltics on TV yesterday
"We have just heard that England have drawn the first test - what a shame we can't find any Australians here to gloat to ". What an imbecile he is. England could barely score the number of runs in 2 innings that Australia managed to score in one innings. So much to gloat over, wouldn't you say ?
- Keith Price, Luton, England
And the Aussies call us whingers!
- Paul, London
"Look!", if they can't bowl the tail-enders out in 12 overs then they can't whine about time-wasting.
- Andy Davids, London
Ponting is becoming a real bore. He probably always was, but the niggly little chip-bearer wants to bestride the world of cricket as an angel of salvation. Anti-sledging, reformed evangelical anti-drinker, pious, holier than thou. How did a man like this come out of Australia. He should have been born into the Spanish Inquisition. That said England sort your Physio out!
- Alex C, London
the replaced pair of gloves may not have felt right... that happens. Sometimes we buy new shoes. They fit, but are just not comfortable. We'll never know which it was. If it was deliberate. I'm sure Australia would have found a reason to halt play if things were reversed. Anyway, the alloted overs for the day had been bowled anyway.
- Mek, London
As usual, gamesmanship is only "fair" when Aussies do it.
- Stu, Beckton
