From the BBC

Ricky Ponting, Australia's one-day captain, has pledged to cut down on sledging by putting an end to personal verbal attacks on opposition players.

Australia are commonly regarded by other Test-playing nations as the worst offenders when it comes to sledging.

But Ponting, who took over the one-day captaincy in February after Steve Waugh was sacked, has now said that in future his players would only be dishing out "light-hearted" banter.

Ponting has arrived in Brisbane for a training camp ahead of next week's start of a three-match series against Pakistan.

He denied reports that the Australians personally attacked South African rookie Graeme Smith during a recent tour of South Africa.

Smith, in a rare example of disloyalty among fellow professionals, told a South African magazine that he took a heavy dose of sledging from the Australians.

He said his treatment included a "two-minute tirade" from batsman Matthew Hayden.

Ponting said he was surprised by the comments.

"The umpires and the match referees in that series didn't think we stepped over the line, so that is why it is so shocking to actually read about some of the things that were supposedly said," he said.

He had a fair bit to say and you can accept that. We said a few things to him

"It was to do with how many edges he was getting and how lucky he was but, when I was captain anyway, there was never any personal stuff thrown against him.

"I don't mind a bit of the friendly banter going on but I've said right from the start that I don't like, and won't like, any personal barrages towards anyone."

"[Smith] had a fair bit to say and you can accept that. We said a few things to him and he was a young bloke out there trying to make his stamp on international cricket."

Mmmm. No comment from me!

[ 06-05-2002, 07:46 AM: Message edited by: Donut ]

As mentioned in your post Bro it's been going on for years. What I don't understand is why would anyone holding a 2lb lump of willow in their hand, take abuse from a soppy aussie? :D

Have you still got that old tin hat I gave you when you were 6? :D

*sigh* sports are getting to be as fake and pre-set as proffesional wrestling arent they...

Alright, that's it!!!!!!! Who said that? Come on, come forward! I've got a Gray Nichols Ultimate here and I'm not afraid to use it!!
[img]graemlins/1pissed.gif[/img]

No seriously, I think the Australian's have been a little arrogant since they became number 1, but it has become a very big part of the game. They really need to cut it out of the game completely and only the umpires can make that happen.

But I guess it's hard not to be arrogant when you've been number 1 for soooo long now! :D

Have you still got that old tin hat I gave you when you were 6? :D </font>[/QUOTE]Not for this lot ,I'll use the wide brimmed floppy mum knitted me . :D

Chortle and grin - hey Donut, I can't help wondering at the inconsistencies in the article - was it written by the British press? It (the article) makes certain claims at the start (ie pledged to cut down on sledging), that aren't supported by the statements attributed to Ricky
Quote
"when I was captain anyway, there was never any personal stuff thrown against him.

"I don't mind a bit of the friendly banter going on but I've said right from the start that I don't like, and won't like, any personal barrages towards anyone."

Ponting denied reports of personal attacks, and said he was surprised by the comments. Does that not seem inconsistent with the conclusions drawn by the writer in the early part of the article ;) .

Now we all know a certain amount of sledging goes on between teams, and that no teams are angels or immune. As Aviendha pointed out, there is a certain arrogance and swagger associated with "The best sporting team in the world".

I would hate you to think that simply putting "No Comment from me" behind an article of glaring inconsistency was in any way the formation of a cogent and compulsive case for the prosecution :D .

Sounds to me it's old Ponty who is inconsistent. ;)

We don't do it!
We've never done it
Even when we did do it it wasn't that bad
Even though we have never done it I'm going to put a stop to it.

Calling Murali a chucker sounds like a bit of pre world cup sledging to me! :D

Tut tut tut - that's not an argument, that just contradiction :D .

And my view is in agreement with Gillie - Muralie is a chucker - just that most of the cricket world seems to want to overlook it.

That Gillie comment, off the record, was taped by the press. A man expressing a personal opinion to a room full of like minded friends is a bit of a far stretch from sledging one on one as a personal attack - wuldn;t you agree ole bean.

I realise that you resent your bi-annual thrashing from your colonial cousins. It is thus not surprising that the BBC and your goood self would like to twist a few words to try and put us on the back foot. [img]smile.gif[/img]

On a different note, the good news is that QLD leveled the series against the Cockroaches - bring on the series decider :D

I sense a bit of hostility here Davros me ole mate. Not still smarting from the sad demise of the world's number one in the French Open are we?

Looks like you're getting madder than a cut snake mate! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 06-05-2002, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: Donut ]