If you went to a minor public school in the 1980s there was
a Master, or series of Masters, who were responsible for your upbringing and
coaching in cricket. Some were good, some average, some poor communicators. But
all had a passion for the game. Some were even luckier and had outside coaches
too. Clarky remembers being coached by the late Graham Roope – a former England
batsman for example. You may ask him what good he did having seen Clark bat,
but the fact remains.
In that environment the spirit of cricket – as yet undefined
and poured over in the way that this is today – was taught by example. Clark
recalls feathering one behind aged 11 and being given not out. He stood his
ground because he didn’t know what to do. In the tea interval he enquired of
the umpire, also his form Master, what to do. Without malice, he simply said, “If
you know you have hit it, you should walk”. No lecture. So that stuck.
The following year Clark was part of an opening partnership
against a local prep school where his partner scored a dashing 50 and he
himself made his career high score to that point of 65*. When the opening partnership
had reached 100+, the opposition skipper (all of 11 or 12 years old) was moved
to Mankad (we didn’t know it as such then) the other opener. He was bang to
rights, backing up far too far.
As was the way in those days, the oppo School’s teacher was
umpiring. He declined the appeal. To everyone’s embarrassment and the oppo
skipper’s shame, he was immediately taken aside and given a lecture in a stage
whisper that “we don’t do THAT”. So that stuck.
On another occasion a catch was claimed but the fielding
Captain determined that he was not sure it had carried. He called back the
batsman. To much praise. On another occasion still Clarky recalls having to run
round a fielder to complete a quick single and was run out. This time he was
advised to run into the fielder if he felt he was being impeded to give the
umpire an option to reprieve him. As it stood he had to go. And again it was made very plain that if there
was a hint of a chance you had touched the rope or whatever the boundary was –
it was four or six. These things… and many more… stuck.
And so Clark learned the game. You might argue that a minor
public school in the 1980s is as far removed from real life as it can get. But
that was where he learned the spirit of cricket. And it was formative. In later
years, at school, at University, in Club Cricket and all along from television and
radio, his education continued. In one game Clark found himself alongside a slip who enjoyed clicking his fingers every time the ball passed the bat. That was stamped on. Despite perhaps having picked up some boorish
habits and greater excitability over the years, those core values remain. That
was how the game was supposed to be played. Yes there were laws, but some, we
reasoned, were meant to be ignored.
But most of those lessons have and are being challenged now
on a daily basis. In International cricket, the pinnacle of the game, you will
now observe the following:
1.
Batsmen should not walk if they edge it. Let the
umpire decide. We see it a couple of times a season now in Club Cricket and in
international cricket the exception – the walkers – are often derided by fellow
professionals. Beginning to take hold in club cricket. Seen it in a 4xi game FFS!
2.
Batsmen should not take the fielder’s word.
Stand your ground. Very common indeed. And with good reason – there are
numerous cases where fielders have got it wrong. Becoming more prevalent in club cricket.
3.
Fielders don’t have to call boundaries against
themselves any more. The cameras and third umpire will decide. The club cricket equivalent? Some bloke with a dog, or the baying oppo bats.
4.
Mankadding is within the law and – although this
is not strictly necessary – if you have warned a batsman you can do it with
impunity. Haven't seen this in the Club game at all. Really hope we don't.
5.
Fielding Captains no longer need call people
back. Hmmm... once or twice.
6.
If you are out of reviews and you middle one into
your pad – you are just unlucky if the umpire gives you out. There’s no reason
why anyone on the fielding side who might have seen you do it has to fess up. And
so it goes on. Have NEVER seen a Captain call someone back in these circumstances in Club cricket.
7.
If someone is capable of holding a bat you can
do what you want to them. Remember the days when Nine, Ten, Jack were part of "bowler's union"? No more.
8.
Sledging is part of the game. Middlesex League anyone?
9.
Confront umpires if you wish. Leave it to the
match officials to determine if you have transgressed. Unedifying spectacles occurring more and more.
Ultimately we are being encouraged to abdicate
responsibility as individuals for how the game is played. As batsman we leave
it to the umpire. As fielders we leave it to our Captain. As Captains we can
let the umpire make a decision. As cricket administrators we can point to a
higher authority. And so it goes on.
The Twitter storm that has erupted around yesterday’s Mankad
incident, or Broad’s decision to stand in the Ashes has drawn the battle lines. On the one side,
the “get over it, move on” brigade, on the other those decrying the lack of
spirit.
Wickman believes that cricket is all the better for personal
responsibility. And more controversial for the lack of it. It is a reflection
of human nature. Some will use the rules and laws to gain advantage, others
will prefer to play the game in a way that is all the sweeter if they can win
without compromising their personal values, others still will simply cheat.
The question then is – in this age of abdicating responsibility
– what do the law makers need to decide? Tighten things up to watertight and sit back,
or watch as a new generation believe that all these things are the modern face of
cricket and we just move on.
It will be interesting to see, over the next couple of
weeks, how many Mankads there are. Wickman’s bet is that, having not seen one
since the days of Hibby’s exaggerated jog through the crease on backing up (goodness that used to annoy the oppo),
there will be a spate of bowlers warning batsmen. Let’s hope they don’t take
the bails off and place the umpires and fielding Captains on the horns of a
dilemma.
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