The Sydney Test - What Is The Issue?

So much heat and so much talk about a cricket match! Surprised?

Well! This was not about cricket and not about winning or losing. This entire match was about 5 things.

Racism

The Aussie weight in the cricketing administration is at an historic low and they cannot take that. Especially, when that power moves to the browns.

A comment by Robert Craddock (January 8th, 2008) in Australia says it all. "INDIA must not be allowed to run the game, and the International Cricket Council now faces one of the biggest days in its 98-year existence - when it simply must seize control of the game. ... India's cricketing wealth may be 50 times that of any rival, but that does not give that country the right to run the game."

So, what does give anyone the right to govern a game. Divine right! Colour of the skin? History!! Race. He who pays the piper call the the tune, Sir. Is Robert Craddock suggesting that Indians foot the bill and Australians will run the game (I dont believe that he is that daft).

Sledging, Banter, Racism

"What we think is just routine banter, they take offence at," Border said. It is straight out cultural stuff. "The cultural issues were always there in our day. When we say 'lucky bastards', they might take offence at that. It was a simple Aussie term no one takes offence to in Australia." Alan Border, quoted By Iain Payten in Australia lose public support article.

Well, in India, monkey is not a racist term, or a pejorative, or even a swear word. India's favorite God is a monkey. So, (as per Border's logic) Symonds should feel honoured - just like Indians should feel honoured if we are called lucky bastards! Even though none of the Australian gods are "lucky bastards"!

All this logic, if Bhajji has in fact called Symonds a monkey. Is it that a white man's word to another white man, worth more than a brown man's word! Mike Proctor seems to think so.

Envy - Pure and Simple

Symonds told AAP - "We have had a very successful side and I think watching how we celebrate and how they celebrate, I think we have been pretty humble in the way we have gone about it ... And personally, I think they have got far too carried away with their celebrations."

Indian cricketers are treated like film stars and rock stars. They are amongst the richest sports people in the world. And that is something, that the Aussies cannot seem to digest - going by the above comment.

Reverse Sweep

"...the Australian captain asserted he is not Harbhajan Singh's bunny ..."

This was supposed to be a mind game by Brett Lee against Sachin Tendulkar. Only it back fired. And Bhajji made life miserable for Ponting. Was this the reason why the Australians went after Bhajji - like a pack of wild dogs, as Peter Roebuck says.

Eight to One

As any statistician will tell you, when umpiring mistakes go against anyone in eight to one ratio (of the possible 20 dismissals), it stinks. Interestingly, all the decisons that favored the Australians were against the Indian top order batsmen and in favor of the Australian top order batsmen. It cannot be a co-incidence. It is not even odds or an even chance. It is design - or a conspiracy. Deccan Herald said Anil Kumble's side was on the wrong end of eight umpiring mistakes, which had affected the outcome.

This was not about cricket at all. It was another demonstration of Anglo Saxon political behaviour in its distilled form. Does this mean that all Anglo Saxons behave in a particular manner? This is not to mistake this article as an attempt to tar or brush all Anglo Saxons. But yes, when Anglo Saxons get into power, their training and conditioning makes them behave in this abominable manner.