Joe Root

[richart]

'Don't use it as an insult. There's nothing wrong with being gay'

Fine words from Joe Root responding to sledging in test match. Unfortunately it appears to be illegal between males in St Lucia, so even more appropriate.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It was a quality reply wasn't it? It would have been easy to join in in the heat of the moment and throw a laddish insult back but that was a really grown up reply that killed the insult dead.

 

[Colonel Bogey]

Report on Breakfast TV this morning and the WAY it was reported made it appear to insinuate something.

Much better response to it by Lord T. You should have a job on the BBC!

 

[Hobbit]

Root had a big wooden club in his hand. Why didn't he just deck the guy? Sorted.

 

[Orikoru]

Root had a big wooden club in his hand. Why didn't he just deck the guy? Sorted.

I don't play cricket but that's probably frowned upon.

 

[Hobbit]

I don't play cricket but that's probably frowned upon.

Well, it might smart a tadge. Maybe leave a bruise?

 

[Dan2501]

Think Gabriel's lucky it was Root he was sledging and not Ben Stokes, otherwise Hobbit's outcome could easily have become reality.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Always wondered why the cricket authorities don't sort out this sledging. I am beginning to think they don't want to. It would be reasonably easy to do so.
The fielding side are the perps almost always-? Trying to upset batmens concentration etc.
To stop it the umpire warns the field Captain once, then if it carries on , the umpire rules that the fielding side have to get the batsman (who is facing bowling at the time) out twice.
That'll larn 'em.

 

[Kellfire]

Sledging should be legal as long as the comments being made don't break any laws imo.

 

[Pathetic Shark]

Root had a big wooden club in his hand. Why didn't he just deck the guy? Sorted.

He'd probably have edged it to one of the slips on past form

 

[GreiginFife]

Sledging should be legal as long as the comments being made don't break any laws imo.

You are not suggesting, and I can't believe I am saying this, that common sense is applied are you?

If so, what are you thinking, man?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Hasn't sledging been in the game for decades. I am sure when we had the blackwash back in the 70's Greig was giving plenty to the West Indians and then got a load back and more from their bowlers as hes was made to hop around the crease. I don't mind it as long as it doesn't cross a line. The umpires have to be more aware of it though and act when it does go beyond the mark. Not sure they are always that keen to get involved though

 

[Dan2501]

Sledging is a part of cricket even in the amateur game. As long as it doesn't get out of hand and veer into things such as race or homophobia there's nothing wrong with it, just part of the game.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Root had a big wooden club in his hand. Why didn't he just deck the guy? Sorted.

Two reasons why he didn't, there are actually more but these two will do.

1/ His reply was much more powerful imo

2/ Shannon Gabriel is a massive unit, Joe Root is a twig. Gabriel wouldn't notice if Root had hit him with all of his force. If you watch Gabriel bowl today you will see what I mean

Okay, reason no 3. Root didn't want to end his career by whacking a numpty. A waste of a way to go.

 

[ChipIntoBunker]

Over the last few years I've thought Joe Root to be a top batsman....when I saw this reported I thought what a top man!


I don't know why but I've always wanted the national captains to be more ambassadorial in their manner...that's why I think Beckham was a great captain, ditto Alistair Cooke and Martin Johnson...rather than just the best/most famous player like Rooney, Owen Farrell and until today Root.

Joe Root might just be stepping up to the plate now and can do us proud.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Sledging is a part of cricket even in the amateur game. As long as it doesn't get out of hand and veer into things such as race or homophobia there's nothing wrong with it, just part of the game.

As a player I always found it the most pathetic and boring part of the game.

Also never found it effective whether I was on the receiving end or as a non-participating member of the fielding side handing it out.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

As a player I always found it the most pathetic and boring part of the game.

Also never found it effective whether I was on the receiving end or as a non-participating member of the fielding side handing it out.

I remember being sledged as a kid by an older bloke. I was intimadted at the time but then I was probably about 14 so that doesn't seem unreasonable. If someone sledged me when I was older I either ignored them or laughed at them. That usually put an end to it. The worse thing you can do is to get into a conversation with a sledger, it just encourages them. I remember hearing a chat between test bowlers on tv and they all agreed that sledging Tendulkar was pointless as he never responded. It was a waste of time, he gave them a blank face, so they didn't bother.

Towards the end of my cricketing time I played with an old time bowler, skilfull but unpleasant man. He started sledging a young lad from the opposition team and I told him to stop it. He didn't like that but it was bullying and I didn't want to be linked with it. He chuntered away but I told him, loudly so that everyone, especially the young lad, could hear how pathetic I thought he was being. He stopped doing it that match but I stopped playing shortly after and no doubt he would be at it again. Sad man.

 

[Dan2501]

Never involved myself in it either while playing, and having been on the end of it a few times I never found it an effective ploy personally, it never put me off. It is a part of the game though, especially at the highest level and I don't see anything wrong with it up to a point and it obviously works on certain players otherwise teams wouldn't keep doing it.

 

[upsidedown]

Just a thought , is sledging any different from the banter you get on the first tee ? As in " Hey Bill watch out for the tree on the right , you know, the one you hit last week " ?

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Just a thought , is sledging any different from the banter you get on the first tee ? As in " Hey Bill watch out for the tree on the right , you know, the one you hit last week " ?

Probably not and just as boring!