Cricket, character and controversy

Quote

“It is not true that the English invented cricket as a way of making all other human endeavours look interesting and lively; that was merely an unintended side effect.”  Bill Bryson

News

The nature of threatening comments made by Australian cricketers during the Test match last weekend have cast a cloud over their otherwise impressive performance, beating England by 381 runs.  British player Jonathan Trott flew home early with a stress-related illness after being taunted as ‘weak’ and ‘fearful’, and the Australian captain was fined for threatening behaviour when he warned another English batsman to get ready for a broken arm.

While some competitive banter between opposing sides is normal in a cricket match, it seems that this practice of ‘sledging’ is going too far.

Contrast this with India’s Sachin Tendulkar, who played his 200^th and final Test match two weeks ago.  Tendulkar’s huge following in India and around the world owes as much to his character as to his cricketing genius.  He is modest and patient, has time for others, including his adversaries, and treats everyone with courtesy and respect – whether they are celebrities or cleaners. 

Despite his huge fame, the sporting legend has largely steered clear of scandals and maintained a stable family life with his wife and two children.  In Tendulkar’s valedictory speech he spoke tenderly and at length about the encouragement and support of his close family and friends.   

The mean-spirited behaviour of some of the players has left a relational chill over the Test Match in Brisbane; perhaps the example of Sachin Tendulkar, and the way he honoured his relationships on and off the field, needs to rub off on his fellow cricketers.

Read on

The formation of character and values was a major motivation behind the development of competitive sport.  Read this article in Christianity magazine about the church origins of many of Britain’s top football clubs.

Walk the talk

When you are competing against someone, do you stay on the right side of the line relationally?  If not, do you need to cultivate a more sportsmanlike attitude?

The last word

From the Bible, Colossians chapter 4 verse 6: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”