Aussie cricket legend Ian Chappell slams ‘spirit of cricket’ debate – insisting that the term is ‘rubbish’
- Ian Chappell labels the ghost of the cricket debate ‘nonsense’
- Said players at the crease are stupid to pick up the ball
- Calls on players to follow the laws of the game
Australian cricket icon Ian Chappell has spoken out about the recent ‘spirit of cricket’ row that has consumed the game, insisting players must follow the laws of the sport.
Two ‘field obstruction’ incidents have divided fans in the past week and once again raised questions about how the sport should be played.
Under-19 World Cup star Hamza Shaikh had scored one off eight balls in England’s 146-run Super Six win in Potchefstroom when he hooked a delivery from left-arm spinner Ryan Simbi into his right boot.
He then bent down to pick up the stationary ball and throw it into the glove of wicketkeeper Ryan Kamwemba, who rose against the stumps, prompting the Zimbabweans to appeal on the grounds that the act took place without their consent.
The on-field umpires gave the youngster off, much to the dismay of cricket fans around the world.
Australian cricket great Ian Chappell says batters who try to pick up or touch the ball are ‘stupid’
England player Hamza Shaikh was given off at the Under-19 World Cup for ‘obstructing the pitch’ against Zimbabwe
And a similar row emerged in Australia’s Sheffield Shield on Sunday, with NSW star Chris Green in the spotlight.
Facing Western Australia’s Charlie Stobo, Green blocked a delivery back to the bowler, with the paceman throwing the ball back towards the stumps while the Blues batsman stood outside his crease.
The ball went towards Green’s legs and he used his bat to avoid hitting it.
WA appealed to the referees if this was against the rules.
By the letter of the law, Green should have been called out while obstructing the field, but the officials chose not to call him out.
“I don’t pay attention to people talking about ‘the spirit of cricket’ because to me ‘the spirit of cricket’ is nonsense,” Chappell said. Broad sports world.
‘What’s wrong with the rules of the game? If you follow the laws of the game, you don’t need the rest of the nonsense.
“Try another term, because that’s the greatest amount of nonsense ever written.”
Chappell also called batters who tried to pick up the ball during the play “stupid.”
NSW star Chris Green was not given out in the Sheffield Shield after using his bat to prevent it from hitting him
“Steve Waugh goes on about it, ‘the spirit of cricket’, well, that’s hypocrisy if I ever heard it,” he said.
‘What’s going on when a guy touches the ball (illegally)?
“If you’re stupid enough to touch the ball as a batsman, you deserve whatever happens to you.”