When was cricket a "Gentleman's Game" ?

Recently, there was a huge media report on a very unfair thing happened to India. If you let your mind wander on whether it is inflation, terrorism etc. let me stop you. The major event was Sri Lankan bowler intentionally bowling a no ball to prevent Sehwag from getting to century in a cricket match.

That is it, Zilch… This has gotten the media talking and they are still at it, prompted knee jerk reactions from all the commentators, players and the cricketing establishment. Even the ICC, which usually just turns over and resumes its sleep, when a lightning strikes has issued immediate statements, calling out the need to uphold the spirit of gentleman’s game.

Well, I hate to break the news to you. Cricket stopped being a gentleman’s game long time back. Yes, sit down and take note. In the early seventies, when England lost test series to India, ICC immediately changed the rules/laws of the game limiting the fielders on the leg side, to negate the advantage India had from its spinning trio. Folks, cricket stopped being a gentleman’s game on that. The charade that is still one is being carried on for reasons that are known only to the establishment.

When “mental disintegration” of the opponent became a game plan for the Aussies, cricket stopped being a gentleman’s game. I am aghast, as to how this notion of “gentleman’s game” has come about for cricket. From the beginnings, when the ICC successfully kept the non-white players into second class level, to when the still played against South Africa regularly, while ignoring India et al, cricket has never been a gentleman’s game. Yet, some a more than gullible media and intellectuals (mostly retired old son of bitches, in search of a column assignment) keep this going !

I am convinced if the Aussie team had done this to Sehwag, then all the oldies would have written columns and waxed eloquent as to how tough the Aussies are, how professional and clinical they were to deny Sehwag that century.

Adding insult to injury, Sehwag was guilty of the same tactic to kick a ball over the boundary to get a tail ender in the batter’s crease !!

Sri Lanka, despite all the scorn I am with you.. Let us end this myth of “Gentleman’s game” once and for all…..

To the so called cricketing world (just 7 significant countries btw), “Grow up and Get over it…”