CRICKET Hooligans thread

[adz]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23060432-2,00.html

CRICKET have been warned against engaging in racial abuse or loutish behaviour at today's third Test in Perth.
The warning came as ugly racial tensions exploded at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne last night, with police forced to use capsicum spray after Greek and Chilean fans clashed during a match.

As the Australian Open experienced its second night of trouble in as many days, cricket organisers last night warned fans bad behaviour during the Perth Test would be severely dealt with.

While the previously warring teams appear to have called a truce, concernsremain over the possibility of trouble in the crowd fired up by high temperatures and last week's high emotions.

Talk of monkey-suited mischief-makers - a reference to Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh's alleged taunting of Andrew Symonds during the second Test - have been rife in Perth since the tourists arrived on Sunday.

WACA chief executive Graeme Wood and police Superintendent Duane Bell said yesterday they were not expecting trouble, humorous or otherwise.

"We have been working with Cricket Australia since October ... to make sure we have the security staff, the police presence and the CCTV to ensure patrons do enjoy the day,'' Mr Wood said.

"We think we have adequate measures in place, if there are any issues we will certainly be there to cover it.

"We would love to see as many Australian and Indian flags out there as we can but anything that is offensive will not be allowed in.''

Supt Bell said a large police contingent, which had been briefed on cultural sensitivities, would be at the game.

"We're expecting that the crowd will be coming along to see a good cricket match but having said that, our security overlay does involve a response for any racial vilification,'' he said.

''Banners with racist slogans and any of those sorts of items will be seized by security staff at the gate and will not be allowed into the venue.''

There is a history of racial barbs from the WACA crowd.

Members of the touring South African side claimed they were subjected to racial slurs during the 2005/06 season.

Ashwell Prince, Garnett Kruger, Shaun Pollock, Justin Kemp and Makhaya Ntini all said they had been abused, with Ntini claiming he had been called "kaffir''.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting and ICC boss Malcolm Speed both condemned the actions at the time.

TENNIS hooligans, CRICKET hooligans, when will it end? Maybe they should just BAN ALL SPORT.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cZdt3AL8aK8

 

[Jimmy]

Adz = The Anna Coren of the marinators.

 

[adz]

Cricket PLAYERS are hooligans too

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23131370-2,00.html

Cricketers need more manners - GG

January 30, 2008 09:52am
Article from: AAP

GOVERNOR-General Michael Jeffery has weighed into the debate surrounding Australia's stormy cricket series against India, lamenting the loss of grace and courtesy from the game.

Major General Jeffery said he and many Australians and cricket-watchers around the world were becoming concerned about a lack of sportsmanship at the game's highest level.

"(I'm concerned about) the reduction in the grace and the courtesies that are being shown on the cricketing fields," he said on ABC radio today.

"While we should be playing the game tough and hard and all of that sort of thing, I think there's also a need to really take care of the fundamental courtesies and good manners.

"Good manners on the ground and off the ground has such a good impact on our other cricketing friends around the world.

"I think we've got to have a little bit of a look at this."

His comments come ahead of the Prime Minister's XI game against Sri Lanka in Canberra today.

The Australian cricket team has been criticised in some quarters for a cavalier approach to the game and for sledging opponents on the field.

Maj-Gen Jeffery said he was troubled by some batsmen's failure to walk from the crease when they knew they were out but had been let off by umpires.

"I think there have been times in recent years where it's obvious that things (have deteriorated)," he said.

"Questioning umpires' decisions, not walking, sledging - which I'm totally against  - in a vicious sense."

An on-field humorous remark was fine but sledging in its true sense was "totally un-Australian" and unacceptable, he said.

He warned that bad behaviour by Australian sportspeople could have ramifications overseas.

"If we're seen to be a bit churlish or we don't acknowledge the other players in an appropriate manner that can have a negative effect," he said.

Maj-Gen Jeffery said the acrimonious Sydney Test between Australia and India had been a "wake-up call" and the subsequent two matches had been conducted in a far better spirit.

"Every 12-year-old, 14-year-old, 16-, 22-year-old kid who plays cricket in Australia models himself or herself on our Test players or on our Pura Cup shield players," he said.

"Their example is absolutely critical to the well-being of cricket and sportsmanship in this country."

 

[adz]

Back to the "fans"

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23313761-23212,00.html

Australian crowds 'despicable'

    By Jon Pierik and Robert Craddock
    March 04, 2008

HARBHAJAN Singh has branded Australian crowd behaviour "despicable" and claims he has nothing to apologise for over his behaviour in Sydney.

The fiery Indian spinner is embroiled in another controversy for allegedly making monkey gestures and spitting at sections of the crowd during Sunday's stunning win over Australia at the SCG.

An angry Harbhajan has vehemently denied he spat directly at spectators, and on Monday night was cleared of any wrongdoing by the International Cricket Council because of a lack of evidence.

This wasn't enough to appease Harbhajan, who claimed the behaviour of Australian spectators was a disgrace.

"Trust me, I didn't say anything to the crowd, but the language they said to me was despicable," he said. "It crossed all limits of decency. I had smoke coming out of my ears."

Harbhajan claimed he had only spat at the ground after drinking water during his fine spell of bowling which yielded the key scalps of Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds.

"If you have water on the boundary, and saliva in your mouth, what else are you supposed to do but spit it out?," he said.

But when asked about his alleged monkey chants towards the crowds, Harbhajan was less clear.

"I don't remember what I was doing," he said.

Spectators alledged there was no doubt Harbhajan had motioned as if to scratch his armpits with both hands in the same manner fans did when taunting Andrew Symonds in the one-day series in India last year.

Match referee Jeff Crowe investigated whether Harbhajan could have been charged under section 3.3 for making a racist gesture. But, with no television footage available, the issue was closed.

Harbhajan had been reported for that offence during January's Sydney Test for allegedly calling Symonds "a big monkey".

This latest stink has added even more spice to the second final in Brisbane where Australia must win to force a third and deciding clash in Adelaide on Friday.

Harbhajan was shadowed by a police officer and a crowd control agent whenever he fielded on the fence at the SCG.

It is understood Indian team management were considering asking Gabba security staff to keep a closer eye on crowds when Harbhajan is standing in the deep.

Despite the taunts, Harbhajan maintained his sense of humour when asked if officials should evict spectators who go too far.

"If they wanted to do it, they would have to empty the whole stadium," he said.

Witnesses have also maintained Harbhajan was retaliating to heavy crowd abuse during Australia's innings.

It was claimed some fans taunted the divisive spinner to "show us your knob" and "get a haircut" -- both references to his Sikh roots.

 

[adz]

Cricket hooligan vs Andrew Symonds

http://youtube.com/watch?v=URWSoH3HYFc