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Journalism of Courage
Australia8217;s desire to cut out sledging is a separate issue to the art of gamesmanship, World Cup hero Andrew Symonds said on on Tuesday. National ruling body Cricket Australia CA issued a statement on October 1 warning players they could face life bans if they breached a new code of conduct outlawing on-field sledging.
8220;What you won8217;t see is sledging. What you will see is gamesmanship,8221; Symonds, 28, told reporters in Melbourne. 8220;At times you will see heated things said but hopefully it will be a bit more controlled,8221; added the Queensland all-rounder.
8220;I don8217;t think there is that much that is said, it8217;s just that the cameras are right up close and see all your facial expressions. The boys just have to be a little bit more subtle when something is said. No-one is condoning sledging.8221;
Australia Test captain Steve Waugh announced last week the players had written a new set of conduct guidelines themselves, included in CA8217;s Code of Behaviour, urging each other to cut out personal insults and accept umpiring decisions. Incidents such as fast bowler Glenn McGrath8217;s angry exchange with West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan earlier this year will in future lead to the Australia player explaining his actions to his team mates.
8220;We8217;ll try and work it out among ourselves to start with,8221; Waugh told reporters in Perth.
But Waugh8217;s vice-captain Ricky Ponting told reporters he would continue to take the verbal fight to opponents. 8220;What8217;s wrong with saying to an opponent that he8217;s suspect against good bouncers or something?8221; the 70-Test veteran said.
Waugh8217;s top-ranked team have been heavily criticised in recent years for their persistent on-field sledging and CA is determined to clean up their act. Waugh8217;s side has thrived on gaining a psychological edge over opponents with some on-field chat, which the skipper has described as a policy of 8220;mental disintegration8221;.
8220;We want emotion, we want passion 8230; banter is a part of the game. But now we know the standard expected of each other and hopefully breaches will be less and less,8221; Waugh said. Reuters
