Neither cricket, nor polite

FARIDABAD, March 15: Men only, women not allowed. Hansie Cronje might as well wear that on his T-shirt, the next time around. There was no place for women scribes, who like their male counterparts, were waiting for a comment from the winning South African skipper, who chose to hold the post-match press conference in the dressing room instead of a common area. The normally courteous Cronje stopped the women in their track with a curt, "No ladies allowed".

The South African dressing room was out of bounds — though some male reporters did manage to squeeze in. It opened just once and spinner Nicky Boje, who peeped out, promised to request Cronje to come out and speak’ to the media. Boje’s entreaties clearly did not work, for even when the door opened again, there was no sign of Cronje.

Doubtless Cronje was trying to protect the Protean modesty, but it was simply not fair to those trying to their job. In this case, women reporters, who had a deadline to meet. In the end, it was left to some male reporters who did get to go inside, to give quotes’ and avert any further controversy.

Still, Mr. Cronje would do well to realise that it is politically incorrect to make a distinction between men and women doing the same job. It is neither cricket. Nor nice.