Sledging is the practice in cricket of insulting opponents to break their concentration and cause them to make mistakes. Sledging is effective because the batsman stands within hearing range of the bowler and certain fielders. The aim is to intimidate or distract the batsman into making a fatal mistake and being dismissed. Sledging thus tries to "break the flow" of the batsman's game.^{[citation needed]} There is debate in the cricketing world over whether this is poor sportsmanship or good-humoured banter. Bowler Shaun Pollock bowls to batsman Michael Hussey. ... Muttiah Muralitharan bowling A bowler in the sport of cricket is usually a player whose speciality is bowling, analogous to a pitcher in baseball. ... Fielding in the sport of cricket is what fielders do to collect the ball when it is struck by the batsman in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball or running the batsman... It is sporting to shake the hand of ones opponent after the end of a game. ...

Origin

According to Ian Chappell,^[1] "sledging" originated from Adelaide in the 1963-1964 or 1964-1965 Sheffield Shield season. A cricketer who swore in the presence of a woman was taken to be like a sledgehammer, and so called a "Percy" or "Sledge"—from singer Percy Sledge (whose song When a Man Loves a Woman was popular at the time). Thus, directing insults or obscenities at the opposition team became known as "sledging". Ian Michael Chappell (born September 26, 1943 in Unley, South Australia) is a former Australian Test cricketer, who captained Australia between 1971 and 1975 before becoming one of the central figures in the breakaway World Series Cricket (WSC) organisation. ... The Pura Cup (formerly known as the Sheffield Shield) is the domestic first class cricket competition in Australia. ... Percy Sledge Percy Sledge (born November 25, 1941 in Leighton, Alabama) is a US-American R&B and soul performer. ...

Common sledging scenarios

There are three main types of sledging.

Wicket-keeper to batsman

Wicketkeepers frequently sledge batsmen, who must face the bowler. The wicketkeeper usually seemingly talks to himself, but with a voice loud enough for the batsman to hear. Frequently the wicketkeeper intimidates the batsman with comments about the bowling, sometimes by congratulating the bowler, a famous example of this was Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist repeatedly shouting "Bowling, Shane" after Shane Warne's deliveries in the Ashes. Sometimes the wicketkeeper or slip fielders encourage the batsman to "slog" the ball, risking being bowled out, stumped, or caught making a rash stroke. For example, during the West Indies tour of England in 2004, Andrew Flintoff sledged the tail-ender Tino Best by saying "Mind the windows, Tino!" Tino was stumped next ball trying to hoist the ball into the stands. A wicket keeper in characteristic position, ready to face a delivery. ... Andrew Flintoff, MBE, (born 6 December 1977, Preston, Lancashire) is a cricketer who plays for Lancashire and England. ...

Bowler to batsman

Fast bowlers constitute most sledge bowlers, because sledging works most effectually for their style of bowling: their fast run-up means that they tend to continue to travel towards the batsman after delivering the ball, and often finish their follow-through close to the batsman. Bowlers are particularly likely to pass comment after a "bouncer", or a ball misplayed by the batsman. The wicketkeeper is likely to be some distance behind the stumps, away from the batsman, for fast bowlers, putting them in a poorer position for sledging. Spinners occasionally try to encourage the batsman to step out of his crease, or play a rash shot, thus risking his wicket. When the spinner is bowling, wicket keepers, who are closer to the wicket for this kind of bowler, often sledge the batsman from behind.^{[citation needed]} Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. ... Spin bowling, sometimes known as slow bowling, is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. ...

Batsman to bowler

Although a rare scenario, the batsman sometimes sledges the bowler, whose mistakes are less critical than those committed by the batsman. Javed Miandad of Pakistan was one such batsman who used to constantly chirp around, forcing the bowler to make a mistake. Sledging can cause the bowler to deliver a short or wide ball, offering the batsman an increased chance of hitting a boundary shot; in addition, sledging can sometimes break the bowler's rhythm.^{[citation needed]}

Cultural views on sledging

Because cricket is an international sport, opinions on sledging can differ considerably, leading to many cultural misunderstandings and controversies.

England

Sledging was traditionally seen as a prime example of a practice that was "not cricket" (that is, not fair play), and was generally deemed unprofessional. Mild forms of sledging occurred in the English game, but personal attacks were seen as unacceptable. In recent years, English cricket has adopted a more Australian competitive streak, and sledging has become more common. ^{[citation needed]} Sledging in English club and village cricket is also common; it ranges from simple questioning of the batsman's skill to doubtful comments about his parentage, his sexuality, or the appearance of his genitals.

Australia & New Zealand

In Australia and New Zealand, sledging is seen as fair game and part of masculine discourse. Adult males commonly insult each other as part of social relations, particularly in sport; they believe that "What's said on the pitch stays on the pitch". In this cultural context, sledging is not seen as a negative issue; those who complain about it are derided as immature and un-masculine.^{[citation needed]}

South Africa

The white South African and Zimbabwean societies are very similar to Australian and New Zealand society, because players sledge each other humorously. However, one big difference in the Southern African context is the sensitivity to racism — racist sledges are deemed unacceptable to a far greater degree than in other nations, though racism is of course not permitted at all in any of the cricketing nations. ^{[citation needed]} This article is about the color. ... This box:      Racism has many definitions, the most common and widely accepted is that members of one race are intrinsically superior or inferior to members of other races. ...

West Indies

West Indian teams sometimes use witty sledges on western teams; however, racial or cultural slights are interpreted very negatively.^{[citation needed]} Learie Constantine, was one of the first great West Indian players. ... Look up Wit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

South Asia

South Asian societies—such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh— have a very strong concept of politeness ^{[citation needed]} and keeping face. Personal insults are seen as unacceptable and uneducated. When cricket was first introduced to the westernised elites of South Asian society, these groups adopted the concepts of fair play in the traditional English sense when playing cricket. Players raised in such a cricketing subculture consequently found it difficult to accept sledging in the Australasian fashion. Controversies have risen out of these differing cultural mores. ^{[citation needed]} Politeness is best expressed as the practical application of good manners or etiquette. ... Law 42 of the laws of the sport of cricket covers fair and unfair play. ... In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a set of behaviors and beliefs, culture, which could be distinct or hidden, that differentiate them from the larger culture to which they belong. ... Mores are strongly held norms or customs. ...

In recent years, however, South Asian teams have become adept at sledging in their own fashion. One notable example is Sri Lanka's team, which has used Australian coaches and coaching methods since the mid-1990s. Western commentators have often challenged South Asian teams on their supposed claims of sledging innocence, pointing at the common on-field use of Hindi and Urdu phrases that neither other players nor umpires can understand.^{[citation needed]} In sports, a coach or manager is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of an athletic team or of individual athletes. ... Innocence is a term that describes the lack of guilt of an individual, with respect to a crime. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the two central official languages of India, the other being English. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ...

Sourav Ganguly, captain of the Indian team in the early 2000s, used the Australian style of sledging on the Australians in the 2000-2001 series. His encounters with the Australian captain, Steve Waugh, were played up in both the Indian and the Australian media. Sourav Chandidas Ganguly (Bengali: ) ( ) (first name occasionally spelt Saurav) is an Indian cricketer. ... The Indian cricket team is an international cricket team representing India. ... Stephen Rodger Waugh AO (born June 2, 1965 in Canterbury, New South Wales) is a former Australian cricketer and was the captain of the Australian Test cricket team from 1999 to 2004. ...

Sledging in other sports

Although sledging is most well-known within cricket, it also happens in other sports, notably rugby, basketball (in which the similar practice of trash talking takes place), and football (soccer). The Zidane incident at the final of the 2006 World Cup appears to rival the instances within cricket, but on an even bigger stage. Baseball also offers opportunities for similar comments between batter and catcher: Rod Marsh's famous "How's your wife and my kids?" to Ian Botham was used in the 1989 US baseball movie Major League as just such a remark. ^[2] For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... This article is about the sport. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... “Zidane” redirects here. ... This article is about the sport. ... Rodney William Marsh (born Armadale, Perth, Australia November 4, 1947) was an Australian Wicket keeper. ... Sir Ian Terence Botham, OBE, (born 24 November 1955) is a retired England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Major League is a 1989 film written and directed by David S. Ward starring Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen and Corbin Bernsen. ...

References

1. ^ The Lingo: Listening to Australian English, Graham Seal, University of New South Wales Press, 1999, ISBN 086840-680-5, page 141
2. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097815/quotes

See also

• Woofing
• Trash talk

This article refers to boasting about sporting competitions. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Sources

• Lighter examples of sledging - BBC Sport
• The Age - Warne Sledge
• Sledging part of Latham's cricket days - The Melbourne Age
• The Corridor's sledging page