THE ALTERNATIVE SLEDGERS

It seems the England team has finally learned something from their Australian masters…the ignominious art of sledging!

England appears to have come to the West Indies with a superior attitude that they have a divine right to roll over the locals.

Long before they departed for the Caribbean there were comments like “nothing less than a series win will be acceptable’ so perish the thought it might not happen!

The first test match in Antigua might have appeared like the Great Escape for Phil Simmons and his team and there is nothing to suggest that the current match in Grenada is going to be a home win, but one thing has emerged-the English players will stoop to anything to win.

The sledging attack on Marlon Samuels was pathetic and although the ‘powers that be’ still can’t get the sledging laws right, no true sportsperson could publicly justify the tactic. But at least one England player could. Step forward big Stuart Broad to say Ben Stokes plays the game hard and if sledging is part of his game then why not?

Nice one Stuart, but aren’t you the same guy that Australian Coach Darren Lehmann branded a cheat for not walking in the Ashes Series after being caught at 1st slip. Sorry Stuart, your credibility is suspect and so is the whole England set-up if they have to resort to these tactics.

Sledging has no part in cricket as it seeks to undermine the batsman with either direct or implied insults to gain an advantage. It goes against all the principles of sportsmanship and fair play and there should be zero tolerance for it.

Unfortunately the sledging has filtered down into club cricket in recent times largely because it works, but the masters of it are the Australians, who have some of the biggest mouths in the game. The irony in their case is that they don’t have to use this ugly tactic, as they would still win without it.

Samuels is no angel and neither is big Sulieman Benn the West Indies equivalent to Ben Stokes and David Warner, but it isn’t cricket and it sets a bad example to youngsters taking up the game.

Most English commentators have sat on the fence on the Stokes-Samuels controversy largely because deep down they are just as polarized as the team and feel the resurgent West Indies team are spoiling the script.

This series may be seen as a warm-up for the Ashes, so there may be some misguided justification given the Aussies will bring plenty of verbals with them later in the summer. At the end of the day perhaps it is a hidden compliment that the West Indies team are finally getting their act together under new Coach Phil Simmons and putting up sterner opposition than expected.

Simmons hasn’t had much time to marshal his forces, but he has instilled more fight amongst the current squad, which is minus the Millionaire Club currently playing their trade in the IPL.

Perhaps that’s what is hurting Stokes and Broad the most as this West Indies squad is minus Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, Dwayne Smith, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Samuel Badree and Lendl Simmons and has the look of an A Team rather than the full West Indies team.

Sorry Ben Stokes, you may be one of the great hopes for English cricket, but if your mouth is your biggest asset you're doing nothing good for cricket!

Clarence Hiles