The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Mark Waugh alleges Asians push rules

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Monday, Mar 26, 2007
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Mark Waugh alleges Asians push rules

Melbourne: Stoking the dying fire, former Australian opener Mark Waugh lashed out at Sunil Gavaskar and said before criticising the Australians, the Indian legend should take notice of the way sub-continental players ``push the rules.''

``The Australian teams I played for, and those I've watched since retiring, play hard but fair. They play within the rules while other teams, especially those from the sub-continent, don't mind pushing the rules,'' Waugh wrote in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald.

``I cite such things as their preparedness to call for runners when maybe the batsman doesn't warrant one, or by fielding specialist fieldsmen as substitutes, as not being in the spirit of the game. And then there's examples of ball tampering,'' he added.

The Aussie `talk'

Waugh, however, admitted that the Aussies do ``talk'' to their rivals on field, but maintained that they have never gone overboard. He said the Australians came across tough as they play as a unit unlike their counterparts from the sub-continent, who were bothered about individual records.

``The difference between many teams is that Australia, South Africa and the Kiwis want to win as a team, so they play hard, whereas players from the sub-continent appear happy to play for individual performances, though with Tom Moody as their coach, the Sri Lankans are developing some Aussie-style confidence,'' he said.

Right spirit

He also rejected Gavaskar's criticism that the Australians were an arrogant lot, and said far from being snobs, Ricky Ponting's men were a confident unit, who played the game in the right spirit. ``I can't even consider suggestions the Australian team is arrogant.''

Waugh said Gavaskar should take a walk down memory lane and recall his own actions as captain of the Indian team before commenting on the behaviour of the Aussies.

``Gavaskar, who seems to be trying to establish himself as the game's custodian of righteousness, has little credibility in regard to on field behaviour. In 1981, during the MCG Test, he used his position as captain to make his fellow opener follow him off the pitch as a form of protest for what he considered an unfair leg before decision,'' Waugh wrote.

``I don't think Ricky Ponting's, or any of the Australian team for that matter, have ever tried to pull that stunt,'' he added.

He felt instead of criticising the Australians, Gavaskar should focus on improving the Indian team. — PTI

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