Is Gilly a Cheat? - Spirited Defense by Aus Media (8 May 07)

[shehanwije]

Happy to report to all that the squash ball issue is amazingly still live in the Aus media with reports in the major papers (eg: "Gilly's glove declared legal" http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23212,00.html ), and all the morning TV shows are still covering the story.

There is still a sense of "hoping the issue will go away" and"lets shame the Sri Lankans into dropping the charges" in the Aus media.

On the other hand, if there is no issue with the squash ball, then why is there so much aggro in the media on this issue - 10 days later.

A good example is the article linked above - this "new" article published this morning in the Aus press is based on the MCC ruling which was published by BBC and other almost a week ago. But to the local Aus public, it is made to appear like a fresh ruling was obtained declaring that all was above board. The games the Aus media play!

[akabir77]

Still I think Gilli should have cleared this before using it. They don't allow any kind of string or tape to put on the bat. Well aussies r well known for these things. remember the under arm ball? Cricket is a gentlemen's game. every thing doesn't have to be in the law book.

[ialbd]

nachte na janle.......

[Hatebreed]

The reason people are making an issue about it is because it was mainly Gilly's explosive inning that won Aussies the match, and he wasn't really performing at the same level in previous matches.

[gatekeeper]

Adam Gilchrist is not a cheat. Period. Lets move on. Thank you.

[layperson]

Fact of the matter is, this is not the first time that gilchrist has played such a knock. So no one can attribute his success in the final solely to the piece of squash ball in his glove. That is just a lame excuse. He has scored like this in the past and would keep on scoring like this "ball in glove" or "no ball in glove". Credit should be given where credit is due. Gilchrist is the finest Wk batsman to play this game and to attritbute his success in the final to a mere ball is insulting his batting genius.

[OZGOD]

Originally Posted by shehanwije
Happy to report to all that the squash ball issue is amazingly still live in the Aus media with reports in the major papers (eg: "Gilly's glove declared legal" http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23212,00.html ), and all the morning TV shows are still covering the story.

There is still a sense of "hoping the issue will go away" and"lets shame the Sri Lankans into dropping the charges" in the Aus media.

On the other hand, if there is no issue with the squash ball, then why is there so much aggro in the media on this issue - 10 days later.

Amazingly alive? Who's been keeping this issue alive for the past 10 days? Who has been writing columns and letters of outrage intimating Gilly was a cheat? Who was writing ridiculous articles claiming that the only reason Gilly and Haydunce played so well was because they were on drugs? Who broke the initial stories about the SL secretary's intention to take the matter up with the ICC?

The OZ media are merely responding to allegations (some of which are pretty sad, not to mention funny) that have been made in various media sources in Sri Lanka and India over the past 10 days. It's not the OZ media that's been making a fuss about this and been keeping it going for the past 10 days.

If you say that there is a sense of the OZ are "hoping the issue will go away" and that "SL will drop the charges", well, there's also a sense from SL that "if we call Gilly a cheat often enough and long enough people will start to believe it". In any case, why would the OZ want the issue to go away? As far as we, and the MCC, are concerned there is no issue. Anyone is free to put a squash ball in their glove if they want to, if they feel they are gripping the bat too hard.

In any case, the Sri Lankan players and administrators have distanced themselves from their secretary's comments - they reckon he's smoking a bit too much dilmah. Good on them - you need to take defeat as graciously as you do victory. I'm sure Jayawardene and his team would be the first to admit that they didn't play as well as they could've to win. Nothing wrong with that - there are winners and losers in sport.

Mathivanan insisted several players had told him "they were a bit upset" over the use of the squash ball. That was contradicted by Muttiah Muralitharan. "That is [Mathivanan's] personal opinion; the team doesn't think that," the spinner told the Syndey Morning Herald.

"If anything, I would think having a squash ball in your glove would be uncomfortable. I don't know if I could even hold a bat with something like that in my glove. So if [Gilchrist wants to do it], it is OK with me."

Mathivanan also received little support from SLC chief executive Duleep Mendis. When asked if he supported his secretary, Mendis said: "You must call him about that."

SMH.com

As Gatekeeper said, let's move on.

[psj]

Originally Posted by Tigers_eye
No particular reason. This was a dead issue. Other Australian players have done that. Those who have large hands got benefit from it. This has come back to spot light first where? Which country is making this an issue and bringing in to the main stream news? Cricinfo's reporter affiliated to which country has dug up the issue? Where did he get the inspiration all of a sudden? email him and ask him directly.

Cricinfo does not function like UN,where Reporters are affiliated to a country and report as per his countries whims and fancies. The reporters nationality being Indian is just a co-incidence.There are Indians in almost any major website/Tv Channels...
They are not there to do BCCI or India's job.
TE..U seem to have a pre concieved notion that India/Indians are always upto something to prove that all others are wrong.i beg to differ with ur mindset.

[Special 1]

Originally Posted by psj
TE..U seem to have a pre concieved notion that India/Indians are always upto something to prove that all others are wrong.i beg to differ with ur mindset.

I think high level indian officials, commentators do have that attitude. Thats y a lot of people do have that mindset.
And Indians do have an air of arrogance when it comes to inteacting with other south asian countries. They think they know it all or atleast that is the opinion i get from the indians I met.

[psj]

Originally Posted by Special 1
I think high level indian officials, commentators do have that attitude. Thats y a lot of people do have that mindset.
And Indians do have an air of arrogance when it comes to inteacting with other south asian countries. They think they know it all or atleast that is the opinion i get from the indians I met.

You have been meeting the wrong ppl dude....There are more than a billion of us...so dont generalize.

[Arnab]

Originally Posted by Miraz
Off topic, Here's a video of cheating by all time Aussie great Steve Waugh, he claimed a dropped catch of BC Lara.

Off topic post, but yes, my opinion of Waugh went several notches down after that.

[Alien]

Originally Posted by Special 1
I think high level indian officials, commentators do have that attitude. Thats y a lot of people do have that mindset.
And Indians do have an air of arrogance when it comes to inteacting with other south asian countries. They think they know it all or atleast that is the opinion i get from the indians I met.

You seem to know every single Indian don't you, to say that they have the air of arrogance.

Almost everyone here was arrogant at one stage or another when BD beat India and then SA. Lot of us went ahead to make big statements. So what's wrong if Indians make them? Its human nature, They are humans so are we. It's good to be modest but then again its human nature to be arrogant at times.

[scoilaheez]

Gilchrist is the most honest player in the game by the way. He is a walker after all. He also supports many charities. Anyone get the irony?

[Imteaz]

No, Adam Gilchrist was Not a Cheat.