England Cheating Again?

[TheStinger]

In the current ODI match between England and the West Indies, England bowler Graham Swann went off to the dressing room and was seen talking to coach Flower and then returning to the field and immediately relaying a message to Alistair Cook who then went to bowler Stuart Broad and started changing the field.

Now I realise that every time the 12th man comes out with drinks or gloves or any number of things for the batsmen, he is more than likely bringing a message with him as well. But very rarely do we see the fielding team getting to do the same thing. Maybe only at the drinks break.

Is this tactic another in the long line of seemingly rule bending tactics? Should a player be able to go off and get a message from the coach and bring it back to the captain on the field? Remember a few years back when South Africa were chastised for having players wearing earpieces so that the coaching staff could talk to them? Eventually they were told to stop it.

Can we see this tactic being called illegal as well or is it just inevitable that coaches will be able to talk to their players during the game at some point?

 

[Doodlesweaver]

The English bowlers are renowned for leaving the field getting a bit of a rubdown and a freshen up then coming back on after 15/20 mins or so. It's rare for the starting 11 to be on the pitch at any given time after the first 10 overs apart from in T20.

They've been doing this for years, I don't think that Swann was doing anything different to the norm for them.

 

[TheStinger]

I think it was just more that Swann was seen talking to Flower and then the first thing he does when he is back on the field is speak to the captain who immediately changes the field. It just feels like it is not in the spirit of the game. Sort your tactics out before the start of play and any changes on the field fall to the captain to decide. That is the way it has been for most of cricket.

 

[Phone]

Not really a problem. The eye-piece had less to do with coaches talking to the captain than to do with, well how they were doing it.

Seem to remember Craig McDermott strolling along the boundary a couple of times when he was bowling coach ftr.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Nothing in it. It was just suprising given Andy Flower's status as 'Team Director' instead of coach, he usually has his minions relay messages. I think the commentators just picked up that it must be something important for him to to it himself.

 

[Belnakor]

The English bowlers are renowned for leaving the field getting a bit of a rubdown and a freshen up then coming back on after 15/20 mins or so. It's rare for the starting 11 to be on the pitch at any given time after the first 10 overs apart from in T20.

They've been doing this for years, I don't think that Swann was doing anything different to the norm for them.

its BS and its bending the rules, the ICC was supposed to stamp it out but the English continue to flaunt the rules. People should only be able to leave the field for two reasons: Nature's call and injuries.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

its BS and its bending the rules, the ICC was supposed to stamp it out but the English continue to flaunt the rules. People should only be able to leave the field for two reasons: Nature's call and injuries.

I agree that it's against the spirit of the game but the umpires have never done anything about it and the English team have been doing it for years now. I don't think the Elite umps or the rulemakers give a damn.

 

[Value Added]

I agree that it's against the spirit of the game but the umpires have never done anything about it and the English team have been doing it for years now. I don't think the Elite umps or the rulemakers give a damn.

Agreed. Don't blame the poms for bending the rules. Blame weak umpiring for not enforcing them.

 

[Ill Chicken]

How do you know the umpires don't report it and ICC or match review panel doesn't back them up? All an umpire can do at the end of the game is report on what has happened, they'd be all shit scared of docking runs after what happen with Hair and co.

 

[JimDocker]

Did the West Indies raise the issue? It is often the case that the opposition captain complains about it.

Such as when Dennis Lillee in his later years would go off after a spell for a shower to freshen up and Mike Brearley, then England captain said it should not happen. It stopped. Lillee must have hated Brearley after this and the aluminium bat incident !

 

[Wallaby]

I'm always amused when people talk about the Coach setting fields, tactics etc.

I know if I was captain of a national team, and a message came out from the coach to change the bowling or the field, I would send back a polite response - 'Shut the F*** up. See you at the next net session.............'

It's the captain's responsibility to set the fields and handle tactics on the field. The coach participates in the strategy planning sessions, and in coaching the skills required to implement those strategies,

It seems we have gone down the road (led by the media) of equating a cricket coach with a football coach (or manager) - ie he main guy in charge. He does not the same role in cricket. Because cricket is a static game (the players are in fixed positions as the ball is bowled - there is a choice of positions, but you can take your time and ensure everyone is in the right position before the ball is bowled), the role of the coach is purely skill-based.
And the captain is the man on the field who can observe how the game is going and what is the best tactic. And if he is unsure, he can ask his vice-captain - who is also on the field.

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

Coashes relaying info on the field has happended forever - there is no way this can be policed. It happens in every sport. Dont see the harm in it either.

However I do remember the World Cup in 1999 New Zealand's coach has a mic set up with Stephen Fleming on field. It got banned.