For any cricketer, Test cricket is the ultimate. And, so is the feeling of wearing your country's Test cap. Perhaps, that explains the outrage of former players, and also fans, when Cricket Australia made Ricky Ponting's team wear blue caps emblazoned with its sponsor VB beer logo instead of the traditional baggy green in a match against a Jamaican XI team."Money talks," said former Australian Test cricketer Greg Matthews to an Australian publication. He added: "You're selling your pride, selling the baggy green. It just cheapens things. If someone said to me I had to wear a VB hat, I'd tell them to piss off."
Taken aback by the backlash, Cricket Australia immediately issued a media release, clarifying the circumstances. "Brad Haddin, who has not yet been selected to play Test cricket for Australia, was ineligible to wear the baggy green cap, which is only presented to players on the morning of their Test debut. In these circumstances it was decided that in the interests of team uniformity (and out of respect for the baggy green) all players would wear the same cap, the blue Cricket Australia training cap, which bears the sponsors mark," said Cricket Australia public affairs manager Peter Young.
"Due to these special circumstances, during the second innings of the current tour game the Australian players are wearing baggy green caps, if they are eligible to wear them, or a Cricket Australia floppy white hat, rather than the blue training cap. Brad Haddin may wear his Australia one-day cap while keeping wicket," he added.
However, the damage has already been done. In this age of commercialization, it's the game which has taken the beating.
What do you think?
It's pretty much a storm in a tea cup. It wasn't even an actual test, rather a warm up.
ReplyDeleteThe players made the decision to preserve a tradition started by Steve Waugh - that players only get their baggy green on the morning of their first Test.