FOR OPENERS

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'I don't regret the Watson episode' - Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir, the Indian opener, says he does not regret elbowing Shane Watson, an action that earned him a one-Test ban. Gambhir, who missed the final Test of the series India won 2-0, also felt "sledging should be stopped" if the authorities felt what he did was wrong.

"No gentleman can hear things that Aussies were saying in Delhi. If what I did was wrong, then even sledging should be stopped, it has no place in the game," he said. "Aussies sledge from all corners, they sledged at me in Bangalore, Mohali and then in Delhi. I could have taken [their sledging] only to a point but they tend to get personal which is just not on.

"I agree that I shouldn't have crossed a certain line but people should take the holistic view rather than blaming just me for the episode," he said. "Frankly, I don't regret the Watson episode."

Comments

[Tony T]

You like how I did that?

The opening post for a new blog is about an opener.

Not everyone has the capacity, ability, or even the wherewithal to do that.

[Tony T]

You like how I did that?

The opening post for a new blog is about an opener.

Not everyone has the capacity, ability, or even the wherewithal to do that.

[Nick]

Elbows and stone may break my bones etc...

Sadly Haydos will not be able to pull a few weeds at the next encounter.

[Nick]

Quite apposite that the colour scheme is more yellow than gold.

[Tony T]

Looking from the right angle I pretend it's gold.

[girtbysea]

why the separate blog tony?

color is definitely yellow.

[Tony T.]

Thought it would be a good idea to collect all my cricket posts (497) into their own blog.

[SaggyGreen]

I'm taking a holistic view.

[m0nty]

The holistic view is that India aren't the world champions, no matter how much they want to stroke their Ganeshas over that win.

Anyone watching the Vic v Tas one-dayer? Not a bad little game.

[Carrot]

Canary yellow?? That's Australian gold my friend, and don't you fvcking forget it!!

Speaking of which, ever since I have followed this blog, and read all the comments about cricket, and read all the other cricket blogs and all the comments there too, I can't ever remember reading one 12th man joke. Or even a reference. Unless it's actually about someone carrying drinks. What's with that?

Tone, I'm always after new blogs to add to the list - glad that I can add another one of yours.

[Nick]

I see Ishant and Tendulkar rested against the Poms...shows what they think of them.

Ponting has an awful lot of excuses for someone with 'no excuses'.

And I see he's having a rest for the 20/20 - maybe he can sit in the stands and take captaincy notes on Gilly.

[Holistic view]

The Aussie selectors got it all wrong. With the way the Indians have behaved off field in relation to on field behabiour, we really should have been selecting QC's with at least 20 years experience. Added bonus if said silks know which end of a bat to hold.

How good would it be?
QC: "Howizat???"
Ump: "Not out"
QC: "I seek an immediate injunction of this test match so I can appeal your decision to the Human Rights Commission"
Ump: "Fair nuff. That's stumps"

[The Don has Risen]

Indians do not use silks they use Sikhs!!

WE do not like it when the Indians ape us do we.

If we put more onus on the Aussie team to behave we would be better placed to put others in order.

Gambir's behaviour was a disgrace. Do not think it was missed by the kiddies out there

[Hangover Black]

Carrot - although I'm a long term reader but only a recent poster, you missed this one:

The GG incident reminds me (as many things do) of a line in one of the Wired World of Sports CDs and with GG and Paper Cut now assuming the roles of Lockett and Peter Caven : "Oh that's a vicious hit by Paper Cut, he's come in and struck GG right on the point of the elbow"

Posted by Hangover Black on October 30, 2008 at 17:32

[Tony T]

Here at the AGB we refuse to use inferior material.

Unless it's better.

[Tony T]

HB, I noticed you commented over at the Strayan on one of Peter Lalor's articles. It was PL, wasn't it? Anyway, he was the best cricket journo during last year's summer of disc on tent. In short: he had a blinder.

[Russ]

Speaking of good columns, The Spin pretty fairly nailed Ponting's captaincy yesterday.

Interesting squad selection yesterday. Except for Symonds over White, it is basically unchanged. Not that I really expected wholesale changes. But given the current ineptitude of the kiwis, whoever plays is pretty likely to stay there for South Africa, and by default the Ashes. The need for youth with some test experience is getting desperate. Six key players have retired, yet three quarters of the side is still over 33. Unlike the past decade, perfectly capable players are going to get thrown into the deep end, instead of having a handful of tests to find their place.

[Hangover Black]

Very observant Tony T. But I just went looking for it again, and it's not there. I took exception to a line or two in the article and it seems I've been moderated right out of the comments section. It was the "Lay off Ponting...for now" article.

Anyway, since my views don't seem to be recorded at the Oz for posterity, I'll provide the far wider (and more astute) readership of AGB Cricket with my recollection of what I wrote:

Context first. Lalor wrote "Australia won its first series in decades there in 2004 with the side at its strongest, but only just."

HB response : Australia without Ponting (Gilchrist captain) could not be considered as at its strongest. And going into the last Test 2-0 up, and being spun out on a minefield for 93, needing just over 100 to win does not suggest the series was only "just" won.

There. I feel better now.

[Tony T]

Russ, because this blog is GOLD, I'm going to copy that comment into the next thread.

[Tony T]

HB, you are right, but I'm well prepared to forgive PL the odd fox's pas.

[Hangover Black]

I couldn't just sit back while someone puts out an incorrect historical view.
Looking back, with 2 x 200+run vicories to our credit, it was closer to the Indian victory margin of the recently completed series than it was a "just".

[Soulberry]

Just dicovered the new section devoted to cricket. Good idea.

[Tony T.]

Thanks, SB, and it's long overdue.

[Samir Chopra]

HB: Only caveat: the Chennai test was washed out on the last day and given Sehwag's form in that match, I'd have put very good money on the Indians.

[Tony T.]

Samir, the selective historian in me has erased the rainy day five and the Aussie first innings where we went from 0/130 to all out 230, and prefers to remember the partnership between Martyn and Gillespie.

[Samir Chopra]

Tony: Very good tactics; I employ some variation of the same tactics at all times when dealing with sporting history. Come to think of it, I do it with autobiography as well.

[Big Ramifications]

Without clicking on the link, this is how your excerpt read:

• He deserved to be hit.
• People who hurt my feelings deserve to be hit.
• If the ICC banned people from hurting my feelings then they wouldn't get hit.
• You are a gentleman if your feelings get hurt from the same stuff as me.
• If the ICC wants me to stop hitting people then they should introduce laws banning people from hurting my feelings.
• Aussies hurt my feelings at all venues.
• Hurting my feelings is simply not on, other than that their sledging was bearable.
• I should not have it him.
• Look at the big picture.
• I'm glad I hit him.

Crazy facking coont. Sounds like something a 2 year old would come up with.

[Big Ramifications]

Canary yellow?? That's Australian gold my friend, and don't you fvcking forget it!!

I would call in Cluedo Colonel Mustard Yellow.

Not trying to be funny. Ocularly speaking, not many other colours bring back child hood memories like Cluedo Colonel Mustard Yellow. Don't backchat me. I know Cluedo Colonel Mustard Yellow.*
.
.
[*MUST BE SAID IN THAT RUDE "DON'T BACKCHAT ME, I KNOW BOATS!" CADENCE FROM THE KING GEE COMMERCIAL FROM YONKS AGO]

[Big Rammer's Mum]

Ocularly? TV adverts with cadence???

My son is a fat head.

[nonconformist]

aurite you aussie fckin ba&&ads, what are you whining about?,we respect Mc Grath, warne n steve waugh and no other ,but your other fvctard players are making money by crawling around our IPL and you still think you are ahead thats fckin crazy.your captain,gilchrist and our very well known monkey(haha) are good hustlers ask them to retire and start selling peanuts in our country,they are being stupid by dragging controversies out of the cricket world and trying to sell their crap and to tell actually what are they cribbing about,ASK YOUR PLAYERS AND PEOPLE TO STOP YOUR INSECURE RANT,arent all of you a C*NV**T DESCENT,now i know y u behave such