Nucular, you profess to have previously admired Gilchrist. On the context of your general comments it would appear to have been strongly on the basis of an entire career built upon strong character and excellent behaviour.
On the strength of your own perception of one incident you, and many other posters on the net, have taken the hatchet to him and his character. Well frankly it's a sheer disgrace and the poor character is on the part of his critics, including yourself. Why would you choose to ignore a decade of model behaviour in one moment?
Here's Gilchrist's own comments on the incident: "Talking about his appeal against Dravid, Gilchrist said: "There are times when you don't know. So, you ask the question. Every player has right to ask the umpire. I will say I don't appeal if I don't think they are out. If I am not sure, I will ask the umpire and I'll accept his decision."
Where has Gilchrist deviated from the principal he has followed his whole career?
It is very disappointing that so many so called Australian fans have been so weak minded and sucked in to the hoopla of the professional media commentators and the petulance of the Indians post match.
Controversy is the bread and butter of the likes of Tony Greig et al and yes even the Jim Maxwells of commentary. But what have the Australians done that has been controversial? Really nothing. Indeed the controversy is on the part of the Indians with one suspended for racial abuse (a repeat offence), a captain and team official conducting a most petulant media conference, and a structure threatening to undermine the whole tour for a stand of false
The supposed crimes of Australians: - waiting for the umpire to make a decision on appeals (isn't that their job? walking's a personal moral choice not a legal cricket one) - claiming catches they believed they had taken (oh what a crime - note Ponting refused to claim one for Dravid in the first innings, and Clarke is also being abused for claiming a catch and he has a record of also refusing to claim) - making too many appeals to the umpire to make decisions (pot/kettle?) - swearing at the Indian captain
Anything else? I don't think so. That makes 1 out of 4 actual possible crimes and as always Australia will cop the punishment for that one and get on with the game.
I'm sick of romantic gits living in la-la land who yearn for a game that never really existed and would never get adequate results in the modern game.
The aim of the game is to win within the laws of the game and that is also the spirit of the game. I for one am proud to follow a side that is so professional that they can capitalise on their chances and create a win in the last 8 minutes of a test match with the opposition still having 3 wickets in hand. I'd be very happy if people like you carried through with your threats and stopped watching cricket and even better stopped commenting on it as it's clearly not the game for you and you're ruining my enjoyment of it.
