Sore Losers

Reading a news article about the ICC Presidential Elections made me contemplate writing a blog post with this topic.

However, later I changed my mind. Why should I be spreading "mild" hatred through my personal blog.

But it was not to be. Another article that I read yesterday made me confirm one fact.

Aussie cricket players, administrators et all are sore losers.

What makes me say this?

First of all - the Aussie cricketers. They are widely attributed of introducing the big bad concept of sledging into the cricketing world. 

This has spoiled many a moods during several cricket games. And has led to unsavory incidents which could better have been avoided. 

The focus shifts from the cricketing skills to the verbal duels. And to my opinion, you should let your game do the talking - rather that your silly mouth.

If this was not enough, John Howard, the ex Aussie PM has managed to gain this crown.

At the recently concluded ICC elections for the top posts, Indian politician Sharad Pawar was elected as the President.

Howard was the nominee for the Vice-President's post. Needing seven votes to secure a victory, he was founding wanting when only three nations - Australia, New Zealand and England supported his candidature. This was backed by several reasons - his lack of cricket administration experience, his criticism for the world record holder Muralitharan, plus criticism against Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe.

The ICC wanted to give him a graceful exit and requested the Australia and NZ cricket board to nominate another acceptable candidate. However, Howard refused to withdraw his nomination.

He could have accpted graceful defeat. But he didn't. Maybe he likes going down fighting. No one would have minded it.

But then you had the ex ICC CEO - Malcolm Speed - offering his own rubbish advice on Howard's loss.

He questioned Mr. Pawar's competence on being a cricket administrator. This is what he had to say.

“The man who is to be the next ICC president, Sharad Pawar, is the minister for agriculture in the Indian government – a serious full-time job, feeding 1.2 billion people. He is a good and fair man but he will be working part-time as ICC president and, take it from me, he knows little about cricket administration,” he said. 

Well, with all due respects, was Mr. Speed an efficient cricket administrator? Did he have a management degree in cricket administration? Did he play cricket ever? At best he is a business man who has run some sports administration in his country.

But so has Mr. Pawar. Plus he has the added advantage of being a politician with a mass people connect. Another plus points include being a noteworthy minister, to say the least, in several Governments.

And if Speed has so many doubts, why didn't he complain when Mr. Pawar was the ICC Vice-President for the last two years.

Howard crossed the limits when he made the following statement - reported in yesterday's online news article.

Howard told Australian television station Channel Nine that Indians should be applauded for their love of cricket but they should be careful not to be seen to dominate the administration of the sport. 

Now, this is absolutely ridiculous.

Has anyone ever told the Aussies that they should not dominate the game of cricket? 

Or has anyone told Brazil that they should be stop dominating Football ? 

Or has anyone told America that they should stop dominating World Politics?

Well, but Mr. Howard does do that and ends up confirming one single fact - that he is a sore loser.