Bring Back The Mavericks

Once upon a time cricketers could pretty much do what they liked off the field. Drug testing wasn’t so sophisticated, there were no WhatsApp messages, and getting pissed before important games was almost mandatory. Alex Hales would’ve loved it.

Twenty five years ago the public didn’t have mobile phone cameras ready to snap every indiscretion. And there was no social media on which to post embarrassing images and video footage. Players could go wild knowing there was only a very slim chance of consequences.

I’m sure you can all recall your favourite tales. Sports autobiographies are brilliant for these. My personal favourites include Sir Ian Botham going out to bat with an enormous hangover during a tour game in Australia. Although England were losing wickets at regular interviews, Beefy managed to avoid batting for some time with the help of the team’s physio. They told the skipper he had a niggle and kept him out of sight while he consumed copious quantities of coffee.

Sir Ian’s time on the treatment table enabled him to recover somewhat before facing the music. However, when he did belatedly make it to the middle he admitted he could hardly stand up. He just swung the bat optimistically in the hope that he’d make a few runs before embarrassing himself. Eventually, however, he managed to get his eye in and notched a half-century. Fresh air does wonders, eh!

The other story I love came from that famous game at Headlingley in 1981. After the scoreboard operator at Leeds saw that England were 500-1 to win, he displayed the odds onscreen as a form of dark humour. Dennis Lillee simply couldn’t resist, and at one point tried to bet £50 of the Australian team’s funds.

After a good laugh the Aussie dressing room decided against it. However, Lillee and Rod Marsh decided to bet £10 and £5 of their own money instead. The rest is history.

Although the pair angrily denied what they did for years, they eventually conceded that it was true. In fact, they collected their winnings in the next tour game at Worcester and piled all the money on a table in the dressing room for everyone to see. Allan Border recalled that it looked like a million dollars!

Although the Aussie press went to town on the famous pair after Headlingley, with some suggesting that they threw the game or didn’t try as hard as they might, nobody seriously thinks the bet affected their performance. Australia didn’t have betting at cricket ground in those days, and naturally there was no bestaubettingsites.com either; therefore it was all a bit of a novelty for the tourists.

Of course, cricket stories can often seem rather mild compared to the antics of internationals in other sports. Rugby autobiographies are notorious for debauched tales of drunken debacles. Jason Leonard’s is particularly good one.

There’s a brilliant part where Leonard recalls the various initiation rituals for young players at Harlequins. One of them involved a surfeit of alcohol (obviously), stealing their clothes, dumping them on the other side of Twickenham (nude of course), and expecting them to make their way back to the clubhouse across garden fences and public highways.

It’s a shame in many ways that times have changed. Sports stars (especially cricketers) seem so bloody bland these days. I know we used to extract the michael out of Shane Warne in the noughties – there had to be some comeback for the punishment he gave us on the field – but I actually really miss personalities like Warney. Guys like him were a dying breed and I’m not sure we appreciated this at the time.

There were so many tales about Warne. It was reported that refused to eat salad during intervals simply because he preferred the taste of burgers. His justification was brilliant: junk food makes me happy and when I feel great I bowl great. It’s hard to argue with this logic really, especially as he usually delivered in spades.

Warne’s stormy relationship with coach John Buchanan was also legendary. And then there was his fine for giving information on the pitch to bookmakers, that ban for taking an illicit diuretic, and his penchant for holidays in Las Vegas, where he took in the best US casinos and hit the poker tables hard.

One can imagine how the ECB would react to this kind of behaviour today. Ashley Giles would have a heart attack if an England player downed 52 cans of beer on a flight to London like David Boon famously once did. The player in question would be out on his arse. Anyone with a bit of personality or attitude is considered a loose canon and a risk to team ‘culture’ these days.

Unfortunately most cricketers today are clean-cut, media trained, and incredibly dull. There’s basically no point listening to press conferences or post-match interviews any more because all you get are soundbites and robotic players spinning the party line.

It all seems counter-productive too. Cricket’s authorities are always going on about the sport’s entertainment value. So much so, in fact, that belting batting wickets and high scoring games are all the ECB seem to care about. We’ve even had Tom Harrison telling Joe Root’s team to risk losing in the pursuit of winning.

What the ECB are missing, however (especially if they’re trying to learn lessons from the IPL) is that casual cricket fans – i.e. the new audience The Hundred is trying to reach – care more about players and their individual brands than specific teams and the sport in general. They turn up in droves to watch Virat Kohli not Royal Whatsit Bangalore.

If players were allowed to be themselves – and personally I don’t think a little off-field ‘controversy’ hurts – then English cricket might find itself with a few more marketable stars. The only two we’ve had in recent years are Freddie Flintoff (fell off a pedalo and got sacked) and Kevin Pietersen (told the board where to go and got sacked).

If the ECB really want to spread the game to the masses then perhaps they ought to stop being so puritanical and encourage mavericks to be themselves. Cricket might end up growing in the same way that snooker benefitted from the likes of Hurricane Higgins and Jimmy White – flawed geniuses the public could relate to because they seemed real.

Although players should still have some boundaries, and we must respect the fact that professional sportsmen are role models, is there really much point pretending that people are perfect? We might be setting up kids to fail. After all, they won’t be able to meet such unrealistic aspirations.

Tiger Woods is a perfect example. A few years ago Tiger was shamed for serial adultery, sex addiction, and embarrassed by stories of his wife battering him with a 9-iron. He was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Had Woods been an England cricketer he would’ve been publicly shamed, shunned, and thrown out of the team for good at this point. And no doubt his captain (probably under instruction from his employers) would’ve told the media how letdown the team felt and how they simply couldn’t trust him anymore.

But just look at Tiger now. He’s The Masters champion and about to be awarded Presidential Medal Of Freedom. Has anyone done more to raise the profile of his or her sport than Woods? I severely doubt it. And that, ladies and gentlemen, underlines the point rather nicely.

James Morgan

Written in collaboration with Best Betting Sites

31 comments

    • “Drugs” is pretty broad. Ian Botham admitted smoking weed his autobiography. Or are you talking class As and performance enhancing drugs here?

      • I can excuse using dope (or cocaine) much more than I can excuse the use of performance enhancing drugs. The likes of Paul Smith, Dermot Reeve and Keith Piper were notorious at Edgbaston, but did no harm to others. The use of steroids and other substances directly impacts the opposition. And I am pretty sure it is widespread if all the talk of ‘juicing up’ I hear in the changing rooms at my gym is any guide.

  • I think the scrutiny of social media is obviously the biggest difference in terms of fueling catholic opinion on any incident but I suspect the large sums of remuneration involved in the modern game plays a role. In the days you describe the comparative pittances earned from cricket allowed for a clearer understanding of the line between work life and private life and hence on and off field antics. Today the player is just considered a product to be marketed as a concept and managed within the confines of the saleable package.

  • The apparent redemption of Tiger Woods just shows that moral memory fades over time, if you live long enough. It doesn’t at all demonstrate that the Woods life-style in his first incarnation contributed anything positive to the world of golf (although perhaps he enjoyed it, privately, until his wife took to him with the nine iron). And all this stuff about how great it was for stars of the past to play when half conscious is just laddish romancing. Which is not to say you don’t have a point about the micro-management, and the hypocrisy, that we have come to expect from the ECB. But Eoin Morgan’s speech shows it is not all management speak – he spoke convincingly about the team having developed some values and wanting to be able to trust each other. I don’t think trust was the first word that came to anybody’s mind when Denis Compton or Gary Sobers staggered to the wicket with a flaming hangover (just relief when it came off, on certain celebrated occasions).

    • Totally agree that people forget about indiscretions off the field over time. Ricky Ponting was once considered a real wild child, and he dropped after fighting in a bar in Sydney. However, I don’t think too many people remember this now. He’ll just be remembered as a great batsman.

      Re: Woods, I think he made a huge difference to the game of golf in his first incarnation. He broke all sorts of boundaries and perceptions. Remember those “I am Tiger Woods” adverts with the kids? For what it’s worth I don’t really like Tiger Woods much but I can’t argue with what he’s done for the game of golf.

      • There is, though, a huge difference between Woods and the likes of Hales (or many others). Woods behaviour had a huge impact on those around him. Hales has (by and large) only damaged himself. Woods behaviour was much nearer to that of Clarke than to maverick status.

    • “he spoke convincingly about the team having developed some values and wanting to be able to trust each other.”

      The only values I expect in a cricketer are scoring runs and taking wickets.

      Anything else is absolutely none of the captain’s business. Frankly there is something slimy and pathetic about a captain who sees his role as both tattletale and nursemaid.

      Who knows, maybe he’d make a good social worker instead, or more likely his values are to parrot whatever feminist crap the ECB pay him to parrot.

      Which, doesn’t strike me as any sort of values whatsoever.

      Meanwhile all the characters you mentioned above…. had balls.

  • Sky documentary about Pietersen is in the pipeline….

    Nasser Hussain is in charge which seems like getting Kelvin MacKenzie to make a documentary about Neil Kinnock.

  • Here’s a generalisation, Mavericks are tough – perhaps it’s natural selection, if they aren’t hard as nails they get destroyed in whatever arena they have chosen to make their way. From riverboats to cricket.

    It was very interesting to hear Ramps on commentary the other day. He was asked if he’d seen much of X, a young No 3. After reply that he hadn’t he went on to say that there were lots of ‘flashy’ young bats but he was much more interested in the tough types that can play the game situation. In particular the ‘finishers’..

    Not sure that our system has much time in the development stages for ‘finishers’. Though they are highly valued. But the down side of being labeled a ‘finisher’ is to then find yourself the perennial 6/7, clearing up the mess of others and never getting the chance to show what s/he can do on a flat track on a fine day. 70 for 4. Don’t worry “Y’ll get us home”.

    The only time I saw Hales in the flesh was when he destroyed the Surrey attack in a Royal London final. The thing about that innings was, although he opened, there was no way he was not going to be there when the final run was scored. He murdered the Currans.

  • There has to be a limit of course, but the “yes men” culture is a symptom of modern sport and wider society, particularly the PC brigade. A team of 11 men speaking in Owen Morgan sound bites is boring, Alistair Cooke was almost as bad. Seems to be worse in London where the skinny latte social media prudes seem to take “offence” over the slightest indiscretions . Bit different in up north thank goodness. Hales seems a bit of a yob yes, but the ECB don’t know how to manage that, and you don’t drop one of the world’s best one day openers just because it might “upset”the team. Poor little devil’s. Personally I like a bit of umptey, much more exciting.

    • You drop him for drugs.. poor behaviour. Continued poor decisions, drinking and of course kicking someone in the head.l tat isn’t what should be allowed, expected or tolerated in such a highly paid and professional environment

  • I think, James, that you have overlooked the ultimate maverick – the great Syd Barnes. Any player who can cause his captain to proclaim ‘at least if we go down that bugger Barnes will go down with us’ during a storm at sea has my vote. That he also flatly refused to play county cricket (because he could make more money for less work in the leagues) and was notorious for his sulks and temper if he did not get to bowl precisely when he wanted and with the field he wanted……..just endears him even more. Of course, if you are so talented that you can take 8 in an innings against the touring Windies and 12 in a match against the touring Saffers……..at the age of 55, then you deserve all the latitude possible.

    • Her also allowed the opposition ( Australia I think) to smash him all over the park after his wife was put in a sub standard hotel, due to him not being a gentleman!

  • The Mavericks were a great band. Raul Malo is a very fine singer. But cricketing mavericks can be quite boring.
    Bobby Peel was sacked by Lord Hawke for urinating in public. Hoggard did so at Number 10. Eee bah gum. Funny not.

  • Surprised that James is so entranced by “laddish” behaviour which can be seen most nights on the streets of our cities. When you’re drunk it’s amusing. But drunkenness isn’t good to watch. Cricketers don’t add value to their game by being “Mavericks”. Actually KP was rarely out on the lash. His popularity was due to power hitting and willingness to take risks. If Hussain is taking charge of any bio-drama then not good news.His narrative is to defend Flower and St Alastair. We’ve have plenty of real bad boys. Not long ago the Surrey lads. Only the gruesome death of Tom Maynard brought them to their senses. Now it’s the Whatsapp ring and a rapist in jail for five years. Is this really savoury? Morgan himself blew his last World Cup with phone sex revelations. Do we really need to jazz up our cricket with misdemeanours or worse off the field? Can’t we get excited by how they play cricket? The drunken antics aren’t that clever either. I know James thinks Hales has been given a hard time. No he’s had an easy time while the team has been let down. And if he had already lost his opening spot is it now surprising? Talent is a gift but you can throw it away. Vanilla is a pathetic estimation of someone who works hard and stays out of trouble. Foakes appears to be the most talented of the recent bunch. Not bad enough for you James?

    • I think you’ve taken a rather extreme view there Jackie and misrepresented my argument. At no point have I condoned anything thuggish at all. And I have enormous respect for players who keep their heads down. I just think there’s room for personalities too, as long as they don’t hurt anyone else.

      As far as I’m aware Shane Warne, Ian Botham, Jason Leonard, and David Boon hurt precisely nobody, and won a lot of games for their team. I can therefore forgive them relatively minor misdemeanours.

      • Different world now. Mega mega bucks, easier life, better add ons, sponsorship deals.. retire as early knowingnyiure financially secure..

        Lots of reasons to expect better than laddish and thuggish behaviour. Yes enjoy a quiet pint post match at the ground but a night club ??? Really ?? Drugs ?? Really??

        They re very highly paid and it’s a short career.. it’s not hard to behave .. if they don’t want to, there are plenty who will be willing to take their place. Just kickthem into touch .. thanks but no thanks. You’re just not that special fellas

        • So would you have taken that approach with Ricky Ponting, who got into a fight in a bar in Sydney in his younger days? Very few people are perfect.

          I disagree that cricket is an easy profession. It’s bloody hard. That’s why mental health in the sport is such a big deal. I recommend you read the Graham Thorpe autobiography, or perhaps the documentaries that Flintoff has made. And we don’t know what drug Hales has taken. If it’s just a bit of weed then he’s hurting nobody. Yes he’s been stupid but I think the reaction has been over the top.

  • As Colin Graves decides he’ll stay on a while longer, it’s a reminder the game still has plenty of mavericks but most of them are in the boardroom and they’re not maverick in a good way.

  • Sportsmen and women’s off-field behaviour shouldn’t matter provided they stay within the law and it doesn’t impact their on-field performance. They should only be expected to be “role models” if they make themselves out to be – Tiger’s fall from grace in this regard was partially because of his public persona of devoted family man off the course. The same standards aren’t expected of famous people in other walks of life. Rock stars have never been role models – in fact they’re almost expected to be the opposite, and people loved them all the more for it.

    Sadly I know I’m in the minority now. The combination of the social media mob descending on anything remotely naughty and the cricket authorities’ obsession with image mean the likes of Warne and Botham would be drummed out of the game these days, and the game would be the poorer for it. Not just in cricket – Eric Cantona’s chequered but colourful disciplinary record would never be permitted a chance to grace Old Trafford now.

    • I’m not sure you are in the minority…

      Go down the pub and ask people about mavericks in sport or saucy behaviour and you’d struggle to find a poe faced moralist.

      This however is clown town where the rules are bent for the weird, the media, the government or the deep state.

      If you feel like a minority then the clowns have achieved their aim. But they’re still clowns.

  • Characters.. absolutely as there is nothing more boring than PR driven players

    That doesn’t mean they can act like prat’s.. certainly zero drugs of any kind.. should not drink loads especially in nightclubs etc.. certainly shouldn’t be setting up WhatsApp type groups etc etc

    Very well paid, short career.. just behave and act however you want once retired

  • The old days are gone. Money is so vast now, the rewards for playing pro cricket are so high. A higher level of professionalism is and should be expected. If you want to be able to retire at 35 with mega bucks and live a great life … then put the hard yards in beteeen 16-35 and don’t do any drugs, don’t go out boozing etc.l it really isn’t that much to ask

    Plenty of people willing to make that sacrifice for their life and pay so if they choose to go down the wrong route, just sack them and beingnuo the next person

    • Which reminds me of that great Keith Miller quote when asked about the pressure of playing test cricket;

      “There’s no pressure playing cricket. Pressure is having a Messerschmidt up your arse.”

      Perhaps Miller was the best maverick of all. I especially liked his fielding instruction as captain – “Scatter guys”.

  • Some maverick journalists would be nice!

    You know… the ones who think it’s their duty to represent the views of 96% of their readers to authority rather than thinking their job is to convince their readers that authority is right.

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