The one indelible image from that famous tied test of 1986 was Dean Jones puking all over Chepauk. Commentators and fellow fellow players couldn’t stop extolling his bravery as he made a double hundred in a fighting cramps and dehydration. Jones had a fairly successful international career but make no mistake: he milked that one inning as a character defining moment. Following his retirement, he tried to get on the South Asian coaching gravy train many times unsuccessfully but he did succeed in getting a commentating gig, where he frequently displayed his ignorance.
Now that indelible character defining moment is replaced by another one, which brings out his prejudice and establishes him as an idiot openly and clearly: Jones called the young South African Batsman Hashim Amla ‘a terrorist’ on the air.
Now it is our turn to puke.
Amla is a rising star of South African cricket and being a devout Muslim, had negotiated successfully with SA Breweries, South Africa team’s main sponsor, not to wear the Castle Lager logo on his playing and practice gear.
Why a third rate Australian commentator had been hired to provide expert commentary by TEN SPORTS on a test match involving South Africa and Sri Lanka, I do not know. Except to say, we still haven’t escaped the white skin syndrome. Jones has admitted his mistake and apologized. He has been sacked. And I hope in the future, Asian boards and TV companies will hire competent commentators, who are also good guys. Ian Chappell and Michael Holding are welcome any day.
In the meanwhile, let us say this loudly: this ain’t cricket, Mr. Jones.
9 Comments
I certainly join you in your disgust at Jones’ racial behaviour. Some people never grow up. What it shows is also that some of the people on ‘international’ circuit, in sports or elsewhere, are idiots who dont know what is acceptable and what not in the public. SA team should definitely make Mr. Jones pay for his abominable comment.
I still can not believe that stupid, stupid fellow would say that even as a joke! To think these guys have been making a living by exploiting the cricket craze in India, Pakistan and Srilanka.
Ian Chappel, Michael Holding, and Tony Cozier and Tony Greig and yes sir GEOFF BOYCOTT….we love you.
Apparently Dean Jones’ comments were not intended for broadcast….yeah right, that shows how shallow he is, to come up with such things.
Well buddy, gone are the days of good cricket commentary. it’s time to watch it with the MUTE button on. Imagine Mandira Bedi in the commentary board…Whose next ? the sacred Mrs. Gandhi ???
December Stud, you got to have Ravi Shastri in that list and Harsha Bhogle; first for his cricketing sense and the second for his knowledge of the game and his sobriety.
PDCS, by the way, I wonder if you have followed public debates on Indian television. Some big time BJP leaders have their ‘vedvakya’: “though all muslims are not terrorists, all terrorists are muslims.”
Alex Brown has a nice, introspective commentary piece in the Sydney Morning Herald:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/jones-drops-us-down-the-order/2006/08/08/1154802888344.html
He is right and it is time that Aussies look within after a series of insensitive comments / major faux paus. But Dean Jones gets to keep his summer job and others think he will be back in the commentary box for the Champions Trophy in October. wouldn’t that be something:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/jones-keeps-summer-job-despite-terrorist-jibe/2006/08/08/1154802849506.html
Kamalakar, yes, I have followed BJP’s characterization in print and a little on TV. This assumption, belief that there is something in the nature of Muslim religious belief (if not in their DNA itself) that predisposes them towards extreme intolerance, violence and terror.
NYTimes has an interesting report on India’s fears of its own Muslims becoming radicalized:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/09/world/asia/09india.html?hp&ex=1155182400&en=809c50f6ffad9f57&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Fear, suspicion and alienation - if this is the mood all around, then how do we deal with that?
Kamalker,
You are right….how could I ever not have Harsha Bhogle in the list ? My bad.
Ravi Shastri…ummmm….I guess I will have to ‘reluctantly’ add him to the list as well
And, if at all we start on the writers, R Mohan comes to mind before anyone else….the clean Mr. R Mohan, that is.
Rohit Brijnath has a good piece in THE HINDU today about Dean Jones:
http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/10/stories/2006081005881900.htm
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