Right: sledging has a history in test cricket. Here, 1980s bowling great Dennis Lillee clashes with Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad. (see Web Links and Documents section for the full video of the incident)
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Arguments suggesting sledging is not a major issue in cricket
1. The International Cricket Council and Cricket Australia have regulations in place to prohibit seriously inappropriate language and behaviour
Those who argue sledging is not a serious issue in cricket note that there are regulations in place to prevent it becoming excessive. They note in particular that offensive comments based on race or religion are specifically prohibited.
Cricket Australia's Code of Behaviour for Players and Player Support Personnel has a regulation that prohibits 'Using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during a Match'. This is elaborated as 'Using language or gesture(s) that is seriously obscene, seriously offensive or of a seriously insulting nature to another Player or Player Support Personnel or any other third person during a Match.
Also prohibited is 'Pointing or gesturing towards the pavilion by a bowler or other member of the fielding side upon the dismissal of a batsman during a Match' and 'Deliberate and malicious distraction or obstruction of a Player or Player Support Personnel on the field of play during a Match'.
The Code additionally prohibits any 'Threat of assault on another Player, Player Support Personnel or any other person (including a spectator) during a Match' and the 'Use [of] language or gestures that offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, colour, descent, sexuality or national or ethnic origin'.
The International Cricket Council has identical provisions in its Code.
The Code does not attempt to prohibit offensive language entirely. Rather it acknowledges that some instances of challenging language use are essentially trivial and that this decision needs to be taken by the umpire.
The Code states 'It is acknowledged that there will be verbal exchanges between Players in the course of play. Rather than seeking to eliminate these exchanges entirely, Umpires will be required to report such conduct that falls below an acceptable standard. This offence is not intended to penalise trivial behaviour.
When assessing the seriousness of the breach, the Umpire shall be required to take into account the context of the particular situation and whether the words or gesture are likely to: (a) be regarded as seriously obscene; or (b) give serious offence; or (c) seriously insult another person.'
In addition, Cricket Australia has an Anti-Harassment Policy, focusing on 'comment, conduct, or gesture directed toward an individual or group of individuals which is insulting, intimidating, humiliating, malicious, degrading or offensive' and a Racial and Religious Vilification Code.
2. Sledging is an established tactic in cricket that enhances the game
It has been claimed that verbal exchanges between players are a long-standing practice in international cricket that add to players' competitive spirit and so enhance the game.
On November 26, 2013, The Guardian published the following comment by Stephen Moss. 'Every sport produces verbal aggro, but sledging - the systematic abuse of a batsman to try to disturb his concentration and weaken his will - is unique to cricket because of the nature of the game: two batsmen surrounded by 11 fielders...An individual innings can last for hours, giving enormous scope for sustained abuse.'
The coach of the current Australian cricket team, James Lehmann, has stated, 'I like them [the players in the Australian team] playing hard cricket. I like our boys being aggressive without crossing the line. It will be always hard-fought between Australia and England. It certainly was in England and has been over the years...'
Australian fast bowler, Mitchell Johnson, similarly stated, 'I love getting in a bit of a scrap, and so do a few of their boys. If you can keep your emotions in check and just keep playing your game and it comes off, then it's good.'
The celebrated Australian spin bowler Shane Warne has remarked, 'Gamesmanship, banter, trash talk, sledging... whatever you call it, has been part of cricket for a long time. We will play hard to win and anybody who plays us will be tested both physically and mentally. If they aren't up to it, we'll win easily.'
The current captain of the English team, Alastair Cook, has stated, 'On the pitch, it's pretty much a war, isn't it? There are always going to be a few words, and I think that's pretty much how people want to watch cricket being played.'
Referring to the tactical dimension of comments which he made, Australian batsman, David Warner, has stated, 'I made those comments for a reason...Look, yesterday, the bounce and pace got to them [the English batsmen] again.'
A similar judgement was made by English fast bowler, James Anderson, who has stated, 'What happened on the field is how the game is, and not one of our players or management uttered one word of complaint. I regard sledging, chirping, whatever you want to call it, as one of the weapons at my disposal. I think my bowling is helped by the way I go about things.
I try to get myself into a battle. It heightens my concentration. Certainly in the past few years I think I've developed it as a skill and it has helped me take the wickets that I have.'
3. Critical responses to sledging tend to exaggerate its significance
It has been claimed that critical responses to sledging are extreme and exaggerate the significance of the practice.
Sports commentator, Anthony Sharwood, from The Daily Telegraph, has stated, 'The main point here is that the sledges of Michael Clarke and his team-mates were nothing. So the Aussie captain wished a bit of bodily harm upon an English bowler. Boo-bloody-hoo...'
It has been noted that sledging is something that most players expect and accept and that many practise.
English fast bowler James Anderson, who was sledged by Australia's captain, Michael Clarke, has since commented, 'I have absolutely no problem about any of what the Australians were doing on the field. I probably dish it out more than most in the field, so I generally get it back more than most. I expect it and accept it.'
It has also been noted that there is generally no personal animosity between players, despite sledging.
In this regard James Anderson has claimed, 'The bottom line from our point of view is that what happens on the field stays on the field. And at the end of the game, I shook every single Australian player's hand, as we all did...
Contrary to what some have said, from our point of view there's no personal animosity towards any of the Australian players. We have the utmost respect for them.'
4. Sledging is not meant to be heard by spectators who receive only an incomplete impression of what has occurred on-field
In terms of the negative impact sledging may have on some spectators, especially young followers of the sport, it has been noted that sledging is not meant to be heard by anyone off the field. The primary purpose of sledging is to intensify competition and to put one's opponent temporarily off their game.
The recent incident involving Michael Clarke and the remark he made to English bowler James Anderson when Anderson came out to bat was not meant to be heard by anyone other Anderson. It only came to public knowledge because it was picked up by the on-stumps microphone and transmitted by Channel 9 when broadcasting the game.
Starts at Sixty published the following comment and anecdote by Kate Chaundy, 'In highly emotional situations it seems that all players seem to sledge and this has been going on for the past 136 years. It is just now that microphones are starting to pick up the banter.'
Chaundy went on to suggest that the public should be very careful when drawing conclusions about the nature and extent of sledging that occurs. Inevitably the impression the public receives is partial and incomplete. Spectators must also remember, before any take offence, that the remarks they are responding to were not meant for their hearing.
A similar observation was made by Australian bowler, Peter Siddle, who commented 'It's just natural. It wasn't any different to normal. If it hadn't of been on the mic a lot people would not have said so much about it.
The most disappointing thing is that it actually came up (on the broadcast). It's not meant to at that time and it is very stiff for Michael [Clarke].'
Siddle went on to suggest that James Anderson typically delivers a lot of sledging himself which the public is not aware of because it has not been picked up by on-field microphones.
Siddle concluded, 'Anderson brought it on himself. So fair's fair. There was a lot of other stuff going on and James Anderson was in the thick of it and a culprit for it all happening.'
Siddle's judgement was another warning that the public should not over-react to on-field comments that are inevitably out of context and which are not intended for spectators to hear.
5. Cricketers can learn to deal with sledging
Supporters of sledging claim it is just one of a range of strategies that one team uses to combat another and that the only reasonable response is for all competitors to learn to deal with it.
Lisa Martin, a lecturer in Sport Psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast, has stated, 'By taking the time to work on developing effective concentration and cognitive strategies, athletes can learn to ignore or reframe any comments that are thrown at them by their opposition to inspire them to engage in higher levels of performance.'
Martin has further noted, 'Performance routines and relaxation techniques are two strategies players commonly use to cope with sledging.'
A study on the effects of sledging in cricket undertaken through extensive player interviews was published in The Journal of Clinical Sports Psychology. It included the observation, 'Numerous associated coping strategies were mentioned, the most frequently used being variations of self-talk. Other noteworthy coping strategies included routines, external support, showing frustration, avoidance coping, and relaxation techniques.'
Some cricketers are even able to view being sledged as a form of compliment, believing that the more the opposition sledges them, the better they are likely to be playing.
Former England captain, Graham Gooch, has stated, 'In my career, players I've seen who've dealt with it best either smile at the opposition or take it as a compliment.
Generally, if you get sledged, you're doing okay.'