Earlier this week, a game of cricket turned into a diplomatic incident as England faced off against the touring Australian team. The second match of the series ended with an Australian victory, aided by a controversial dismissal of an English batsman. While most informed commentators agreed with the umpires’ ruling that the dismissal was legal, many onlookers thought it was unfair. The crowds at Lord’s cricket ground in London chanted “Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!” and even members of the Marylebone Cricket Club pavilion jeered at the winning team. This behavior from the supposed guardians of the sport was unsporting and hypocritical.
Instead of acknowledging their loss of self-control, England’s supporters expressed their indignation. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak even weighed in, stating through his spokesperson that he believed the Australian conduct went against “the spirit of cricket.” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded by advising Sunak to “stay in your crease,” a cricket term meaning to stay in one’s own lane. With three more matches scheduled between the two teams this month, the possibility of continued animosity is high.
The winner of the series will receive the Ashes trophy, an urn with an inscription referencing a previous defeat inflicted by Australia in 1882. This rivalry has a long history, although the good-natured humor that was once present seems to be lacking in recent decades.
While this diplomatic spat may seem minor compared to the Bodyline Tour crisis of 90 years ago, it still highlights the contradictions within English cricket. England prides itself on fair play and gentility, but the Bodyline Tour, where England resorted to unsporting tactics, contradicts this notion. The concept of “the spirit of cricket” encompasses fair play, gentility, and decency, but it is also intertwined with the legacy of the British empire and its civilizing mission.
Australia’s postcolonial dynamic with England is different. Despite some attempts at republican reform, Australia still recognizes the British monarch as its head of state. There are ties between the two countries, such as visa privileges and immigration patterns. Australia also holds influence over the U.K. as a strategic partner of the U.S. and through Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. However, beneath this cousinly relationship, there is deep-seated resentment. Australians still use disparaging terms like “limeys” and “poms” to refer to the British due to past historical tensions.
Class hatred also permeates the Ashes series. The English see Australian players as uncouth, while Australians view the English as soft and arrogant. This animosity is evident in the practice of “sledging,” where players insult their opponents verbally. While Australians may have pioneered this psychological warfare, it is now used by various international teams.
At first glance, the story of England’s Ashes disgrace may seem like a tale of national decline, particularly in the context of post-Brexit Britain. However, nostalgia for a more chivalrous era is misleading. The Bodyline Tour is evidence that the English have long resorted to unsporting methods. The notion of certain behavior being “not cricket” is merely a way to mask failure, incompetence, and disappointment with a sense of moral superiority. Fair play and decency are admirable traits, but they are not exclusive to the English.
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