Paul Harris reckons Sreesanth crossed the line
When two top Test cricket teams of the world clash on the pitch, the contest heats up and it seems as if it is boiling over.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757’s spinner Paul Harris reckoned that Indian pace-man Shantha Sreesanth crossed the line as he hurled some insults towards Captain Graeme Smith.
Harris alleged that it must have been something personal that their captain had to react the way he did. Smith was seen pointing his bat towards Sreesanth and the body language of the two players seemed tensed.
Things heated up at the start of the third day of the Durban Test when Sreesanth bowled the third delivery of the day that sharply hit Smith on the finger. The two players then exchanged some stern words.
However, Harris reckoned that Smith does not react this way at least on the field until and unless some personal comments made him do so.
“I know that Sreesanth has said a few personal comments on the field, which is not great and we don’t condone that. But if he wants to do that he can do that. It must have been something personal for Graeme to react like that,” admitted Harris.
He also stated that the series was being played in a “very good spirit” and every now and then things might flare up however, playing hard on the field must be separate from getting personal.
Sledging is common in cricket with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 famous for being the snarling sledging machine. The Ashes series is less about cricket and more about the pride and egos of the two competing teams. Australia’s recent poor run in the Ashes was even blamed on
the minimum use of verbal aggression by the media.
However, when the number one and number two ranked side of Test cricket battle it out, the aggression takes a whole new level.
India’s tour of South Africa had its share of exchange of strong words with Zaheer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319 being a victim earlier. Khan swung the bat and missed twice before Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Smith went up to him and had a few words.
Indian star batsman of the ongoing Test match, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 said on Wednesday morning that in a “keen tussle like that, it is bound to happen.”
However, Harris stressed the fact that there must be a fine line that must not be crossed when playing hard on the field.
Smith and his men find themselves in a relatively better position as the hosts are just 192 runs shy of completing their 303 run target whereas MS Dhoni’s men will be looking to take seven wickets to level the three match series 1-1.
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