Cricket, a Gentleman’s Game?
By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
Westridge, Rawalpindi
Addressing the graduating cadets of 7th PMA Long Course – February 1953 – the Commandant PMA, Brig. C H Tarwar told us that it took the academy two years to produce an officer but it takes three generations for a family to make a gentleman. He then went on to define a gentleman and equated him to a cricket player, saying, the moment the umpire’s finger goes up he just walks off the field even if he knew that he wasn’t out. But, alas, is cricket the gentlemen’s game anymore? Would one like his children and grandchildren emulate our so-called heroes?
A sad and emphatic no. Where is the grace, the demeanour and the finesse of the cricketers of the yore? How well educated they are and how many of them can even utter a word or two before the media worth listening? What kind of leadership do they provide to their juniors and how do they train their next in the chain of command?
Suddenly blossoming to fame and becoming overnight nouveau riche, they tend to lose their sense of proportion and indulge in low level un-gentlemanly acts involving drugs, drinks and womanising bringing bad name to the country. They are certainly the bad ambassadors, ambassadors if at all they could be called.
May I, therefore, suggest that the selectors please keep the stock, bloodline and the pedigree of the players also in mind while selecting the team. It is important for the gentlemen’s game to survive. Next, the players must be told in unequivocal terms that the PCB will simply disown them and wash its hands off entirely and not engage expensive lawyers or try to bail them out if they were ever involved in any conduct unbecoming while abroad or at home. Simply discard the culprit, throw him out of the team – whatever his worth and talent might be - and let him face the music at his own cost, respect and honour if he is endowed with one. Enough is enough.
