Negative captaincy spoiling top cricket grades—Hooper

Press, 25 February 1987, Page 28

Negative captaincy spoiling top cricket grades—Hooper

A negative attitude by captains is ruining senior cricket in Christchurch, according to a player who has been in the grade for almost 14 seasons. Garry Hooper, who has played for both East-Shir-ley and Marist in this period, and captained the latter when it won the grade at its first attempt two years ago, has spoken out because, he says, of “a fear that unless something is done players will be lost and the game will fall into serious decline.” He believes, also, that the problem is just as prevalent in second grade as it is in the top competition.

“Week in week out I see the disenchantment of senior and second grade players, many of whom must wonder whether it is worth playing under captains who have effectively killed games by lunch on the second day, or just by batting on after tea on the first day. “To me, these people either have no real concern or love for the game, don’t understand what sport is all about, or are simply ruled by their terror of losing. “Anyone can win a

game, and delight in doing so, but it takes a sportsman to be consistently prepared to take the risk of losing in order to win,” says Hooper.

He said, that the most enjoyable game his East-Shirley team had had this summer was one it lost.

“It was against St Albans and the whole game was played in a positive way, with a result being found at 6.10 p.m. The winners were justifiably pleased with themselves and although we had lost there was satisfaction to be had from, such an enthralling encounter.

"Spectators, and the hardy few who turn up every week deserve to be entertained, and scorers were thoroughly engrossed in the battle and everyone had enjoyed an excellent afternoon of sport. “Unfortunately, such finishes are rare. More common is for games to be dead beyond revival by the start of the final session.”

As well as players, Hooper said he also felt very sorry for umpires. “They are people who are

essential to the game and are often overlooked. It must be very boring for them to come along every week and have to endure afternoons of dead cricket. “The only way players and umpires can become really experienced in their roles is by being exposed to pressure situations. This will sort out their worth and the good ones will get better. Dead cricket offers them nothing.” Hooper believes that dead (“spineless” is another word he uses) cricket has been prevalent in Christchurch cricket for so long that it will be a hard habit to break. “I think apathy has a lot to do with it and such apathy has come to be accepted. It does not happen in other team games, especially the winter codes where teams have a positive attitude about winning. They also adopt a more hard-nosed approach to training and punctuality.” There are other things about club cricket in Christchurch which rile Hooper. “There are quite a few players who don’t

bother going to practice, and some who think nothing of turning up late on a Saturday.

“Then there are those who pick and choose what games they will play, and their clubs let them do it. This is hardly conducive to a great team game like cricket.” As to remedies, Hooper believes that 1 the first requirement is for all players, and captains in particular, to take a good hard look at themselves and decide what they want from their Saturday sport. Captains should be especially mindful of the large number of people that their decisions affect.

“Everyone has goals, but when personal ones outweigh team ones then cricket is being misused. Such individuals should look around for a more selfish sport.” Administrators must also bear some of the brunt for what is happening, says Hooper. “If they turn a blind eye to what I am saying then I don’t believe that they have the interests of the game at heart. They have got to cater for what most want and most serious

cricketers want games that remain alive and vital, not dead long before their time.”

One possible way of getting more action, says Hooper, would be to limit first innings to, say, 55 overs. “If they don’t do something then I fear that this ridiculous waste of weekends will cpntinue, as captains will simply not change their attitude unless they are forced to by new rules. “Occasionally, quite out of character, some will make a sporting declaration, but this can often be traced to ulterior motives and not for the good of the game.” Ulterior motives, he explained, meant that some captains got brave when winning the competition and took risks only against teams out of contention or made a declaration out of character on rain-affected days. Hooper said he was not condemning all captains, but was of the view that it was from the same clubs that consistently came the ones whose whole approach was ruled by an excessive fear of losing.