Andrew’s gallantry amidst stiff battle

Richard Dwight

The competition in the Champions Trophy in South Africa has gathered momentum to now move onto the tense final stages. The respective teams are hell bent on laying their hands on the coveted prize, which amongst other things does count for much for the team, players and the country.

This being so, there does not seem to be a place these days for the display of sportsmanship, with that healthy outlook. Especially in the highly professional and commercialised environment in which the game is now played.

Rare and far between though it be, the English skipper, Andrew Strauss, for his part chose to be different in making room for sportsmanship.

This occurred in the encounter between his team and Sri Lanka - when, Onions, the English pace bowler accidentally collided with Angelo Mathews, who was responding to make a single and couldn’t make it, to subsequently be ruled run out.

At that moment of time, Mathews on a very redemptive knock, was successfully restoring the Sri Lankan innings, with the promising threat of going past the 50 runs he had scored.

It was at this stage that the inner stirrings of Strauss got the better of him, where through it all he rose to the occasion to ensure that the umpire’s decision was revoked and Mathew be allowed to continue batting.

A noble gesture is not always recompensated straightaway, it takes time to manifest in various ways. But here in this match the good deed perhaps had its reward straightaway, when the fancied Sri Lankans lost to England.

Whatever the prevailing circumstances and situations be, cricket will always derive its glory from deeds such as this, for such deeds far more eloquent than words gives the game a special kind of lustre and lifts it above the ordinary, and what is more in a sense has life to influence others to greater heights.

Well done Strauss.