How de Kock saga exposed cricket's 'big worry'

3 years ago 271

Former Australian skipper Mark Taylor says athletics needs to beryllium cautious of however acold it encroaches connected governmental oregon motivation issues, successful the aftermath of the Quinton de Kock saga.

The South African last nighttime broke his silence connected his determination to withdraw from the lucifer against the West Indies, aft the squad was instructed to instrumentality a genu successful enactment of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The 28-year-old said helium felt similar his rights were taken distant from him pursuing the directive from Cricket South Africa (CSA), pointing retired that the mode helium lives his beingness is much important successful showing he's not a racist, alternatively than proving it with a pre-match gesture.

Taylor told Wide World of Sports that that constituent from de Kock "is close connected the money".

Malcolm Speed, who headed up the Australian Cricket Board (now Cricket Australia) during the second portion of Taylor's reign arsenic captain, said earlier this week that CSA had overreached by issuing a broad directive to players.

That's a presumption shared by Taylor.

"Offering directives for teams to bash thing similar this has to beryllium looked at," helium said.

"How galore things are players expected to bash earlier the commencement of a game? We've got anthems, successful Australia we person Welcome to Country, present we've got Black Lives Matter, successful rugby national the rights of cheery matrimony became an contented pursuing Israel Folou's comments a mates of years ago.

"How galore movements bash players person to beryllium portion of earlier a crippled of athletics tin begin?

"We've got to beryllium precise cautious with this. Players are determination to play sport, archetypal and foremost."

Taylor pointed retired CSA's determination near the players successful an awkward position.

"You're asking the squad to instrumentality a unified basal connected an contented that the squad whitethorn not beryllium unified on," helium explained.

"The team, if they consciousness they privation to marque a unified call, that's fine, I've got nary occupation with that astatine all.

"But the thought of directing groups of radical to each person the aforesaid presumption connected a motivation issue, I don't hold with that astatine all.

"The thought of getting progressive successful politics, motivation issues, wherever does it end? That's the large interest for me."

De Kock said successful his connection the contented should person been resolved astatine the "camps, sessions and Zoom meetings" held anterior to the tournament, alternatively than connected the autobus connected the mode to a match.

He said he'd emotion thing much than the accidental to play cricket for his state again, and he's much than blessed to instrumentality a genu if it helps to amended others.

South Africa plays Sri Lanka connected Saturday nighttime astatine the T20 World Cup, wherever the contented is definite to beryllium beforehand and centre erstwhile again.

Taylor concedes that the events of this week volition person immoderate interaction connected the team's performance, but the large consequences should beryllium felt by the dysfunctional medication astatine CSA.

"No uncertainty it's been a distraction for the team, but I deliberation successful a mode it's astir apt brought things to a caput that should person been dealt with months ago," helium said.

"I person genuine sympathy for Quinton de Kock, to beryllium initially told they'd beryllium making idiosyncratic gestures astir the Black Lives Matter movement, and past to find retired connected the autobus connected the mode to the crushed that you're directed to bash something, I fishy that was the past straw.

"It's been handled precise poorly by those successful complaint and I consciousness precise atrocious for de Kock."

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