By Gaurang - 7 Aug '03
August 8 2003

The infamous Aussie sledging tactics, which legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar is the most recent cricket authority to have condemned, may actually be getting less effective with every match. The Aussies sledge because it is effective.

Why is it effective? Because it is human nature to lose one's cool and become agitated or upset when something nasty is said to you.

It's the "fight" or "flight" response. Whichever response is elicited, it helps the instigator.

Either the "victim" becomes hyper aggressive -- the fight response -- and does something foolish.

Or, he becomes frightened and defensive -- the flight response -- and is "psyched" out.

But this only works when the sledging is unexpected and highly offensive. If you keep using the "F word", it soon starts sounding normal.

That is why they must keep increasing the dose of the verbal poison. Soon, the only thing that works will be physical intimidation, and that is clearly a no-no (although bullet returns from bowler to wicketkeeper which come close to hitting a batsman can get pretty physical). So Aussie effectiveness with sledging may be nearing an end.

In a way, the more they sledge, the less effective the sledging becomes.