Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – The ECB & Sam Burgess
Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT – THE ECB
Such is the nature of the hectic winter cricket season that many England players have been rested or omitted from various internationals as part of a rotation policy to cope with the demands of the touring season.
The latest to return home is all-rounder Moeen Ali, who stuck to his plans despite being asked to remain in India.
Ali was recalled to play in the second Test - his first for 18 months - where his match totals of eight wickets and 49 runs were the best by an England player, but following England’s heavy defeat in the Second Test, weary captain Joe Root said: “Moeen has chosen to go home. It's come to a point where he wants to get out of the bubble. This tour has been really difficult for him, dealing with Covid and being in his room for such a long period of time.
“It wasn't about us asking Moeen if he wanted to stay. It was a decision that he chose. He feels he wants to be at home with his family and we completely respect that.
"We said at the start if players feel like they need to get out of the bubble that would be an option, and it's important we stand by that.”
Root’s comments saw Ali criticised for abandoning the team by the likes of former captain Michael Vaughan, who said on Twitter: “I thought Test cricket was the main priority after 2019 to make sure England try and get back the Ashes !!!!! Why is it then that the Test team is being swapped & changed every week but the T20 team are at full strength !!!!! Moeen now off home after 1 Test in 18 months !!!”
Given that the likes of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood have been rotated or rested from some Tests this winter, it appeared as if Ali was being unfairly targeted.
The key in any crisis, however large or small, is to acknowledge your mistake quickly and ensure that you show compassion and understanding for what has happened, particularly where a clumsy interview creates avoidable controversy.
Root did just that, apologising to Ali at the team hotel for implying this was the player’s decision, particularly given he had contracted Covid while on the tour in Sri Lanka and had to isolate.
And England coach Chris Silverwood also publicly apologised to Ali for the way that it was confirmed he will miss the final two India Tests.
Silverwood said: “We are sorry the impression we gave was that Moeen is being treated differently to other people. He isn't. The decision for him to go home was ours and we will own that decision.”
England's rotation policy was implemented to ensure the wellbeing of the players, who have spent long periods in bio-secure 'bubbles' because of coronavirus restrictions.
Silverwood added: “The decision for Moeen to go home was ours, as it was with the other players.
”We're trying to be proactive and get the breaks in there for them so we don't get to a point where they have had enough
“To send them home, get them fresh... seeing the guys that have come back, they are bouncing, excited and full of energy. That is exactly where I want the players to be and we are working hard to make that happen.”
MISS – SAM BURGESS
It’s safe to say that former England forward Sam Burgess has had his fair share of ups and downs over the past decade.
Since leaving his native Yorkshire for Sydney in 2010, Burgers has appeared for his country in both rugby codes – union and league – including at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
His finest moment came in 2014 when he was named man of the match in the Grand Final as he led the Rabbitohs to a first National Rugby League (NRL) title in 43 years.
A career-ending shoulder injury forced Burgess into retirement in 2019 and the past few years have seen him regularly in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Burgess featured in our list of the top 10 sports crises of 2020 after he was forced to step down as Rabbitohs assistant coach after allegations were made about his conduct by his former wife.
Burgess pleaded not guilty to charges of intimidating the father of his ex-wife, Mitchell Hooke, and common assault in relation to the same alleged incident. He was also accused of domestic violence, sexual harassment, and illegal drug use and was given a restraining order.
The Australian newspaper reported that the NRL club had covered up the alleged drug use and domestic violence while his former club stated that they were always against violence, harassment, and women’s abuse.
Video footage of Burgess sinking beers before the alleged confrontation were also broadcast, while his ex-wife leaked her police statement to a national newspaper to combat the “toxic” cover-up culture within the NRL.
Earlier this month, Burgess was found guilty of intimidating his former father-in-law and was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond.
It seems that the 32-year-old has failed to learn his lesson, however, with the Australian media reporting that he has been arrested again this week, this time for allegedly failing a roadside drug test.
“He was subjected to a random roadside drug test before being taken to Southern Highlands Police Station where he underwent a secondary oral fluid test,” police said in a statement.
It was later claimed that Burgess was on the way to pick up his two young children when he tested positive for cocaine, and other newspaper reports alleged that he was driving an unregistered car and has never held a New South Wales driving licence.
For someone that received a guilty verdict just a few weeks ago, his actions raise further questions about his conduct.
It seems clear that the troubled star needs to seek help if he is to avoid continual reputational damage that could impact his chances of landing coaching roles in future.
It remains to be seen if there will be a route back into the game for Burgess, but more importantly, he must take time to consider his actions and how they are affecting those people around him.