CODE Sports Premier Cricket player survey: The biggest sledgers and most-admired players revealed
There is never any shortage of chat in the middle of a cricket field – but who are really Victorian Premier Cricket’s top sledgers? For the first time, the truth about the talk is revealed.
Being voted the biggest sledger in Premier Cricket isn’t a title that sits comfortably with Adam Crosthwaite.
But it’s one the St Kilda veteran can at least laugh about.
The 41-year-old, who has played more than 150 Victorian Premier Cricket games with Richmond and St Kilda, was voted the competition’s biggest sledger by 46 per cent of players who responded to CODE Sports’ anonymous Premier Cricket survey.
“I don’t want to lose. I want to do whatever I can to help my team,” Crosthwaite said.
“It’s not about abusive sledging. And I think that’s the difference between sledging these days. Being competitive almost gets seen as sledging now.
“Back in the day when I was 18 years old and coming into District cricket, I was personally sledged. I don’t think I’ve ever personally sledged many people.”
One survey respondent said “nobody is safe” from Crosthwaite, while another said he “always has something to say”.
Crosthwaite, who played the last of his 31 first-class matches in 2012, says he would be “devastated” if rivals thought he had crossed the line while sledging.
“I am never for abusing opposition or doing something like that, but being competitive about the game, it’s definitely what I am all about,” he said.
“I’d be devastated if people thought I was personally sledging. If people are saying I am competitive, that’s the way I am built and that’s the way I play the game.
“It’s a hard one, right? That doesn’t sit great with me, the fact that’s what’s said. But at the same time if it’s a competitiveness thing, I am happy with that.
“To compete into my 40s with these kids who are in their 20s, you’ve got to compete hard. The day you stop competing hard, that’s the day you should stop playing cricket.”
Casey South-Melbourne quick Nathan Lambden ranked second with 17 per cent of the vote, while Fitzroy-Doncaster skipper Liam Banthorpe (7 per cent) was third.
Dandenong all-rounder James Nanopoulos says of Crosthwaite: “I’ve heard him from the slips cordon a couple of times. He’s very competitive and wants to win.
“If that gets him into the game and gets him motivated. He’s just a competitive fella. He’s a great player. We try not to say too much to him to get him fired up because that probably brings out his best cricket.”
Ringwood run machine David King added: “I think there is a method behind it. To be honest I think he gets under a lot of people’s skins. So it does work sometimes.”
Crosthwaite’s achievements in the game during stints in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia are widely respected.
He was also one of the most popular players in the ‘opposition player you most admire’ category.
Dandenong champion Brett Forsyth and King topped the poll with 15 per cent of votes ahead of Carlton’s Evan Gulbis (13 per cent) and Ringwood all-rounder Ian Holland (11 per cent).
Crosthwaite and Frankston Peninsula’s Victorian quick Xavier Crone were next with 6 per cent.
“A lot of the time when you get a bit older it’s not really about yourself anymore,” Crosthwaite said.
“It’s all about how much you can help. And I see that with what Forsyth is doing at Dandenong. I think he’s outstanding and he’s still leading. I think what Gulbis has done at Carlton has been unbelievable.
“And the way that King just continues to dominate. You see these guys still playing good cricket but you also see the players beneath them.
“Every time you play against guys like that, although they might be older, they’re still the most dangerous players in the game. To be mentioned like that, it’s cool. It’s flattering.”’
**Please note: Not all tables add up to 100 per cent because of rounding.
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