Peter Roebuck has now gone all the way, and called for Ricky Ponting to be sacked. I agree with him, although there is not a snow-flake's chance in hell that it will happen.
The reason is simple.
Channel 9 telecasts the cricket, and it calls the shots. All television stations love celebrities, and Ricky Ponting is their chosen star. Worse, Michael Clarke is being "groomed" to be the next star. Read Peter Roebuck's assessment of Clarke's behaviour. Then ask yourself if this is in keeping with the "Spirit of Cricket" which the International Cricket Council has belatedly decided to champion.
Also, Channel 9 presenter Tony Greig presented the "Man of the Match" award to Andrew Symonds. That is somewhat ironic as Greig is on the record as asking what Symonds said to Harbhajan Singh prior to Singh's comments (which have since got him into trouble). But it still did not stop Greig making the award. Symonds is one Channel 9's favourite advertising "stars".
Channel 9 is selecting the "stars" of Australian cricket, and grooming them, and promoting them in their advertising, and paying them heaps. But they have so much invested in their "stars" that they cannot allow respected commentators such as Peter Roebuck to ruin everything for them (Channel 9), by introducing morals, ethical codes or other considerations into the team selection.
As far as Channel 9 is concerned, it is all about who looks "cute" in their ads on television. Even down to introducing them by their "on-field nick names" - "Punter", "Roy" and "Pup". Cricket has been taken over by the Marketing people from Channel 9.
That's why the perfectly reasonable and well-reasoned call for Ponting to be sacked and the team to be replaced (or rebuilt) will not happen.
When you remember how powerful Channel 9 is in the media in Australia, and how relevant the media is to Politics, you will see why I have devoted 2 consecutive issue to the politics of Sport.
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