Ian Chappell: 'It’s just ridiculous that it’s allowed to go on'

“The more you allow players to talk on the field the more likelihood there is something personal will be said"

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell says sledging needs to be tackled from the top down.

Reacting to the incident involving Quinton de Kock and David Warner and its subsequent fallout, Chappell says it’s not good enough to use the argument that sledging is inherent in the sport.

Speaking to 3AW’s Sportsday, Chappell said: “I’m hearing it (sledging) is part of the game — that’s rubbish, it’s not part of the game.

“He [Warner] is the one who’s going to get into trouble but what about the people who are encouraging him to do it? 

“You go back a few years, he said he was encouraged by the captain and by the coach to do it.

“Then he decided he’d had enough of that, he didn’t want to do it, he didn’t want to be the attack dog, now for some reason or other he’s back as the attack dog."

^{"Now for some reason or other he’s back as the attack dog"}

While Warner - alongside de Kock - is at the centre of the storm, Chappell believes those at the top of the game need to set the tone, with Cricket Australia's CEO James Sutherland and head coach Darren Lehmann coming under fire.

“I’ve heard James Sutherland say it’s part of the game, he appoints the coach, it’s just ridiculous that it’s allowed to go on.

“The more you allow players to talk on the field the more likelihood there is something personal will be said.

“Lehmann hasn’t got a very good track record as a player [when it comes to sledging] if you delve into that a little bit and he’s one who’s encouraged it and someone’s got to say to him — and that’s got to come from above from Cricket Australia — ‘Listen Darren, it’s not part of the game.’

“But they’re all saying it’s part of the game. When James Sutherland says it’s part of the game where the hell are we? The first thing for me is show me in the law book where it says it’s part of the game."

The former skipper also believes that incidents similar to the fracas at Durban can be prevented if match officials address them before the start of play.

^{De Kock has contested his charge}

Prior to the series Steve Smith was quoted as saying “It could perhaps be a plan to try and get him fired up” in relation to Kagiso Rabada, who is three demerit points away form a potential two-Test ban.

Chappell believes those sort of comments need to be taken seriously by match officials to ensure lines are not crossed once the match begins.

“How stupid is this? Any referee, umpire, ICC administrator who read the comments heading into the game, the Australians said they might try to ruffle Rabada because he’s close to a suspension, so in other words, try and ruffle his feathers, get him to do something so he gets suspended,” Chappell said.

“If you’re an umpire, a referee, an administrator, you see that in the lead-up to the game surely you’ve got to call both captains in and say if this starts going on I’m going to come down really hard on the first bloke who starts it and he’s going to be in real trouble.”

Both players were charged by match referee Jeff Crowe for their respective roles in the altercation.

Warner has accepted his charge of a level two offence. As a result the Australia vice-captain has been handed three demerit points and fined 75 per cent of his match fee.

De Kock contested his level one offence but the charge has been upheld at a hearing, he has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee.

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