It is not an understatement to say that, for many fans across the world, cricket is more than simply a hobby; it is a fundamental element of their social existence, a part of their identity.  Such is the power of sport, and the influence it holds on the opinions of populations. On some occasions, cricket has been influential in deciding more than just who is buying the beer after a match; it has acted as a powerful weapon in the diplomatic armoury of governments across the world.

The Ashes and Anglo-Australian Relations

Originally devised as a last-resort tactic to combat the imperious skill of Don Bradman with the bat, ‘Bodyline', also known as fast leg theory bowling, soon caused a level of controversy which threatened to destabilise Anglo-Australian relations. First used by the English in the 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia, the tactic involved bowling the ball at speed at the body of the batsman in the hope their protecting their body would result in them chipping the ball to one of the many fielders close in on the leg side. Given the long standing convention of sportsmanship being an unwritten rule of the game, this enraged those in Australia and England, and even lead to the laws of the game being changed to officially recognise such a tactic as against the spirit of the game.

“It is not an understatement to say that, for many fans across the world, cricket is more than simply a hobby; it is a fundamental element of their social existence, a part of their identity.”

Public reaction in both England and Australia was outrage directed at the other nation. The Governor of South Australia, who was in England at the time, expressed his concern to the British Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (in plain English, self-governing colonial states including Canada and Australia). The standoff was resolved when the Australian prime minister communicated the severe economic hardships that could arise to the Australia Cricket Board, especially in the eventuality that the British public would stop buying Australian goods as a response.

English immigrants in Australia at the time were alienated by locals, and the English reciprocated to Australian visitors in England. In 1934–35 a statue of Prince Albert in Sydney was vandalised with the word „BODYLINE“. Despite bilateral relations remaining strained, the outbreak of World War II shifted the diplomatic landscape to the point where all tensions were soon forgotten.

Trouble in Zim

England were once again at the heart of a diplomatic altercation in the lates 2010s. England’s 2009 tour of England as a direct response to the (violent) aftermath of the Zimbabwean General election of 2008. The political unrest after Robert Mugabe secured another term as president by democratically questionable means resulted in all ties between the two states being cut. This was in the wake of senior UK ministers having appleid pressure on the International Cricket Council to suspend Zimbabwe from international cricket some 3 years earlier.

Sino-Caribbean relations

Even countries without a classical cricket heritage have been known to employ cricket, and its related infrastructure, as a means of exercising diplomatic prowess. During the buildup to the 2007 ODI Cricket World Cup in the West Indies, Antigua received $55 million from China to build theSir Viv Richards Stadium, alongside Jamaica receiving $30 million to build the Trelawny stadium. China’s influence has further been reinforced by paying for both a cricket and a football stadium having been built in St Lucia. China spent a more than $130 on cricket facilities in the West Indies at the time. The purpose? China appeared to be using infrastructure investment to influence the international status of Taiwan. China have long desired Taiwan to formally be part of China, with those in Taiwan insisting on its independence. After this investment, nations in the West Indies officially recognised that Taiwan was not an independent nation, most notably Grenada and Dominica.

India vs Pakistan

There are other examples, most famously the role cricket plays in the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. That, however, is such a diverse topic it deserves (and will get) its own article.

“For as long as cricket remains one of the most popular sports in existence, and continues to command the influence it does on the identities of billions of people, it will never be immune from manipulation by authorities of all kinds.”

For as long as cricket remains one of the most popular sports in existence, and continues to command the influence it does on the identities of billions of people, it will never be immune from manipulation by authorities of all kinds. Let us just hope those with the power can recognise and use the influence cricket can have for good, rather than exploit it for the opposite.

Further Reading:

• Australia-England: https://englishonline.info/bodyline-autopsy-49/
• Zimbabwe-England:  https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4171622.stm https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7471238.stm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Zimbabwean_general_election
• Caribbean-China: http://en.people.cn/200502/01/eng20050201_172519.html