darren berry

[pies4ever]

what do you all think of darren berry getting suspended from the victorian team for 2 matches for arriving up late to the 6am training the day after the AB medal night??

cheers bryan..!!

[Donny]

Sounds extremely harsh but the below article explains the circumstances.

BERRY AXED FOR SLEEPING IN.

By MICHAEL GLEESON and REBECCA WILLIAMS
30jan03

VICTORIA'S vice-captain and most capped player, Darren "Chuck" Berry, has been suspended for sleeping in.

The wicketkeeper missed a 6.30am swimming session at Kerferd Rd beach in South Melbourne yesterday after attending the Allan Border Medal awards dinner at Crown on Tuesday night and kicking on afterwards.
He misses tomorrow's ING Cup clash against Queensland in Brisbane and next week's Pura Cup match against New South Wales at the MCG.

State coach David Hookes had publicly warned all players on Sunday, after Victoria's worst one-day loss in more than a decade, that any player arriving even five minutes late for a week of early-morning swim sessions would not play again this summer.

Hookes said yesterday that after he spoke to the media on Sunday he revised the penalty in a team meeting and declared any offending player would miss one match in both the long and short form of the game.

"It's just a horrible day. He is a mate. We played together when he was 18 in South Australia, so there is a long history there," Hookes said, rating it the toughest decision he had made in a leadership role in cricket.

"But I don't question the penalty. You could easily say it's a massive penalty for sleeping in. But it was said, so it had to stand. I have no regrets about saying it.

"The hardest thing was telling a mate, the (acting) captain, that you were suspending him."

He was very upset and very calm. He stood up and shook my hand and looked me in the eye," Hookes said.

Berry was shattered by his mistake, saying he had set his alarm clock but had not checked the AM-PM switch and the alarm had not gone off.

"I have let my teammates down and it hurts me enormously to know that I will not be alongside them," Berry said.

"I am no different to anyone else in the team. David Hookes made it clear what the penalty would be if any player was to miss training and for that reason I accept the penalty."

Berry is expected to address his teammates at Melbourne airport today before they fly to Brisbane.

Hookes said he had spoken briefly with captain Shane Warne about the penalty and, while Warne questioned whether Berry needed to be suspended for the Pura Cup game, he accepted the decision.

Yesterday was the Bushrangers' third early-morning swim this week. Most of the group arrived early and were joined in the water by Hookes for the 10-minute dip. Berry was the only absentee.

Berry had been at the Border Medal function on Tuesday night and, like Hookes, continued drinking in a nearby bar after the official dinner.

With Berry suspended and Matthew Elliott missing with a minor knee injury, Brad Hodge will be captain for the one-day game. Elliott is likely to be captain for the New South Wales game.

Teenager Adam Crosthwaite, Australian under-19 wicketkeeper for the past two years and top run-scorer in the recent under-19 championship, makes his first-class debut.

Hookes delivered his angry warning about tardiness after Victoria's 10-wicket loss to Queensland in Ballarat on Sunday, noting the side had been five minutes late to start training during the week.

In a day of savage cuts to the one-day side, Jason Arnberger was dropped despite batting well since breaking back into the team.

Graeme Rummans was also dropped and Ian Harvey was unavailable after being a late call-up to join the Australian World Cup squad.

Melbourne University bats man Brendan Joseland has been picked in the 13-man squad along with David Hussey, brother of West Australian batsman Mike.


Donny.

GO THE MIGHTY WOODSMEN !! ALL THE WAY IN 2003 AND BEYOND !!!!

[Fradam]

Rules are rules, I have no problem with it.

Fradam Wrote This

[bwphantom]

what would happen if an AFL player slept in or missed a training run for no paticular reason?
There is your answer.
And Hookesy is pretty strict on the boys.
Cricket is no longer the game it used to be. I don't know about you but I haven't seen the old traditional beer guts on the modern day cricketer.

They are professionals and they need to perform as such in 1st Class and the International Arena.

If your not bleeding Black and White, you don't truly support Collingwood!!!!!

[Bartros]

I support the way David handled this.. Rules are rules and if you dont follow them closey has a coach u will never have a successful team.



Long Live the mite and power of
Shane Morwood (member of 1990 team,1988 Vic rep)

[JLC]

As pointed out on 3AW this morning.....if a player can't distinguish between pm and am on an alarm clock is he really captaincy material....lmao lmao

Berry let himself and the team down.

jlc

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[MrsTarrant]

I know rules are rules but I think it's a bit harsh but hey I love my sleep LoL and I sleep in all the time so maybe I'm not the best person too ask! You would never catch me swimming at 6:30am that's for sure but hey maybe if I was getting paid the money he is I might be able to manage it! However, I think making him miss the ING cup is enough, making him miss the Pura Cup next week I think is harsh!