The story running dividing Australia right now has nothing to do with politics or the economy or asylum seekers. It comes out of the world of cricket.

Australian Cricket team head coach, Mickey Arthur, set some ‘homework’ for the players after a disastrous start to the Indian tour. He asked them to let him know of three things they could do to contribute to the team being a better team and climbing out of the hole they were digging for themselves. Four players didn’t do it: Shane Watson, the Vice Captain; Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson, and Usman Khawaja. They were stood down by Arthur and the team’s captain, Michael Clarke, meaning they were not available for selection in the third Cricket Test in India. They were suspended for one match.

Talkback radio programmes are usually a pretty good indicator of what people are thinking and feeling on issues in the public space, especially if you take into account the variance from different programmes and their diverse audiences. And this issue lit up the switchboard. You don’t get any more Australian than Cricket teams touring overseas and national pride runs high (and is often cut down quickly) on the team representing Australia well. The mood was divided. Some were crying that this was over the top discipline, just a piece of homework, and that the players were being treated like school kids. They called for Mickey Arthur’s resignation, if not his head, and suggested that Clarke was just a puppet in all of this.

However, others said this was a necessary step to get the team back into line: if players don’t do what their coach requires then they should be hauled over the coals. This part of the Australian public was applauding the actions the leadership team had taken and were satisfied that Australian Cricket is in good hands. A poll run by the Sydney Morning Herald during the height of this ‘crisis’ was split right down the middle: 51 per percent said the punishment was not fair; 49 per cent said it was. Cricket commentators were just as divided in their opinions. 

There’s a much deeper issue at stake here. This is about privilege, position, responsibility and pulling your weight; doing what you are required to do. It’s not just a piece of homework that four naughty boys didn’t hand in, even if the dog did eat it!  As Michael Clarke said in an interview played on TV news casts, this is about understanding what an honour it is to play for Australia and about doing all you can to live up to the responsibility that brings.

Mickey Arthur and Michael Clarke have proven themselves to be great leaders in the midst of all the controversy. If more leaders were willing to make tough decisions like this when there is so much on the line, our society would be a better place. They’ve placed the long-term goals of discipline, national pride and appropriate obedience to what people in authority require ahead of the short-term goal of winning a game of cricket. Good on ‘em.

Another great role model in this is James Pattinson. According to Chris Barrett, writing in the Age, Pattinson says “he accepts the punishment handed down to him…admitting they had let the touring squad down.” Pattinson is quoted as saying “It is something that should have been completed…there is no excuse…We need to send a message to the team, not just myself but everyone else. We have to take responsibility for where we are at as a team…At the moment, we have to do everything right to make us into a great team…People talk about it as a harsh punishment but looking deeply into it you realise probably it’s not. If you want to be part of the Australian cricket team you have to do everything right. It’s not acceptable. I believe it’s the right punishment. Everyone in the group needs to understand that this is the lengths we need to go to to be successful as a team.”

Pattinson has recognised his wrongdoing, admitted it publicly and apologised to those most affected by his actions (his team mates). These are the qualities of a great leader. The Bible’s position on leadership is a character based one. When the Apostle Paul was writing to a developing leader by the name of Timothy he talked mostly of the need for character development.

This was much more important in Paul’s eyes than skill sets. Character must come first. He sets out in a letter he writes to Timothy some of the character traits that are important for leaders. Among them are faithfulness, good reputation, self-control, common sense, kindness, gentleness, and humility.  He summarises his teaching on this as he tells Timothy to be a leader who sets a good example to others by what you say and by what you do, being careful about the way you live. (Read about this in 1 Timothy chapters 3 and 4).

The leadership qualities shown by Mickey Arthur, Michael Clarke, and James Pattinson are admirable and fit the criteria of a character-based model that the Bible applauds. If only we could apply this leadership test to the upcoming Federal elections!

Food for thought.