After watching the first game of what is known as the most ferocious cricket Test series worldwide “The Ashes”, between England and Australia, questions are raised over whether players should walk or not when they edge the ball and are caught out?During a very crucial stage of England’s second innings Stuart Broad knowingly edged the ball to first slip, and blatantly waited for the umpire’s decision. Fortunately for him, the umpire thought it came off of the wicketkeeper’s gloves, resulting in the turning down of the loud appeal for OUT.Broad held his ground and continued to bat on. Unfortunately, Australia had used all of their reviews so they couldn’t call on the third umpire.he debate still goes on about whether the batsman should have walked when he knowingly hit the ball. Was he right to stand his ground or is this called lack of sportsmanship. The game used to be called a gentlemen’s sport. Has the game lost that characteristic?Broad went on to bat and make a further 20 odd runs after this incident and eventually England won the game by a mere 14 runs.Some characterise this as cheating, some would beg to differ. This debate drew massive attention with the former great West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding suggested that this situation was no different from the West Indies player, Denesh Ramdin.Ramdin, the wicketkeeper, in a different match had knowingly dropped the ball and still appealed for a catch and the batsman was given out. Ramdin was suspended as his actions were deemed not in the spirit of the game.Holding, on comparing the two questioned, how Broad’s situation could be any different. His argument being, to not walk when you know you are out, is not in the spirit of the game, therefore Broad should be suspended.Others were quick to comment on the situation:"If you start banning players who don't walk, Australia wouldn't have a team" Former England captain, Ian Botham"Don't have a problem with Stuart Broad not walking it’s a decision which he will have to live with” Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody“So should a bowler call back the batter when he knows it’s a bad decision? Of course not, I'm bored of this!” Former England captain, Andrew FlintoffMany years ago, when I first came into the game of cricket past players and mentors emphasised that cricket is a gentlemen’s game so if you hit the ball and it is caught, tuck your bat and walk.My father who was inspirational in my cricketing career preached this to me time and time again. Is cricket in Bermuda still a gentlemen’s game? How many batsmen in today’s game would actually walk immediately without waiting for an umpire’s decision if they knowingly hit the ball?Does the situation of the game or a batsman’s innings determine whether they walk or not?The Eastern County this weekend is between Bailey’s Bay and Cleveland. Imagine if Cleveland need 10 runs to win with the last two batsmen batting and one of the batsmen edges the ball to the wicketkeeper.Do you think he would walk, or would he wait for the umpire to give him out? NNow imagine the same game and Cleveland need only five more runs to win but have four wickets in hand and a player edges the ball to the wicketkeeper. Which situation do you think the batsman would most likely walk without waiting for the umpire’s decision? Another scenario in the same game, imagine one of the colts are on 49 runs and edges behind to the wicketkeeper do you think he would walk? It is easy for some to answer, but until you are actually in the situation then and only then will you really see what you will do.With all of the controversy surrounding Broad not walking, the same situation presented itself to Australia in a crucial time in the first Ashes Test match. With just 14 runs needed to win and no other batsmen to come, Brad Haddin edged a catch to England wicketkeeper Matt Prior and stood his ground, and again the umpire said not out.Fortunately, for England they still had two reviews of the DRS (Decision Review System), which allowed the third umpire to review the situation and rightfully give Brad Haddin out, thus giving England a 1-0 lead in the five Test series. What is the difference between the two situations? Does it matter if one was blatant and the other wasn’t, as they both knowingly hit the ball?This is a debate that could go on and on as to what is right and what is wrong. You will hear some say why walk as there are times when umpires give you out and you are not out so it evens itself out. Does this make it right?If we want it to continue to be a gentlemen’s sport then former cricketers have a job to do in educating our modern day players, to preserve the dignity, respect, and spirit of the game that should be hand in hand with our cherished sport of cricket.Quote of the week: The spirit of cricket means different things to different people Geoffrey Boycott