Posted on 03 Sep 2010 at 09:25 AM by
iancatley
In May, I wailed: “My heart bleeds…as this international cricketing summer approaches and is reduced to a sad, sporting side-show.” Turns out I was wrong. In very murky conditions the News of the World took a light-meter reading and decided that the light was too bad for the game to continue without them turning the floodlights on.
The cricket really has been very poor this summer desperately lacking quality or news worthiness so somebody at News International decided their odious rag should prompt a betting scandal. While the jury is out on their motives, the media has instigated a kangaroo court, convicted and executed the accused in a most public and unsporting manner.
I do not share the common view about the spot fixing allegations. Firstly these are merely allegations, nothing has been proven, although the players position is untenable until proof is offered one way or the other. The allegations are by the media. The authorities are merely investigating, with Scotland Yard Nero-like fiddling while the ancient game smoulders in ruins. If this was responsible, investigative journalism then the media might just have given the authorities space, instead the criminal will find relief in entrapment and three young men’s careers will be consigned to the dustbin.
What are the authorities now to do in the light of extreme pressure? How is this as bad or even comparable with Hanse Cronje’s actions in the late ‘90s? I also think the accusations are racially motivated, Pakistan is the pariah of world cricket and the UK and Australian media love this. No doubt the Indian media is quite enjoying it too.
Frankly I am surprised at the furore. Pakistani cricketers have been accused of cheating; how is this news? The PCB and their associates are corrupt and have been forever. They failed to take proper action against drug cheats Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif (that name rings a bell), they allowed Shahid Afridi to deliberately and cynically chew up the pitch with his studs and then openly ball tamper and his punishment was to be made captain. The Darrell Hair Affair was handled appallingly and the PCB’s reaction then, as now, was everyone is wrong but us. Inzamam carried the can but received little more than a slap on the wrists.
So, what about the actual betting issues? It’s a bit hypocritical of us isn’t it? The UK has the most developed betting culture and market in the World but we have had our share of minor ‘fixing’ like this for ages. Remember the stories of spread bets on the time of the first throw-in and Tony Cottee (allegedly) kicking the ball straight out from the kick-off, 3-3 draws in Scottish Division 3, correct frame scores in snooker, Davydenko feigning injury in tennis matches and any number of other dodgy moments better and worse than this. Hardly first item on the news were they?
Does anyone else think this has got way out of proportion? News International is guilty, once again a British newspaper making news not reporting it. The PCB is guilty of being weak in the past and being inherently corrupt. The ICC is guilty of being greedy and generating a programme that is detrimental to the game. My heart was bleeding for cricket before the season started, this wound will take a long time to heal.