So says Tino Best on Twitter. And he's right. This is a long way from being a lol matter.
Corruption in cricket, be it spot-fixing, match-fixing, or simply telling bookies things like the pitch condition has been probably going on for decades. While the ICC and cricket in general has done it's best to stick it's collective head in the sand about the issue and pretend it doesn't happen, given the testimony of Mazhar Majeed's council, it's plainly obvious that this is a much wider-spread issue. As much as we can pretend it doesn't happen, corruption and cheating is rife within cricket, and it's now that we need to start dealing with it.
There has been some debate over the past couple of days about whether it's right for cricketers who've "only" bowled no-balls to go to jail for their actions. Jail is a place for murderers and rapists, not for bowlers who lose their stride, right? Well, while the Crown Prosecution Service has absolutely nothing to do with the governance of world cricket, it's just as well that Majeed, Butt, Asif and Amir have been sent behind bars, as the puny punishments of the ICC act as absolutely no deterrent whatsoever. All three were found guilty by the ICC, but only given bans of a couple of years. What sort of message does that send to a cricketer thinking about getting involved in all of this? Take the money for a few years, get banned, then return a few years later to carry on? And that's all assuming the ICC actually find, stop and catch them, as lest we forget, it was only through the actions of a now defunct tabloid that Amir, Asif and Butt were even caught.
Butt, Asif and Amir have indeed been caught, and brought to justice. They'll now serve 30 months, 1 year, and 6 months behind bars respectively, which will hopefully resonate around the cricketing world. Will it stop the corruption in cricket? In the UK, maybe, as a legal precedent (and the threat of another sting) has been set, which should ward off any untoward activity on these shores. But around the world? The ICC Anti-Corruption squad has proved itself time and again to be toothless, and their inability to find or stop corruption since their conception is incredibly worrying. Butt, Amir and Asif were just plain unlucky to have been caught out by the News of the World; but for the sting they'd likely be still going on now, and would be going on for a while. Just as the other cases of corruption is probably still going on, and will go on, for a while.
The ICC should be spearheading the push against corruption, and with a strong governing body who are naturally suspicious and able to police things effectively, the problem could be stamped out. So when head of the ICC anti-corruption and security unit Ronnie Flanagan says things like "corruption is certainly not rampant in the world of cricket", it hardly sends out a strong message to the corrupt that the ICC are on their case and they should stop.
Cricket is in a mess, and while we will of course enjoy the game we love when it's played, every time there is a fumbled catch, bungled run-out or overstepped no-ball, the doubts will creep in over whether we are seeing a genuine sporting contest between two top-level sides, or whether we're just watching the outcome of a heavily scripted money-making operation. While I'm sure the majority of teams and players aren't involved, there does appear to be a culture of corruption in cricket. Having one spot-fixer in world cricket is too many, and until each and every one is stamped out, there will always be that slight element of doubt hanging over each match we see.
It is a terribly sad day for cricket that an international captain and his opening bowlers have been sent to jail for perverting the sport, but hopefully we can look back on this day as a landmark in the history of the sport. A day that set us on the road to clearing out the corrupt and getting them out of cricket. The question is, can it be done?
Showing posts with label Salman Butt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salman Butt. Show all posts
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Sunday, 29 August 2010
A hollow morning at Lord's
That was the most bizarre day of cricket, at any form or level I've ever seen.
Walking from Baker Street tube when St John's Wood is closed is never the most fun of activities, but the crowds on the way to Lord's were deathly quiet. Taking my seat in the Warner Stand, I looked around to see at least ten copies of the News of the World. Hardly the normal paper of choice for frequenters of Lord's. But this was not a normal day.
Pakistan started the day four down and 300 runs behind. They were always going to lose. But the result didn't seem to matter. Umpires Bowden and Hill took to the field. England followed them. Then came Pakistani batsmen Ali and Umar Akmal. Nobody quite knew what to do. The ever polite MCC members clapped them on. Was it tradition? Did they not know the story? The sparse crowds followed suit. I was the only audible boo.
Wickets fell regularly. England barely celebrated. It hardly registered with the crowd. There were a few boo's when Mohammad Amir walked to the crease, and a few people ironically called out no-ball for Jimmy Anderson's deliveries to Amir. He only lasted four balls before departing for a duck. He returned to silence. It may be the last time he ever appears on a cricket field.
All the while England were wrapping up the game and the series, rumours were flying around on Twitter. Salman Butt's done a runner. Gangsters have kidnapped Pakistani players families. Phones have been seized. The England players were trudging around in the field - seemingly shell-shocked. For a side winning so comfortably their behaviour was so unusual. Kevin Pietersen told Michael Vaughan that the news had "hit the players hard". It certainly looked it.
It had certainly hit the crowd hard. I was sat almost in the exact same seat as last year when England beat Australia at Lord's. Flintoff's five-for and all that. The atmosphere that day was spectacular, energy and excitement surging through the crowd. Today was everything but. England were winning, with the same level of impressive performance but there was a very different mood around Lord's.
Umar Akmal made fifty. Extravagant shot followed extravagant shot. All applauded meekly from the galleries. He even put on a fifty partnership with last man Mohammad Asif. Akmal was playing like a man knowing he may never get another chance. If implicated, he may not.
Swann took the last wicket, his fifth in the innings. It's the first time GP Swann will appear on the honours board. He sheepishly raised the ball to the crowd politely acknowledging England's series win. Perhaps Swann realised his name will go directly below Amir's.
The crowd did offer congratulations to England, who simply walked off the pitch. No celebrations. No unconcealed joy. Many of the crowd simply left their seats and went home.
I hung around for a bit, hoping for some gossip. Young autograph hunters were told they were wasting their time - no autographs today. The rumour that Salman Butt didn't even go the ground was gathering momentum. With no sign of a public presentation, I left.
Without wanting to sound cliched I feel cheated. Cricket feels cheated. Days 2 and 3 were the best two days of test cricket, but after last nights revelations, it all feels hollow. Nobody can trust that anything achieved on those days, or this series, or in cricket in general is above board and beyond reproach. People I've spoken to feel angry that the actions of a few can ruin the reputation of a sport. The hope must be that this is the end to revelations. If we are to believe Mazhar Majeed's boasting, this is only the start.
Walking from Baker Street tube when St John's Wood is closed is never the most fun of activities, but the crowds on the way to Lord's were deathly quiet. Taking my seat in the Warner Stand, I looked around to see at least ten copies of the News of the World. Hardly the normal paper of choice for frequenters of Lord's. But this was not a normal day.
Pakistan started the day four down and 300 runs behind. They were always going to lose. But the result didn't seem to matter. Umpires Bowden and Hill took to the field. England followed them. Then came Pakistani batsmen Ali and Umar Akmal. Nobody quite knew what to do. The ever polite MCC members clapped them on. Was it tradition? Did they not know the story? The sparse crowds followed suit. I was the only audible boo.
Wickets fell regularly. England barely celebrated. It hardly registered with the crowd. There were a few boo's when Mohammad Amir walked to the crease, and a few people ironically called out no-ball for Jimmy Anderson's deliveries to Amir. He only lasted four balls before departing for a duck. He returned to silence. It may be the last time he ever appears on a cricket field.
All the while England were wrapping up the game and the series, rumours were flying around on Twitter. Salman Butt's done a runner. Gangsters have kidnapped Pakistani players families. Phones have been seized. The England players were trudging around in the field - seemingly shell-shocked. For a side winning so comfortably their behaviour was so unusual. Kevin Pietersen told Michael Vaughan that the news had "hit the players hard". It certainly looked it.
It had certainly hit the crowd hard. I was sat almost in the exact same seat as last year when England beat Australia at Lord's. Flintoff's five-for and all that. The atmosphere that day was spectacular, energy and excitement surging through the crowd. Today was everything but. England were winning, with the same level of impressive performance but there was a very different mood around Lord's.
Umar Akmal made fifty. Extravagant shot followed extravagant shot. All applauded meekly from the galleries. He even put on a fifty partnership with last man Mohammad Asif. Akmal was playing like a man knowing he may never get another chance. If implicated, he may not.
Swann took the last wicket, his fifth in the innings. It's the first time GP Swann will appear on the honours board. He sheepishly raised the ball to the crowd politely acknowledging England's series win. Perhaps Swann realised his name will go directly below Amir's.
The crowd did offer congratulations to England, who simply walked off the pitch. No celebrations. No unconcealed joy. Many of the crowd simply left their seats and went home.
I hung around for a bit, hoping for some gossip. Young autograph hunters were told they were wasting their time - no autographs today. The rumour that Salman Butt didn't even go the ground was gathering momentum. With no sign of a public presentation, I left.
Without wanting to sound cliched I feel cheated. Cricket feels cheated. Days 2 and 3 were the best two days of test cricket, but after last nights revelations, it all feels hollow. Nobody can trust that anything achieved on those days, or this series, or in cricket in general is above board and beyond reproach. People I've spoken to feel angry that the actions of a few can ruin the reputation of a sport. The hope must be that this is the end to revelations. If we are to believe Mazhar Majeed's boasting, this is only the start.
Monday, 2 August 2010
SMN: Pakistan call up Inzamam, Akram for second test
Following the humiliating defeat at the hands of the English in the first test that finished yesterday, Pakistani selectors have been quick to add experience to their youthful side.
40 year old potato shaped batsman Inzamam-ul-haq, and 44 year old swing bowling genius Wasim Akram have been added to the squad ahead of the second test which starts on Friday. Despite both players announcing their retirements a number of years ago, both were convinced to restart their international careers ahead of the next test by current captain Salman Butt.
However, despite the joyous celebrations on the streets of Lahore at the news, Inzamam and Akram are unlikely to play in the next test, as they will not be able to receive visas in time. There was also the shock news from Inzamam that "I don't even have a bat anymore, let alone whites or pads". In hindsight, this appears to make a mockery of the PCB's decision to release 8 members of the Pakistan squad, meaning that Pakistan could well line up with only nine players on Friday.
Salman Butt called the move "risky", but still claimed that "I back nine of us to score more than the 80 eleven of us got last week". A senate inquiry has already begun in Pakistan.
40 year old potato shaped batsman Inzamam-ul-haq, and 44 year old swing bowling genius Wasim Akram have been added to the squad ahead of the second test which starts on Friday. Despite both players announcing their retirements a number of years ago, both were convinced to restart their international careers ahead of the next test by current captain Salman Butt.
However, despite the joyous celebrations on the streets of Lahore at the news, Inzamam and Akram are unlikely to play in the next test, as they will not be able to receive visas in time. There was also the shock news from Inzamam that "I don't even have a bat anymore, let alone whites or pads". In hindsight, this appears to make a mockery of the PCB's decision to release 8 members of the Pakistan squad, meaning that Pakistan could well line up with only nine players on Friday.
Salman Butt called the move "risky", but still claimed that "I back nine of us to score more than the 80 eleven of us got last week". A senate inquiry has already begun in Pakistan.
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