Crossing Over to the Other Side: Spot-Fixing Controversy

Suneer Chowdhary

When an international bowler sends down a no-ball as big as what Mohammad Amir did on the first day of the Lord’s Test match between England and Pakistan, he may never be looked at with the same minor irritation that a cricket fan usually shrugs off such an indiscretion. Rather sadly for Suraj Randiv and Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Virender Sehwag-controversy could have been advertently avoided had that game been played after the Lord’s Test match – not too many bowlers would dare bowling deliberate no-balls any more after what happened at Lord’s.

Till about a couple of years back, results of games that went down to the wire had their own set of disbelievers. Amir and a few of his cronies have ensured that even a play like the bowling of a no-ball would run the risk of being questioned for its authenticity by the fans. And just as one had remarked during Cronje-gate, the game will never remain the same again.

Amir is an 18-year old, but a precocious talent who seems to possess all that it takes to become the world’s next Wasim Akram. Mohammad Asif had been touted to be the next Glen McGrath. Both may never play cricket again for a long, long time. Or so one thinks, if the allegations are proved true. Unfortunately for the onlookers and the fans alike, the Pakistan Cricket Board has given enough evidence in the past of possessing capabilities to conveniently forget and forgive, before moving on.

As difficult as it may sound, let us put the spot-fixing scandal of today to the backburner and refocus back on the Mohammad Yousuf comeback. Yousuf’s image as a cricketer of the recent times has taken a big hit, ever since announcing retirements and making comebacks became his primetime pastime. Yet, after being found guilty of whatever he was found guilty of – and that has not been revealed yet – and not appealing against his indefinite ban, the PCB seemed to have bent backward to accommodate him back in the team.

This is symptomatic of what ails Pakistani cricket and the reason why it is difficult to believe that the guilty will be brought to book.

One would have thought that only a couple of months after some of the players were allowed to resume playing cricket post the dubious Australia tour, the rest of the lot would have exerted restraint. Asif, on the other hand, has been involved in as many controversies in the last two years as a whole cricket team could be allowed over their careers. Drug possession in Dubai, two-time offender after testing positive for drugs during tournaments and amnesia to supposed marriages are all a part of the resume of this excellent swing bowler. It is apparent that some of the Pakistani cricketers are slow learners. Or plain greedy. Or both.

Instead, PCB’s lackadaisical habits have allowed the players to take the board and the sport for granted. And it is not that PCB seems to mind so much, which can only be another reason to believe that the evil has permeated deep enough into the system, for it to be flushed out too easily.

It is obvious that what is different on this occasion is that there is more than a semblance of proof in the eyes of the world – unlike on previous occasions when the PCB has had enough chances to push the matters under the carpet. Whether the PCB – and for that matter, even the ICC – has the will to clear the muck before the sport becomes nothing less than a simulated sport of the type that WWE belongs to, remains to be seen. The good news is that the matter is in the hands of the Scotland Yard, which is one of the best in the business. The bad news is that the fixing of a couple of fixers could end up ruffling some skeletons from the closet which none of the top brass of the game may enjoy too much.

I am one of those staunch believers in the adage, innocent before being proved guilty. Rather, I was. At least when it came to those long-drawn debates with fellow disgruntled cricket mates who had begun to drop off from following the sport after Cronje-gate. Today, I fear that I could soon be crossing over to the other side of the fence.

Suneer Chowdhary is a cricket writer and can be contacted at suneerchowdhary@gmail.com

Related posts:

1. Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif involved in spot-fixing allegations
2. England v Pakistan, Highlights 4th Test, Day Four at Lord’s: Pakistan crash to heaviest defeat in Tests after spot-fixing scandal hits cricket
3. Kaneria refutes spot-fixing claims, may take legal action
4. Pakistanis could be involved in match-fixing again
5. Mohammad Yousuf

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Posted by Sam on Aug 29 2010. Filed under Columns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry