Another day of international cricket – another day of allegations of match-fixing, specifically spot-fixing.
Who can take the game seriously? That is when, after all the hours of practice, every day, every year from the time a youngster is introduced to the thrill of taking a wicket or hitting a sixer, the adult form of the game is in danger of becoming a mockery and fraud? When the physical skill and mental strength needed to win at international level are treated with such disrespect by players and entrepreneurs (let’s give them a euphemism) so that the honour of the game comes into question – not once but multiple times in a number of countries – then it’s time to take severe disciplinary action against the perpetrators of this period of shame.
The Pakistani Cricket Board Chairman Ijaz Butt has accused English cricketers of a conspiracy involving "august cricket bodies", following England’s loss in the latest ODI at The Oval. It also follows the British tabloid sting operation on a bookie who allegedly paid money to three Pakistani cricketers, Test skipper Salman Butt and pacers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir for bowling no-balls during the recent Lord’s Test. The three have been suspended from play by the ICC.
Chairman Butt says he’ll soon reveal the names of the people, the parties and the bodies involved in the conspiracy.
So what does all this have to do with Sachin Tendulkar? Absolutely nothing. Nothing at all.
The only common denominator is cricket itself – a game that historically, through the prowess of players of the highest order, has been the source of great sportsmanship and camaraderie, which has in turn led to a breaking down of many class, race and national barriers.
So let’s not have them re-erected.
Sachin himself has come out in favour of action against any players found guilty of involvement in fixing.
Early this month he said the ICC should make ‘a thorough probe into the spot-fixing allegations and take appropriate action if players are found guilty’.
‘If the allegations are true, they will certainly bring disrepute to the game.’
“In my 21 years of international cricket, I have never heard of an Indian player being approached by bookies,” Tendulkar stated.
Sachin also took the unusual move of reminiscing a little about his career, in particular recalling the first press conference of his career as Man of the Match in the second Test against England in 1990.
‘It was at Old Trafford. I was very awkward and I did not know what to do as that was my first press conference. I asked my teammates what kind of questions I might face and how should I answer them. The coach then was Bishen Singh Bedi and he told me, “Don’t get nervous, be confident and do whatever you want,”’ he said.
‘I have been a shy guy and most of the time I prefer to look down when I speak to somebody. I would not look up at the eye of the other person. But I think I have changed, though not much. I have now a sort of comfort level,’ he said.
‘When I was young there were problems initially as people think I am snobbish as I don’t speak out much. They think I am not interested in the things happening around,’ he went on to explain.
Sachin said his first tour of Australia in 1991-92, where he scored two Test centuries, gave him a sense of satisfaction.
He said there were phases in his career when he felt he was doing really well. These included the first tour of Australia in 1991-92, his performance from 1994-96, and in 2003, as the World Cup that year was memorable.
‘The last three years also I think I have done well,’ he said.
Tendulkar said he had been guided well by his family and had never been complacent in his career.
‘It is easy to lose your head. You have been dreaming to get something for a long time and you get it, naturally, it will have some effect on you.’
‘But I think I have never been complacent. There was a time when I was a 16-year-old I could have been affected but from my childhood I have been told by my parents not to take anything for granted. So my approach has been if I score a hundred, then forget it and think of scoring 150 in the next match,’ he said.
Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting departed Australia yesterday for India to prepare for two Tests and three ODIs beginning on October 1st. He told the media that he doesn’t expect miracles from his team, but does expect a very high level of performance over the next few weeks.
All above board between the Indian and Australian teams on and off the field, once again, we hope and trust.
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