| Series | Countries | Live Scores | Fixtures | Results | News |
Features
|
Photos | Blogs | Statistics | Archive | Video & Audio | Games | Mobile | |||||||||||||||||||||
Ian Chappell
Feeds
| Archives
Feeds
| Archives
Former Australia captain, now a cricket commentator and columnist
|
Save the game or lose it
If the powers that be don't take steps to eradicate fixing, we won't have a game to protect
September 12, 2010
|
|||
|
Related Links
Peter Roebuck : Only cricketers can save cricket
Rob Steen : Sport's greatest evil Gideon Haigh : Corruption? It's everywhere Sambit Bal : Stop the tour, save the game Andrew Miller : Another day of lost belief In Focus:
Match-fixing
Players/Officials:
Mohammad Amir
Series/Tournaments:
Pakistan tour of England
Teams:
Pakistan
|
|||
Fixing, whether it be of the spot or match variety, is a major challenge for cricket. Only prompt and firm action can hope to resolve the issue.
With that in mind, it was disturbing to read suggestions that 18-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Amir, if found guilty, could avoid a life ban if he gives evidence against his Pakistan team-mates. What sort of message does that convey? That you'll be excused if you claim you're too young to decipher right from wrong?
What message does it send the crooks? Be sure to "groom" young players and then your "investment" has a greater chance of paying long-term dividends. And doesn't it tell an honest player, "You're a fool. You should've grabbed the money"?
The honest players have already suffered enough just from playing in an era tainted by the fixers.
If he's guilty, in a roundabout way the ICC would do Amir a favour by banning him for life. If he were guilty and was to be reinstated a couple of years down the track, he'd still be in the clutches of the crooks. Any outstanding debts or threats to him or his family would still be hanging over his head. The only way you escape the clutches of these unsavoury characters is the same as the mafia exit strategy: in a wooden box. At least with a life ban from cricket, the youngster escapes their clutches and can get on with what remains of his future.
And if he's forgiven there's the not-so-minor matter of how he'd be accepted by the Pakistan team. Self-interest is never a great team-spirit builder, and ratting on your mates, no matter how devious they might be, is not the way to ingratiate yourself.
If you think that's melodramatic then consider the crooks' background. In many cases they will have built their tainted fortune on such nefarious activities as gun- or drug-running. They have no scruples. Once that's understood you begin to comprehend the enormity of cricket's problem.
Fixing is not a Pakistan problem; it has the power to bring the game to its knees.
Cricket has already missed a golden opportunity to send a strong message to crooks, players and administrators. Pakistan should've been suspended from competition the moment the Lord's Test was completed.
"Can't do it," you say, "it'll ruin the game."
Well, if fixing isn't eradicated then there'll be no game of any consequence to ruin.
How can they play the current ODI series between England and Pakistan?
| The administrators have to assume once a player is in the clutches of the crooks, it's a lifetime deal. That's why Pakistan's refusal to heed the strong warnings issued by Justice Qayyum in his illuminating 1999 report have come home to roost | |||
Mr Fixit in London said he has seven Pakistan players in his pocket and they'd agreed to "throw" two of the ODIs. Three of the Pakistan players are currently under suspension. That leaves four possibly still playing in these matches. Will those players refuse to do the dirty deed because of all the publicity?
Cricket shouldn't have taken that chance. After all, it's not the players who decide the fix and when it'll occur. The administrators have to assume once a player is in the clutches of the crooks, it's a lifetime deal. That's why Pakistan's refusal to heed the strong warnings issued by Justice Qayyum in his illuminating 1999 report have come home to roost. The game is still littered with former players named by Qayyum, cricketers he suggested should never hold positions of responsibility in the game.
Rather than send a strong message, the game has averted its eyes. It's not surprising that 15 years after the initial strong indications the game wasn't clean, we still have evidence of widespread corruption. Given that the Qayyum report was largely ignored and player bans overturned it's not surprising the crooks don't feel threatened.
Like all of cricket's major problems, fixing can't be properly addressed until the issue of the ICC's flawed structure is resolved. There can be no excuse now for not addressing this issue with great resolve and integrity. The game's future is on the line.
The honest players and the fans deserve a concerted effort to clean up the game. If drastic action isn't taken to eradicate fixing it won't be a matter of the administration gambling with the game's future; they'll be delivering it a death sentence.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell is now a cricket commentator and columnist
Feeds: Ian Chappell
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
| Comments have now been closed for this article |
||||||
TopE-mail
Feedback
Print
Ian Chappell
Widely regarded as the best Australian captain of the last 50 years, Ian
Chappell moulded a team in his image: tough, positive, and fearless. Even
though Chappell sometimes risked defeat playing for a win, Australia did not lose a Test series under him between 1971 and 1975. He was an aggressive batsman himself, always ready to hook a bouncer and unafraid to use his feet against the spinners. In 1977 he played a lead role in the defection of a number of Australian players to Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket, which did not endear him to the administrators, who he regarded with contempt in any case. After retirement, he made an easy switch to television, where he has come to be known as a trenchant and fiercely independent voice.
'Too early to judge Cook's captaincy'
Bowl at Boycs: Geoff Boycott on England's ODI success, Ponting's axeing, Brian Close's bravery and Westfield's conviction
Switch Hit: Back-to-back tons from the batsman lead England's resurgence in the UAE. Is ODI success in 2015 a possibility?
Christian Ryan: Television defines Ricky Ponting, but the more we see him on it, the less we know
How soon before broadcasters have a say in selection?
Rob Steen: Television has benefited cricket, but it is a relationship that can get far too cosy for the game's good
Opportunity in lifeless surrender
Abbasi: Pakistan were consistently woeful in the ODIs
Tendulkar and Bracewell take top awards
Kevin O'Brien and Mitchell Johnson win one-day batting and bowling honours
ESPNcricinfo presents Plays of the Day for the match between Australia and India in Brisbane
Discord, dissent hurt Indian team
It has been a long tour with little success to celebrate, and the differences and frustrations between the players are coming out now, in the form of scarcely anticipated bombshells dropped during routine press conferences
India let Thirimanne off the hook
Ashwin had appealed, Thirimanne was not inside his crease, the finger should have gone up immediately. Spirit of cricket should not have been allowed to come in the way of fair cricket
'One of the best sessions of my life'
Sachin Tendulkar goes over his epic battle with Dale Steyn and Co in Cape Town in 2011, the winner of ESPNcricinfo's Test Batting award for the year
India let Thirimanne off the hook (212)
Ashwin had appealed, Thirimanne was not inside his crease, the finger should have gone up immediately. Spirit of cricket should not have been allowed to come in the way of fair cricket
Discord, dissent hurt Indian team (189)
It has been a long tour with little success to celebrate, and the differences and frustrations between the players are coming out now, in the form of scarcely anticipated bombshells dropped during routine press conferences
Better bowlers, better Test team (119)
India are much better at one-dayers than at Tests because 50-overs cricket allows you to win with good batting and ordinary bowling. Unless that changes, they'll remain limited-overs tigers and five-day sheep
Sehwag's legacy is in his hands (119)
Whether he joins the ranks of the all-time greats depends on how he counters his current slump
Ponting and Tendulkar fight for their utility (99)
Both have been through almost everything in their ODI careers, and still love it enough to fight for it, something they are not accustomed to. It will be fascinating to watch how they come out of the rest of the triangular
Sponsored Links
The definitive Cricket Novel of the Century
Romance, Three 20/20 Matches, Murder Mystery, Book Now.
Access your Indian Rupee earnings from anywhere in the world.
ICICI Bank Money2India brings " locked exchange rate" and a free gift
on registering and transfer of USD 250 and above.
FREE copy of Playfair with Wisden order
At Cricshop.com
If ICC really wants to stop corruption the first step is to Ban IPL and then English Leagues bit harsh but check their yearly budget everything will clear itself
Posted by AhmadSaleem on (September 15 2010, 18:32 PM GMT)Anyone noticed the size of no ball Murali bowled on the last ball of his 3rd over against wayamba in champions league????? Being a spinner, he should not have landed his foot even a single inch ahead of crease but the size of his no ball was at least 6 inches. What would you say about this since he doesn't bowl no balls? and if my memory serves me right, he has never over stepped in an international t20 fixture. Corruption is spreading due to these t20 leagues and it's everywhere now
Posted by shehanpj on (September 15 2010, 15:20 PM GMT)Why people having trouble interpreting a simple question & trying to drag this into a Chapell bashing scenario? :). corruption should never be tolarated & the offendders should be punished accordingly, if found guilty. no question about it, PERIOD! now what is the difference between the two acts of a no-ball & an under-arm ball with regards to integrity, fairness, decency etc of this game? omg, this can't be this difficult :O and how come anyone of the two involved in thesr acts, becomes less corrupt just bacause of Murali or Vittori or (oooops no need to mension Warn, the deffence rests) this guy that guy etc, open their mouth?
Posted by Maq80 on (September 15 2010, 15:14 PM GMT)If it is really the fear of the deadly attack of Aamir or Asif or a stability of Salman butt than be known that Pakistan is equipped with more fearsome warriors .... By banning them you are only awakening the bigger giants by giving them chances to perform ! I believe the lesson is well understood by the youngsters & the board. I wont back Asif for he has been given many chances but for others ... atleast one chance is must ! after all, murder punishment gets life imprisonment and this is no way near that... spot fixing is not fixing a match ... I believe we can all sense a bit of unbiasedness ... the haste with which players were suspended , the harsh-ness with which they are taking actions... The Bottom line is Cricket needs Pakistan for without it, you are hurting the soul of Cricket... the amount of uncertainty pakistan brings to the cricket world, is worth the excitement !
Posted by qazaa on (September 15 2010, 14:50 PM GMT)Well for me, I am not sure why Mr Chappell strongly recommending to ban these players. If you want to solve this problem you have to go in the base of it. I totally agree with "Roy2010" and " jaymuk". Well Banning Asif and specially Amir (regardless of everything) what a talent he is. It will take years and years for Australia and England or any other team for that matter to produce such rare gem. Is there any country who have a bowler like Amir (not mention ONLY 18), no not really. You people can sit in the comfort and say whatever comes to you mind. You keep bragging about your skill produced by your brilliant and state of art academies, and we'll keep producing talent like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Asif and Amir. So stop talking about bans, and talk about killing this disease from the base. Before you say anything about banning these players read the articles mentioned by "Acton49" and "Hibs".
Posted by Kaze on (September 15 2010, 14:24 PM GMT)The people that are bashing Chappell are exceedingly stupid people. In 1996 was it when match fixing was first brought to light, it was an unknown quantity. There were no rules on how to deal with it. These new allegation have had a precedence and should receive the most harsh treatment possible. Going easy now such as a one year ban will only encourage match fixing. You need to let the players know that if they break the rules they lose their career. For most, cricket is their only source of income so it will get their attention if life bands are issued.
Posted by nav84 on (September 15 2010, 11:36 AM GMT)for all the chappel bashers, murali too has asked for life bans for the three, if found guilty..btw murali is a non white sri lankan..so come up with some reason other than racism and western jealousy and indian conspiracy as to why he said so.. . oh yeah u have ur pet one..mayb he too wants to save sri lankan bastmen from d bowling of asif and amer..bowlers who neither could get stuart broad out on pitch where their whole team got out for 74 and nor could take pak to asia cup finals in sl.. but as ppl say.."dil behlane k liye ghalibe khayal achcha hai"
Posted by zub2612 on (September 15 2010, 10:27 AM GMT)I want to say that please do not refer Justice Qayyum report/ recommendations any where. The guy has no credibility. His telephonic conversation was heard in the last election when he told someone about "fixing the elections". He was attorney general then. His decision was completely disgraceful. He banned Atta-ur-Rehman who actually alleged other players and no one assured him the protection and he end up with the 7 years ban. He also banned Salim Malik but all others including Wasim Akram was not banned. His decision has no logic. The guy (so called retired justice) has no credibility. I want to ask him why ban for only Atta-ur-Rehman and Salim Malik? He has no self respect for himself. For fixing the general elections, he should be jailed for life or at least ban him for coming in media.
Posted by IM63 on (September 15 2010, 09:47 AM GMT)I wonder what were the comments Mr Ian Chappell on fixing by Warne and Waugh. Not condoning at all the spot fixing by three Pakistan players, I am sad to notice that Mr. Chappell never lets an opportunity of Pakistan bashing slip away.
Posted byWe don't need to google on Warne and Waugh episode as we have followed it very closely at that time (mid 90s). Bottom line they took money and got caught and did not get any punishment. Here we even don't know who took money what was the betting and players are suspended. Like I said, if it was indian players ICC and others would not have nerve to suspend thes as buck stops there these days. If it was Australin, England and New Zealand all would have kept their mouthe shst and advised us to be patient for the verdict. What a double standard!!