Every man has his price

We had known all along that something was burning. We could smell the smoke even if we couldn't see the flames. We had hoped, against hope, that it could be localised. It was obvious that if it spread, the conflagration would destroy the integrity of a great game whose very existence is based on integrity. It was being naive.

These are times when international sport has become `big business'. It has become `commercialised'. It is now `professional'. These are simply other less forthright ways of saying it is dominated by money, greed and ruthlessness. It is sheer arrogance to believe cricket is any different to, say, horse racing or football. Cricketers, jockeys, goalkeepers and strikers deal in dough. The currency for athletes is drugs.

The Pakistanis were the first under suspicion and their own government and board found enough evidence to corroborate the rumours of six figure sums changing hands from shady Bombay bookmakers to prominent players for the favour of missing, or bowling, a full toss, making an unexpected declaration or any which way that could be devised to alter a result or a score. But it was clear it would not be Pakistanis alone. Only rank prejudice could lead to that conclusion. Indeed, there was clear evidence that two of Australia's most famous players, Mark Waugh and Shane Warne, had taken filthy lucre from the bookies in exchange for favours. The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) rapped them on the knuckles with the fine of a few thousand dollars that would hardly have made a dent on their bank accounts, and kept it quiet. Yet, at the same time, Australian fingers were being accusingly pointed at Salim Malik and other Pakistanis. The wicked deception was only revealed two years after the event by the probing Press.

Now Hansie Cronje, the widely respected South African captain, has provided further proof that every man has his price, regardless of colour, creed, nationality or, yes, religion. Cronje is a supposedly devout Christian who carries a wrist band inscribed with the letters "WWJD?" It stands for "What Would Jesus Do?". Jesus certainly wouldn't sell out his teammates, his country and his honour. Hopefully, the boil has now been finally burst and all the remaining puss will be squeezed out by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and every one of its affiliates.

The Indian police may have done the game a favour. That, I'm afraid, would be fanciful.

Far from discouraging the betting that leads to match-fixing and other chicanery, two of the oldest, most trusted boards actively aid and abet it. One of the first sights on entering most cricket grounds in England, Lord's the most conspicuous among them, is a large tent operated by one of the country's many bookmaking firms in which any wager can be laid on any match anywhere, including the one in progress.

It is the same in Australia. What to bet Joe Bloggs is out in the first over? They'll give you the odds and take your money and all it needs to collect is an early negotiation for a share with Bloggs? Or that Jim Smith won't bowl a maiden over for the day? Ditto. Or whatever else takes your fancy. Indeed, they are probably laying odds right now on who will be the next international cricketer to be exposed as nothing more than a downright vagabond who would compromise his God-given talent and his personal pride for the gain of a few extra dollars. Can we again take anything we see on the cricket field at face value?