Aussie Hostility To The Fore
By S Zeyaur Rahman
The match fixing controversy is assuming enormous proportions with every passing day. From something that was considered to be unavoidable but insignificant, it has come a long way. As the matter stands of now, the match fixing episode is right in the centre stage of all cricketing activities and threatens to decimate the entire structure.
We are getting more and more proofs of the player-punter nexus. That is not surprising but the dates that are being supplied are indeed shocking. The matter is much older than anybody could have guessed. Even more bizarre are the means applied to fix matches. The sex-for-underperformance deal has blown everyone's wits off. One wonders what more lies in store for us.
Does one remember the episode, which made the hidden malady an official secret? It was after Australia's tour to Pakistan in 1995 that two gentlemen called Mark Waugh and Shane Warne accused the rival captain Salim Malik of approaching them and offering a substantial sum in lieu of underperformance. I would like to emphasise on 'Australian Gentlemen' because later on two of them accepted taking bribe from a punter for 'some information on pitch and weather'. A rather decent way of making money.
One of these gentlemen was Mark Waugh, one of the frontline batsmen of his times. Incidentally he happens to be representing Australia, unarguably the strongest team under present circumstances. But quality performance on the field is no guarantee for infallibility outside the field - and should be no excuse either.
Australian Cricket Board has always been synonymous with arrogance. It invariably gets carried away with its hugely successful financial exploits, the reputation of its grounds. The splendid performance of its players and ends up believing that there can be possibly no wrong associated with it. And when somebody tries to show the other side of the coin, he is dealt in a typical Aussie way - with contemptuous ruthlessness.
The match fixing drama has been of an international character. It has spared no country, not even the superpower Australia. Quite a few of the 'chosen ones' feature in the list of the accused. It is significant that till date the Australian cricket establishment has not taken any action against any of the accused. On the contrary it has questioned the integrity of the accusers and has done everything it could to protect its players.
What stops Australia from setting up an inquiry committee looking into the accusations? The fear that something ugly would come up and embarrass it. Something damning enough to throw mud on the face of Australian cricket and tarnish the image of the breed that could no wrong.
Mark Waugh's refusal to appear before the ICC investigator has to be seen in this light. Why is he hiding? The logical corollary is that he has got something to hide. The ego and the superiority complex of being an Australian cricketer comes in the way of exposing himself. The Board has overtly expressed its disappointment over the lack of cooperation on the part of Waugh. But one can rest assured that the ACB
Will do nothing to help Paul Condon in arranging an interview with Waugh.
This is sheer hypocrisy. Even before losing the case, Australian cricket has lost its face. It has lost the right to point a finger at anyone else (if at all it ever had one). This is a very sad state of affair that ACB as a pillar of the institution that is ICC, is not helping in tracing the evil that is destroying its foundations. Not only is the step partisan and narrow minded but absolutely fatal.
By S Zeyaur Rahman
The match fixing controversy is assuming enormous proportions with every passing day. From something that was considered to be unavoidable but insignificant, it has come a long way. As the matter stands of now, the match fixing episode is right in the centre stage of all cricketing activities and threatens to decimate the entire structure.
We are getting more and more proofs of the player-punter nexus. That is not surprising but the dates that are being supplied are indeed shocking. The matter is much older than anybody could have guessed. Even more bizarre are the means applied to fix matches. The sex-for-underperformance deal has blown everyone's wits off. One wonders what more lies in store for us.
Does one remember the episode, which made the hidden malady an official secret? It was after Australia's tour to Pakistan in 1995 that two gentlemen called Mark Waugh and Shane Warne accused the rival captain Salim Malik of approaching them and offering a substantial sum in lieu of underperformance. I would like to emphasise on 'Australian Gentlemen' because later on two of them accepted taking bribe from a punter for 'some information on pitch and weather'. A rather decent way of making money.
One of these gentlemen was Mark Waugh, one of the frontline batsmen of his times. Incidentally he happens to be representing Australia, unarguably the strongest team under present circumstances. But quality performance on the field is no guarantee for infallibility outside the field - and should be no excuse either.
Australian Cricket Board has always been synonymous with arrogance. It invariably gets carried away with its hugely successful financial exploits, the reputation of its grounds. The splendid performance of its players and ends up believing that there can be possibly no wrong associated with it. And when somebody tries to show the other side of the coin, he is dealt in a typical Aussie way - with contemptuous ruthlessness.
The match fixing drama has been of an international character. It has spared no country, not even the superpower Australia. Quite a few of the 'chosen ones' feature in the list of the accused. It is significant that till date the Australian cricket establishment has not taken any action against any of the accused. On the contrary it has questioned the integrity of the accusers and has done everything it could to protect its players.
What stops Australia from setting up an inquiry committee looking into the accusations? The fear that something ugly would come up and embarrass it. Something damning enough to throw mud on the face of Australian cricket and tarnish the image of the breed that could no wrong.
Mark Waugh's refusal to appear before the ICC investigator has to be seen in this light. Why is he hiding? The logical corollary is that he has got something to hide. The ego and the superiority complex of being an Australian cricketer comes in the way of exposing himself. The Board has overtly expressed its disappointment over the lack of cooperation on the part of Waugh. But one can rest assured that the ACB
Will do nothing to help Paul Condon in arranging an interview with Waugh.
This is sheer hypocrisy. Even before losing the case, Australian cricket has lost its face. It has lost the right to point a finger at anyone else (if at all it ever had one). This is a very sad state of affair that ACB as a pillar of the institution that is ICC, is not helping in tracing the evil that is destroying its foundations. Not only is the step partisan and narrow minded but absolutely fatal.
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