It can't be said for certain, why Andrew Strauss, the England captain, called Shane Warne a genius, when he got to know that Warney had already predicted the outcome of the India-England match (that it'll be a tie).
One can be very unsure for a couple of reasons:
1) it may be a sarcastic remark by Strauss
2) it may be a careless remark, as he was quite saddened by the fact that England managed to pull a tie, when India seems to have given them the game in platter.
3) it can be a remark to distract the world from the real doings beneath.
Please don't look the third reason with a raised brow, even if you want to.
As -- Can't it be another fixing, involving English and India? With Warne having some role to play in it. He may have been a 'better' who is close to the bookies.
After all -- How is fixing in its basic form explained ?
Isn't it ensuring a particular outcome?
This outcome was known to Warne before hand; how? that is a matter of investigation, and going thru ups and downs; the outcome known before hand is ensured by the two teams.
This not skeptism. This's looking things with an equal eye.
Had the cricketing fraternity taken the news that casually, if it involved Pakistan?
What Pakistani players have been accused of is staging an outcome on the bookie instructions; playing a dot ball here, balling a no ball there! How can it be different from the issue we are discussing now?
No one is defending Pakistan; or blaming England or India. What is being put forth is: doesn't Shane Warne's remark, demand an investigation into the matter?
Warne's prediction, can be a work of a genius; but can't there be a possiility of a fixing?
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there have been calls that cricket fraternity should force pcb to act so that the corrupt players are not let off with mild punishment making the mockery of cricket war against match or spot fixing given the past record of pcb...
well... i don't have issues with other boards forcing pcb to act decisively... but what would penalising three tainted players will achieve...? will cricket become immune to the fixing just by getting rid of three tainted players...?
what about all boards collectively forcing icc to make acsu not only capable enough to act proactively but accountable to such glaring lapses when they were literally caught with their pants down by NOTW...?
a classic example of how acsu function... first they cleared the kamaran's sydneygate test of any suspicion of match fixing but now they are reinvestigating the same test after the NOTW exposé... means either their inquiry into sydney test earlier was shoddy and hurried... or they just want to be seen on working sincerely gauging the prevalent sentiment now...
till we have these customary watch dogs that exists just for the sake of it... that take millions to sleep at work... i am sure we are not far behind from exposing another tainted players of match fixing coz if only stringent actions against the culprits would decidedly serve as the deterrent... we would never see a murder in life...
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if this report is to be believed... mohammad amir could become icc informant and reveal "dodgy betting identities that corrupted him" to escape life ban from the spot fixining charges...
but in doing so... can amir escape the life ban in real...?
let me explain...
in life one can become informant of authorities to escape harsh punishment coz he has the option to start life afresh elsewhere... but can cricketer who will have to return to the same system... same colleagues to earn living by playing for them do that...?
although in open... pcb and his colleagues will pat his back for exposing the malice in cricket... but will they trust him the same way in closet...?
will the very system, pcb in this case, that didn't act earlier coz its own hands were muddled in corruption, continue to pick him like they would normally after amir exposing "dodgy betting identities that corrupted him"...?
incidentally... the first casualty of spot fixing saga is not from the tainted trio but it is yasir hameed, who on camera bragged about all his colleagues being involved in match fixing, and one can be pretty assured he won't share the same dressing room again...
hameed is the one who will be serving the unofficial life ban... without even charged for spot fixing...
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look around almost everybody is welcoming champions league (CLT20) as the savior of cricket... the much needed refreshing shift of attention cricket needed from spot fixing saga...
why we would want to shift attention from spot-fixing when the time is ripe to nip it in the bud...?
why you want to just do the first aid with supporting dose of painkiller to do away the pain when its really is the time to operate...?
painkillers never heal the wound... the faith that was the first and biggest casualty... painkillers just takes the pain of being cheated away from us... the attention gets diverted and this is exactly what the incompetent authorities are waiting for... the moment the attention is shifted they will pounce on the opportunity to create the illusion of action...
they will keep on throwing painkillers like a bait to fans hoping to get much needed time for negotiations to appease and protect their vested interests and we as fan would keep on falling to these baits coz they know we don't have options...
but if ever there was time ripe for over-reactions in cricket... this is the time...
cricket will be played... there won't be dearth of it... the upcoming season is full of it... and as a fan i am ready to do away with some of the side shows that are being run in the name of cricket, the pundits are already proclaiming as welcome shift of attention, if it leads to some concrete, if not conclusive, actions to restore the lost faith...
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i know i would be hated for this... but if you don't believe me... here is the definite pointer...
I’m not naïve about spot fixing, I’ve written more than a few pieces about it. I know it goes on. But in pointless ICL, IPL or Pro40 games.
before you link my nationality with this post and dismiss it as rant of another ipl chastity protector... let me clear at outset that i am not beating my chest over ipl... it is the matter of principle, attitude and responsibility...
the matter of spraying words just to make an interesting narrative... and bcoz jrod is angry that his cricket, he so dearly loves, which has been maligned, so he has got the right to throw accusations at anything he pleases...
it is also surprising as well as disappointing that on one count coz he is looking to make career out of cricket, he dearly loves, and is one of the most followed blogger on blogosphere... who has just given in to the verbal diarrhea over facts and substance just to make narrative interesting...
and here, i was thinking that here comes the one who will not at least give in to cheap sensationalism over substance that is so prevalent these days...
so either jrod has conclusive proofs of spot fixing in ipl and will share it with all of us for the benefit of cleansing cricket he dearly loves or at least has the grace to put an apology to admit that this was one lose word too many...
coz in failing to do so he invariably stands in same corner like the ones who blaim cricketers... players are cheats and hence malign cricket more than anything without actually having anything in support to show for their accusations...
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last time when younis khan faced match fixing charges and he and intikhab alam were made to face parliamentary board to lose a game... i wondered whether pakistan really need a captain...
....and if they really need would it be better if they organise a draw before every match and whoever name comes out should be send to do the toss to make it less fussy...
but seriously... this time some selfish souls with no remorse to what their action will lead to... again managed to dig lowest of depth to embarrass pakistan cricket... as if they own it...
they didn't even bother to finish the series first and then do the talking... the easiest way they have come up with is to surrender a match they should have won knowing very well that after that they won't have to do anything... the waiting ex-cricketers who have nothing but the 'best of intentions' for pak cricket will lap up the opportunity like a starving dog catches a bone... making media sound as step cousin in making noises... not that media is complaining... they thrive on these situations which keeps their eye balls from falling away...
but where does this leaves pak cricket... why every time it needed to be embarrassed to make a point...?
in a team there will always be difference of opinions... and not every time players will like the decisions team management or captain takes... then why these players can not accept the differences and just play to the best of their abilities... the very thing which made them stars and have the courage to do the coup as and when they want... but more importantly and surprisingly too... why pcb is silent spectator to all the drama that is happening to boost the egos of these selfish souls...?
so the player who was asked to step down due to another revolt and who openly declared that he won't neither open nor come at no. 3 again is made to play in the team... the player who pick and chose the format that interest him... always shuns the responsibility... is made to believe that he is the messiah of pak cricket... the captain who has just won you a t20 world cup... is made to look like a criminal on parole... and the player who made the mockery of pakistan cricket by his flip-flops is rewarded the leadership of the team...
can even the daily soap opera get better than this...?
if i were pcb i would have made more money by giving media rights to these off field dramas than the actual play on the field... talking about seeing opportunities in adversities...
but seriously... with the riches of talent pakistan cricket has... its beyond me why they keep falling to the whims and fancies of these players who have nothing but their own agendas to settle... have no interest where the team is heading... or how the pakistan cricket is getting projected in front of world... in fact actively participate to make it a 'butt' of joke...
does the match fixing only happens when the money is being offered and taken...? does this act not tantamount to match fixing... and if yes will someone take step in this direction...?
its never too late to make a fresh start...
why can't pakistan shun these players from its system... its far better to lose a game on cricketing skills than losing a game just coz some players with vested interest wanted it that way...
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...without match fixing involved that is...?
while there is no denying that pakistan didn't push themselves against australia they would have normally had their chances depended on the outcome of the match... even before the match started pak fans were discussing the fact that how pakistan wants to meet 'weak' new zealand at wanderers assuming they have already won the semifinal...
this is what i commented on pakistan chances couple of days before their match...
regarding your match against nz... i have this feeling pakistan is taking it very lightly the match is going to be at wanderers where they were reduced to five for nothing against a weaker westindies... and with your lower middle order have been hardly tested... caution won't hurt pakistan's chances...
the fact that was confirmed by team pakistan attitude that new zealand is there just to make up the numbers and the way pakistan played in initial part of their innings... even then i won't be surprised if they would have thought that the target of 230 odd is enough for them to defend against new zealand...
the loss of pakistan can be attributed to the fact that first they didn't push themselves and in second match they allowed new zealand to pull the red carpet beneath their feet... for being arrogantly complacent...
but powers at pakistan cricket just can't digest the fact that pakistan team can be defeated by anything but for match fixing... not by the better cricket from other team... not by opposition team being the better team on given day... nothing... but only match fixing can cause pak defeat...
but this time they have beaten themselves with the stretch of imagination... they have accused indians (bcci) of influencing umpires so that pak can be defeated in the semifinal...!!
so what about our 'inability' to influence umpires when WE played against them...?
needless to say that these 'gentlemen' are harming pak cricket more than anybody... and i don't know if they have time and inclination to look within for a change... but more importantly if only they can learn to keep their mouth shut when mic is placed in front of their mouths... in search of cheap 15 minutes to the fame... pakistan cricket would be alive and kicking...
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