Oracle of Delphi
Arnold
Paladin
Shan Jayaweera
KC Hill
Cibbuano
Craig HillBall Tampering or Process Tampering?
September 27th 2006 07:33
For Inzamam Ul Haq to appear before the ICC Disciplinary Panel over one full month after the alleged offence completely undermines the important process of keeping player behaviour in check. Whether the Pakistan captain is innocent or otherwise cricket would have been far better served with an immediate hearing disregarding the availability of certain supposedly key individuals.
The demands that the hearing could only be held when the excellent adjudicator Madugalle was present further underline the disproportionate degree of influence exerted in some quarters of the ICC. A hearing with the best available person immediately after the abandoned test match would have provided a far more acceptable scenario than the current passage of events that has included a predictable sequence of carefully leaked rumours and infamous e-mails.
Whatever the outcome sufficient time has elapsed such that cricket’s rumour mill has been in full swing, all to the advantage of the Pakistani case. Allegations about the state and whereabouts of the ball, the timing of the agreements of umpires over the decision and subsequent hearsay about who said what when have all undermined the serious and petulant offence committed by the Pakistan captain in not returning to the field after tea on day 4 of the fourth test at the Oval.
Regardless of the support or otherwise of the Pakistani people as quoted today on the BBC by Inzamam the game is to be played at all times under the stewardship of the umpires. The ICC have in place procedures for airing grievances and these do not include insulting the fans that paid good money to see a full fixture that was evolving into an entertaining contest.
In making his original decision and following it up in the way that he has Inzamum has duped himself, the crowd and his own teammates who would have been looking forward to recording a moral boosting win after a competitive series. Instead we have Inzamam and his team mates moaning about the lack of evidence and other incidental factors that have nothing to do with his poorly thought out decision to remain in the dressing rooms.
Fellow team mates I’m sure would rather have been regaling themselves this week with stories of a herioic run chase on the final day of the Oval test rather than reading conspiracy theories about their captain and Pakistan cricket in the papers.
The Pakistan captain should be held to account for his behaviour and disciplined for bringing the game into disrepute. Whether he is subsequently charged for ball tampering is a secondary issue to the far more important precedent that the ICC will set in ensuring that the officials of the game are held in highest esteem regardless of the circumstances.
David Hudson
The demands that the hearing could only be held when the excellent adjudicator Madugalle was present further underline the disproportionate degree of influence exerted in some quarters of the ICC. A hearing with the best available person immediately after the abandoned test match would have provided a far more acceptable scenario than the current passage of events that has included a predictable sequence of carefully leaked rumours and infamous e-mails.
Whatever the outcome sufficient time has elapsed such that cricket’s rumour mill has been in full swing, all to the advantage of the Pakistani case. Allegations about the state and whereabouts of the ball, the timing of the agreements of umpires over the decision and subsequent hearsay about who said what when have all undermined the serious and petulant offence committed by the Pakistan captain in not returning to the field after tea on day 4 of the fourth test at the Oval.
Regardless of the support or otherwise of the Pakistani people as quoted today on the BBC by Inzamam the game is to be played at all times under the stewardship of the umpires. The ICC have in place procedures for airing grievances and these do not include insulting the fans that paid good money to see a full fixture that was evolving into an entertaining contest.
In making his original decision and following it up in the way that he has Inzamum has duped himself, the crowd and his own teammates who would have been looking forward to recording a moral boosting win after a competitive series. Instead we have Inzamam and his team mates moaning about the lack of evidence and other incidental factors that have nothing to do with his poorly thought out decision to remain in the dressing rooms.
Fellow team mates I’m sure would rather have been regaling themselves this week with stories of a herioic run chase on the final day of the Oval test rather than reading conspiracy theories about their captain and Pakistan cricket in the papers.
The Pakistan captain should be held to account for his behaviour and disciplined for bringing the game into disrepute. Whether he is subsequently charged for ball tampering is a secondary issue to the far more important precedent that the ICC will set in ensuring that the officials of the game are held in highest esteem regardless of the circumstances.
David Hudson
| 87 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Content on this site is written and mediated by Craig Hill
Go to Craig Hill's home page for information about corporate training courses, university preparation courses and writing services available
Go to Craig Hill's home page for information about corporate training courses, university preparation courses and writing services available
Comment by Anonymous
He wants these kinds of scandals so that he can sell his books,
does this bring reute to game?