ANOTHER day, another scandal. Judging from the media coverage of the cricket betting sting first reported by the News of the World, it would appear that there are no flo­o­ds devastating the count­ry; that millions have not been displaced; and that all is well with the country.
Indeed, it would seem that this innocent nation has just had its first experience of corruption. The shock and horror being expressed in newspaper columns, letters to editors, and on TV talk shows would make anybody think that nobody in our fair land has ever be­en accused or been guilty of misusing his position to illegally line his pocket. But as the brickbats be­gin to fly — with many wanting to string up the accused cr­icketers — so­me Pakistanis have begun formulating a defence. This is the default position we tend to take whenever we are accused of wrongdoing by foreigners. A fri­e­nd has just sent me this em­ail from a certain Dr Ow­ais. I am reproducing it here, mistakes and all: “I believe they are not currupt… or involve in any way. It’s just british conspiracy to hide their mistakes… especially the player who hit Pakistani player and attack him… NO 1 talk about that… every 1 is discussing against Pakistan… Its show hate of english man toward us”.
Another argument was presented in a TV progr­amme featuring two popular anchors. To start wi­th, they sneered at the Ne­ws of the World for be­ing a tabloid that had oc­casionally lost libel suits in the UK for printing al­legations they could not prove. But they failed to mention the fact th­­­at nine times out of 10, the muc­kraking newspaper has nailed its targets, wi­th politicians being for­c­ed to resign after unsa­v­o­ury details ab­o­ut their pr­i­vate lives were published.
It is certainly true that we are often too swift to rush to judgment. But in this case, I would like to know how anybody outside Lord’s could possibly predict precisely wh­en a no-ball would be bo­wled by a particular bo­w­ler. Mathematically, such a coincidence is too rem­ote to be even consider­ed, especially when it ha­ppens three times. Co­m­bined with the footage the undercover journalist has provided of the slea­zy character who collected £150,000 on camera, it would certainly seem there is a smoking gun before us. Finally, no Br­itish newspaper, no matter how sensational, wo­uld risk a major libel case by concocting such a sto­ry without solid proof. I feel particularly sorry for young Moham­med Amir, the rising bo­wling star who has been caught up in the sting op­eration. Here is a hugely gifted 18-year-old who sees a promising career collapsing before his eyes. Cle­arly, he became involved not just out of greed, but due to peer group pressure. When older players told him that bowling the odd no-ball was a harmless thing, and that it would net him some extra cash, he might easily have gone along. I re­c­a­ll starting smoking in college be­c­a­u­se cool friends of mine did. But th­en you don’t get arrested for smoking; you just go to an early grave.
Another thing we forget in our hypocritical fury is that it is not possible to is­olate one institution or group of people, and de­m­and that they maintain higher standards than the rest of society. When just about everybody who can, milks the system, why should we expect our cricketers to be cle­an? The argument that they are well-paid does not hold water: most of the politicians, generals, judges, bankers, busines­smen, cops and bure­auc­rats who are routinely on the take are not exactly st­arving. So when they grow up in an environm­ent where corruption is the norm, not the except­ion, why pretend such su­rprise to find that these yo­ung men have tried to cash in on their position as international cricketers?
Then there is the question of the fleeting nature of stardom. While a few talented cricketers have long and illustrious careers, most fall by the wayside. Even top players retire in their mid-30s when their bodies and reflexes can no longer perform at the highest level. And with younger, fitter players snapping at their heels, the competition to stay in the national team is fierce.
Many young players are from lower-middle class families with little education and no qualifications other than their abilities with bat or ball. Having learned their cricket in lanes and rough fields, th­­ey are all too aware of what poverty means. Can one blame them for not wanting to return to the squalor they have risen out of? Without wanting to excuse the accused pl­a­­­yers of the crime they are being charged with, I am trying to understand the motives behind their actions.
For years now, rumours of match-fixing have swirled around our national squad. To be sure, our cricketers are not the only ones to face such accusations: India, Australia and South Africa have all contended with their share of similar scandals in the past. But it is our team that has been the focus of more controversy than any other. Suddenly, dismal past performances are being re-examined in a different light. Was the Sydney Test deliberately thrown away, as many suggested at the time following a miraculous Australian victory over us? Cynically, several recent results in England appear to be bizarre to the point of being suspicious.
This, of course, is the problem with match-fixing: people begin questioning the validity of past results, and the genuine ones also become suspect. In the past, there have been a series of cover-ups and fudges. Even when there was strong evidence, top players got off with a rap on the knuckles, or a fine. Suspensions were curtailed if a player was valuable enough. The signal this wishy-washy attitude sent out was that even if you were caught, you could still emerge from “enquiries” with reputation intact.
Our cricket administration has been very lax ab­out team discipline, with stars being allowed to get away with all manner of antics. Top players have effectively blackmailed the cricket board to meet their terms. But again, the administrators are a pr­oduct of our society and a system that pre­f­­ers to close its eyes ra­t­h­er th­an take tough action. Gi­v­en these factors, it is ha­rd to see how cricket can be cleansed of corruption when the whole country is so tainted by it.

By arrangement with Dawn