Pakistan Duo at the Centre of a No-Ball Scam by Crooked Bookies

14 Monday 30th August, 2010 Limited overs tri-series o, Yahaluweni, if you The Chesterfield Files PCB, with the involve- it was suggested “In the best interests, international level, especially as the thought the Suraj ment of the ICC Anti along with your own enquires, and that World Cup looms in six months. More Morne scores SRandiv no-ball episode Corruption and Security of others involved and implicated, for- dirty tricks are likely to emerge as this was a mild verbal storm Unit, are fully assisting get why there is no re-opening of the latest police investigation continues breathtaking century emerging on a Dambulla those enquiries. commission.” and again, the question asked more in no result game evening, revelations of how “No players or team Was this an indirect threat not to than once, is how much do officials Pakistan Test players have officials have been arrest- continue with questions why the com- know and are keeping quiet instead of BY ROSHEN STEELMAN been caught in the act has ed in relation to this inci- mission was closed without the full cleaning up the muddied patches that South Africa ‘A’ opening bat even more, if not serious dent and the fourth npow- findings being issued? It is hard to say. are gathering on their doorstep. Morne van Wyk hammered an implications, for the game. er Test will continue as Obfuscation surrounded much of the Here the Asia Cricket Council and unbeaten century in 78 deliveries Let us not make light of scheduled on Sunday. As King Commission probe and its final the African Cricket Board need to be against Sri Lanka ‘A’, but the third this issue, as the exposé is this is now subject to a outcome. involved as some of the allegations of game of the Limited overs tri-series serious enough to add more police investigation the This emerged when making an offi- such scams have emerged over the tournament was called off due to damage to the game on the by Trevor Chesterfield ICC, ECB, PCB, or the cial query of the ICC ACSU officials years. It also questions whether the rain at the Nondescripts Cricket altar of nefarious greed. ground authority, the during the Champions Trophy when it ICC’s ACSU is really doing the job it Club grounds in Colombo, yesterday. And this is at a time when MCC, will make any fur- was held in Colombo in September 2002. says it is if what has been revealed here South Africa ‘A’, after being put the International Cricket Council’s ther comment.” An official request for information of is an example of what can be done? into bat in overcast conditions, anti-corruption and security unit This is one side of the immoral when Cronje was interviewed by the With the World Cup starting on scored 151 runs for the loss of two thought they had all bases covered. episode of how others, in a sense, have ACSU, whether it was before or after February 19 in Dhaka, Bangladesh with wickets, before the match was called Under the banner headline set out to defraud the game of its hon- the King Commission, in Cape Town or the opening game between India and off due to rain. “Caught!” in the British tabloid News of esty and so-called Spirit of Cricket. It is in Bloemfontein, met with a reply how Bangladesh, ICC cannot afford a dirtied Morne van Wyk and Dean Elgar The World, the shady background of image of its product. As it is CWC11 is shared 89 runs between them for the illegal bookies and middle men with an event that has been so poorly pro- third wicket after they lost two quick Asian links and have been allowed to filed, you start to wonder just how seri- wickets earlier. van Wyk’s innings infiltrate the game like the grubby Pakistan duo at the centre of a ous are the so-called local organising included 13 fours and two sixes, while pimps they are, have been caught in a committees working and what are their inform batsman Dean Elgar made 33. smart sting operation. no-ball scam by crooked bookies . . . overpaid, underworked roles in promot- Farveez Maharoof was the most This is not match-fixing as such, ing the event. successful bowler for Sri Lanka, pick- where players are asked to underper- Now that Sri Lanka have won the ing two wickets for 16 runs. form, but a spot betting scam that triangular final by beating a badly-per- Brief Scores: involves the delivery of a no-ball at a forming Indian team, they will no doubt South Africa ‘A’ 151 for 2 wickets certain time. In this case, Mohammad feel they have, to an extent, salvaged in 27 Overs (Morne van Wyk 100 n.o., Amir and Mohammad Asif; also impli- something from their efforts and feeble Dean Elgar 33 n.o.; Farveez Maharoof cated is the wicketkeeper Kamran More Enemies Asia Cup final display. Yet, the game on 2 for 16) Akmal. He was, if your memory can Saturday lacked competiveness from stretch back that far, to the Australian the time the Indian bowling attack mis- Test against Pakistan in Sydney where fired so badly from the start, whatever Hamilton wins allegations of indiscipline emerged. game plan they had was lost in transla- Events surrounding the current tion. It asks the question yet again, of Belgian GP to Lord’s Test, the fourth of the series at the Gate match preparation and whether after take F1 lead involving Pakistan and England, have umpteen days spent at Rangiri been highlighted with photographs why the game needs tougher interna- for legal reasons, they were unable to Dambulla International Stadium, which BY PAUL LOGOTHETIS showing the no-balls being delivered. tional action and far fuller investiga- provide such information. includes the Asia Cup, if the Indian SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Well, as they could be any no-ball deliv- tions, similar to the South African All it was needed for was to update bowlers know the right length to bowl Belgium (AP) - Lewis Hamilton ered, it is hard to say whether they Government’s decision in 2000 to probe part of the chapter on the Hansie at this venue. overcame a late slip to win the were the actual no-balls or not. the Hansie Cronje malpractice events Cronje in the book “South Africa’s It makes it so easy for batsmen to Belgian Grand Prix and take the Swift action by the London which they attempted to do with Edwin Cricket Captains” (Zebra 2003). It was score as freely as they did if the overall lead of the Formula One Metropolitan Police in arresting a 35- King Commission. not a surprising cul-de-sac. But then, bowlers are going to serve up four-ball championship on Sunday. year-old man asking bowlers to deliver Unfortunately, a reopening of the officialdom and establishment have freebies the way they did for the bats- Hamilton ran wide with nine a “no-ball on demand” scam to profit case, and the findings ways of closing down certain issues men to take full advantage and plunder laps to race but recovered to keep the from those with whom he is laying his of the King without the need to explain. as boundaries flowed and there was lead and edge second-place Mark bets, does explain just how easy it can Commission, were As for the latest events in London, some sloppy fielding as well. Webber of Red Bull. Webber dropped be for those so inclined to get hooked on for certain diplo- the Pakistan team manager, Yawar A good look at Sri Lanka’s line and to second in the overall standings such a dirty perversion. matic reasons, Saeed, said police had told him they length and disciplined bowling strate- after failing to defend his pole posi- Apart from shaming your name, first shelved and had arrested one man in connection gies was an exemplary reason why tion out of the start. those involved shame the game as well then dropped all with the allegations but he denied India were always under pressure, and Jenson Button’s championship as the players and as such the match together. There reports that officers had confiscated here the team’s management deserve hopes took a hit after the defending involved and the country. Allegations was no explana- mobile phones and laptops or that they credit for their efforts to keep a disci- F1 champion was knocked out of the floating in Indian Premier League cir- tion, and on had found money stashed in players’ plined attack firing the way it did. Sure race when Sebastian Vettel crashed cles have, for some time, pointedly enquiry, rooms. there were some umpiring errors, a into him during a failed overtaking suggested how the 2009 event News agency reports say the mass couple of highly questionable one as maneuver. staged in South Africa was circulation Sunday tabloid, claimed it well. Dinesh Karthik burgled off the Hamilton’s 14th career win far from clean. There was given pre-warning of three sepa- thigh pad, Yuvraj Singh escaping a nick means the Briton has 182 points - have since been added rate (no-ball) incidents by the Pakistan behind, the marginal lbw appeal three more than Webber - as the top claims of the involve- team. Members of its reporting against Mahela Jayawardene, added to two opened up a gap over the other ments of senior play- team had posed as businessmen a number of what has not been a memo- title favorites. ers, not just Sri and paid a middleman who told rable tournament for umpires. Vettel stayed third with 151 Lankans, as well as them exactly what would hap- No batsman feels comfortable when points, Button is fourth with 147 and others. pen in the next day’s play. facing a rampant bowling attack when Fernando Alonso of Ferrari aban- None of which The allegations related to there are doubts as well about the com- doned the race after spinning out to have been denied. three “no-balls” delivered petency of the standards of umpiring. remain fifth on 141. Six races remain Just as the shady by Mohammad Amir Bowlers sniff at faltering batsmen and with the Italian GP next on Sept. 12. events over major (two) and Mohammad their hesitant technique, like a lion Robert Kubica of Renault was accusations of how Asif (one), on Thursday hunting a fresh kill, ready to strike. It third in the race ahead of Felipe the Sri Lanka June and Friday. has been seen often enough. Massa of Ferrari, while Force tour of Zimbabwe A check on the score- (email: [email protected]) India’s Adrian Sutil completed the was marred by a board shows that Amir top five. major incident that delivered four no balls and Hamilton’s victory means nine led to certain diplo- a wide, Asif two no balls and of 13 races have been won by drivers matic negotiations Wahab Riaz, eight no balls and not on pole. Red Bull has taken pole and money had to two wides. for 12 of the 13 races. change hands to This throws the game Hamilton jumped into the lead as keep it all quiet, has into a seriously damaging Webber started slowly to sit fifth also not been phase and why the ICC behind Kubica, Button, Vettel and rebutted by those at needs to launch a full judi- Massa. Sri Lanka Cricket. cial probe into all events Button overtook Kubica to put Emails from two reli- of such a nature sur- McLaren in the driver’s seat while able media sources in rounding the game at Alonso dropped into 18th after sur- Harare (names and identi- viving Rubens Barrichello’s crash ties withheld to protect them into him on the second lap, with the from harassment by local safety car deployed and rain falling. authorities), have confirmed Barrichello didn’t return to com- the details. Why have SLC not plete his record 300th GP. acted on this and it is under- Vettel pushed ahead of Kubica stood the manager’s report, is into third behind the McLarens and a question of player protection Webber got past Massa for fourth at a time when the game is in when the safety car came in and the need of serious disciplined sun came out. action. But the circuit was still slick In London, a photograph of and Vettel skidded into the side of the man involved in the no-ball Button. scam showing him seated “It’s a massive blow, a massive behind a pile of £150 000 is bad blow,” Button told the BBC. “It was enough. The other revelation looking really good. I don’t know is how he gave them informa- what happened with Sebastian.” tion regarding the timing of After knocking Button out of the when the three no-balls would race, Vettel’s drive-through penalty be delivered is more damaging. knocked him into 13th and a punc- Colin Gibson, who replaced tured tire lap eventually saw him Brian Murgatroyd as the ICC’s drop out of the points to finish 15th. head of media and communi- Rain fell over the close of the cations, was race with Hamilton losing the line quick to issue and going into the gravel at Rivage. a statement But the 2008 champion, who picked yesterday in up his first win here, avoided the which he said, wall and his 12-second lead allowed “Metropolitan him to stay in front. Police have Webber jumped ahead of Kubica informed the following a poor pit stop by the ICC, ECB and Polish driver and Hamilton hung on PCB that their in the rain after the safety car was investigations deployed with five laps to go after continue and Dirty tricks department: Mohammad Amir (left) and Mohammad Asif . . . implicated in no-ball Alonso lost control after coming out ICC, ECB and scam at Lord’s in the fourth Test between Pakistan and England Les Combes.