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18 SUNDAY TIMES OF New , November 2, 2003 SPORT

pril 7, 2000. It was a pleasant Fri- spiracy; but even it suddenly lost inter- day morning. The cold fingers of est after a few days of excitement. Awinter were already losing their Everybody had reached (or was forced frosty and biting sting. We were in the to reach?) a dead end. process of putting to bed our new baby When innocence was fixed to die A few months later, Cronje died in a (CricketTalk), and looking forward to mysterious plane crash: the betting the long weekend. There was bon- the Delhi cops. We jumped at them: , a couple of years ago, and match-fixing episode was eventu- homie in the tiny newsroom. “But that is not Hansie,” we pointed BETWEEN THE LINES looked sinister now. As expected, the ally buried as a horrible nightmare, Suddenly, the editor stormed in, out triumphantly. It wasn’t. But then, police and various boards along with his unidentified remains. screaming at the top of his voice: stop they were merely reading out tran- Bobbilli Vijay Kumar couldn’t gather any evidence. At least six cricketers in India, proba- press, stop press. “Hansie has been scripts from the taped conversation There was probably only one way to bly, see his ashen face when they look caught for fixing matches,” he an- that he had had with some bookies. before the story broke), on the morning A few names surfaced as investiga- catch the betrayers: check their in- into the mirror even now. nounced breathlessly.We looked at him We stopped working: our weekend of the final against Pakistan. “I love tions raged. Masks were ripped out of comes. Unfortunately, they all got so One of them ranted at a press con- incredulously, then burst out laughing was destroyed. The entire edifice of the shopping,” he said. “And I like to live it innocent faces: they revealed some much time that they could have very ference, cried during an interview and and continued with our work. holy cricket structure crumbled along up,” he added. I was supposed to do a very well-known ones and some loved easily dispersed off the loot, or at least cleaned his own image very smartly; “I am serious,” he declared again. with it. soft story, on Hansie the person, not ones, from virtually every country.The transferred it away to safer havens. another player took the quieter route Nobody believed him. Despite all the My mind slowly raced to my last trip Hansie the great leader or motivator. bookies, the dons or whoever else was Some took advantage of the govern- back on to the social circuit; a third one whispers on the circuit. And all the to Sharjah. Images of Hansie Cronje In retrospect, one can now see the running the racket, had chosen their ment’s voluntary disclosure of income is now on the threshold of returning to strange things that we saw on the field flashed in front of my eyes; one picture shiftiness in his eyes; there was a dan- targets very, very carefully: players scheme and escaped. Even if it wasn’t innocence and freedom. during recent cricket matches. keeps coming back even today: Cronje gerous restlessness in his body lan- with immaculate reputations, men meant for them. The other three might be waiting for “Switch on the television and see and his wife with huge shopping bags. guage too. Nobody suspected it would with ‘great integrity’ and stars with As time rolled, the cricket boards their turn. yourself,” he barked. He sounded seri- I saw the same scene the next day, and turn out to be so dangerous. A few days bundles of talent. Almost all of them probably realised the enormity of the God alone knows how many more ous, and seemed to be in a state of the next day too. later, after the initial denials, he con- were beyond trust now. crime and its possible repercussions: were actually involved? And who else shock. Somebody punched the buttons For one naughty moment, I thought fessed to a few terrible mistakes. For a few months, as the clouds of each one of them conducted inquiries was part of that diabolical conspiracy on the remote and the great heist fil- that was a lot of shopping during a big The world was flabbergasted: crick- cynicism hung over the horizon, al- and announced their verdicts: Not against the game? We gullible fans are tered into our sensibilities. tournament. et’s most professional and eager team most everybody was branded a traitor. guilty,not guilty,not guilty. condemned to forget the follies of all A few moments later, one channel I still remember my interview with had been caught with its hand in the Even the seemingly innocuous parting Many expected the King’s Commis- our heroes and to worship them like started playing the tape recorded by him (probably the last by a journalist money box. of information by Shane Warne and sion in South Africa to unravel the con- blind fools. is back with his ebullient smile HOW THE STORY UNFOLDED By Dinesh Chopra this season. Youngsters can learn so much just by ob- They were the biggest names in the world of Indian cricket. They were dragged into the match-fixing scandal. Investigations jay Jadeja can beat serving him.” Coach Madan and courts could, however,not find any evidence against them. As gets the opportunity to come back into the main- any number of air- Lal agrees. “We all know his Ahostesses hands down. cricketing acumen. His mere stream, Shashank Shekhar looks at the course their lives took since the scandal broke Whatever happens the guy presence in the line-up give just keeps smiling. You just us a headstart over our ri- : LARGER One-day specialist while also knocking at the Test Test and a few One-dayers for India during which he can’t make out what mood vals. He’s been out of the doors. The glamourous and adored batsman soon be- got close to Md Azharuddin. The friendship was much he’s in as he seems a ready- game for three years but he’s THAN LIFE, AGAIN made Smiley. Maybe, some- came much-reviled and the target of innuendoes of all dissected in the wake of the fixing opus. Sharma, abreast with whatever has hen Delhi Police named the then South hues. His burgeoning career was snapped after the along with him chum, was banned for life. one should try and whisper, gone on in that period which “World is coming to an end in African skipper Hansie Cronje in the match- board banned him for five-years. Jadeja’s immediate But before the board indictment, Sharma was ban- is quite remarkable consid- fixing scam on April 7, 2000, cricket fans reaction:‘‘There is nothing for me to look forward to in ished by Delhi midway through the 1999-00 season. another hour” to see if the ering that it is difficult to W smile vanishes. keep the motivation going.” hardly expected Kapil Dev’s name to be dragged cricket. I’m affected the most by the ban and I don’t Sharma turned to Himachal, played a game for them Even on Friday, while Sounds good but wait. into the sordid saga. The nation was shocked when want to play for this board.’’ in the next season, before the curtain came down. training at the Delhi Ranji There are others in the former BCCI chief IS Bindra told CNN on May 4, However, Jadeja knew he couldn’t live without The whole episode took a toll on his regular em- Trophy camp, Jadeja was hit team who feel his presence 2000, that had told him that Kapil cricket and he left Haryana to join the Jammu & Kash- ployment in the English league too when Ribblesdale on the head by an Amit Bhan- in the team is already serv- Dev had offered him money to underachieve in a mir Ranji team and even played a match for them in League club Padiham withdrew their new contract to dari bouncer. But the smile ing as a deterrent. “He’s was still there. “It’s just one of match against Pakistan in 1994. To make matters the 2000-01 season, ironically against Haryana.While Padiham as they didn’t want to have a professional robbed a promising young- worse, Kapil was the coach of the Indian team at he did score a century in that match, it was his last “who had been banned by his those things. I’ve been hit ster of his place in the team. badly in the past,” he told the time. before being banned. country.’’ Sharma, who Quite a few players feel What followed was the inevitable public trials, Jadeja was soon petitioning Delhi High has the third highest TNN. Sure enough there are cheated by that. It isn’t his scars on that body and soul fault but this reaction is nat- unrelenting media scrutiny, income tax raids, CBI Court in an effort to salvage his career. all-time first class which can freshen up any- ural. Then, examination, legal wranglings, tears on TV and a And the court did give him a ray of batting average time. “Noth- his manner- shattered image. A cornered Kapil declared in Au- light by overturning the ban in (for those hit- ing, I’m not Jadeja’s return isms, his gust 2000: ‘‘I’m through with cricket.’’ He relin- January 2003, saying there was ting 10,000 settling any moves sug- quished the coaching job the next month. no proof he was guilty. Jadeja’s or more), is personal hasn’t been mu- gest he scores. I love Kapil wriggled out of the mess after the CBI ac- response: ‘‘Cricket is my life carrying on wants to take quitted him, and within a year, he staged a renais- and has given me a lot. I will with his job the game and sic to many ears the initia- want to get sance which firmly put him in the public domain hopefully represent India in the Cen- in Delhi. The tive,” says once again. While he slowly shed his rancour for again some day.” While the tral Ware- back to it,” he one Delhi says present- DDCA man- player. cricket — he surprised everyone by popping up at board has launched its own de- housing Cor- ing you with darins, selec- Some play- Kotla one day early last year and professing his de- fence by appealing against the HC poration in nonchalance. ers feel that sire to help aspiring pacers — he also took to ama- decision, Jadeja managed to win a the Capital He goes tors, players all their associa- teur golf, promotional events and charity in a big controversial selection for Delhi and shuns all about his job tion (DDCA) way. While a film on his life was announced with last month. glare. He now with his Del- have varied had cheated much fanfare in November 2001 — it hasn’t come In the interregnum, he got draws solace hi team- opinions them by al- mates with into being as yet — he also became the cricket married to Jaya Jaitley’s daugh- in the exploits lowing Jade- mascot for Sony TV, doing a serialised show called ter Aditi who helps look after his of son Manan, a the same at- quintessential nice guy. Sadly, he came to be portrayed ja play for them. “He is not a Kapil Dil Se . What also helped Kapil get back re- business interests. Jadeja also talented left- titude. There’s a friendly role model anymore. How as one of the key figures in the whole affair.And while nudge to “Bhandu” (Bhan- spectability was the ‘‘Indian Cricketer of the Centu- gave shape to his Bollywood arm spinner. can he evoke respect and the cricket board banned him for life in December dari) for being able to sneak ry’’ award in July 2002. aspirations by acting in Suniel adulation that he used to do 2000, he had already been banished from public con- one between grill and hel- Besides, Kapil’s also has his business interests Shetty’s Khel. But it’s on the earlier. Unfortunately, he’s sciousness much before that. met’s beak, pepping up lazy going well with his firm Dev & Dev doing floodlight- cricket field that he’s trying to been cast in a tainted image The much-loved cricketer became the pet hate of youngsters during fielding which is still fresh in the ing for many stadiums. win back the lost acclaim. sessions. But what he’s get- many, a persona non grata. Everything associated with minds. Moreover, he is not Now, while Kapil can be found teeing off at a ting is a mixed response and him — wife Sangeeta Bijlani, friends, many luxurious ac- going to play for India,” a celebrity golf event, he can also be seen giving tips PRABHAKAR: certainly not so friendly. quisitions, cars, Armanis — became taint extensions. senior player remarked. to young cricketers in remote parts of the country. There are some who are hap- IN DISGUISE Stories, some fanciful, about how he hobnobbed with It’s clear that Jadeja’s return In fact, he is more in circulation nowadays than he py to share the change-room hasn’t been music to many n 2000, Manoj Prabhakar bookies and fixers and how he had created unimaginable with Jadeja. There are oth- was even during his playing days. And probably, the ears in Delhi. The DDCA man- shook India’s conscience wealth for himself. His very overt falling out with first wife ers who feel it’s a clear hu- moolah is also coming faster than ever. I darins, selectors, players all twice — first by saying Kapil Naureen, a conservative Muslim lady, did not help either. man rights case by allowing have varied opinions. a “tainted cricketer” to play! AJAY JADEJA: REEL Dev once offered him money to Azharuddin, however, was quick to launch his legal But he is still smiling with- lose a match, and then by the defence in a Hyderabad court which initially did not Says Delhi’s seasoned out a care. And the chances -keeper batsman Vijay LIFE OR REAL LIFE famous (or infamous) provide any succour to him. But Azharuddin saw a re- are if you whisper: “World is tapes which he helped put to- Dahiya: “He’s a champion coming to an end in another or Ajay Jadeja, now 32, the fixing scam came at a prieve when Ajay Jadeja’s five-year ban was over- player. More than the chirp- hour”, he may just smile and Ftime when he was at the peak of his powers as a gether. The former allrounder, turned by the Delhi High Court in January 2003. ing around it is the solidity reply: “An hour is 60 min- once among the regulars of the Public memory is short. While the legal tangle goes that he’ll give to our middle- utes. A lot can be done in national side, wore the look of a on, Azhar has managed to sneak back into public order that should help us that.” crusader and even a martyr for awareness. cricket’s cause. He said: “I’ve He was seen along with politicians and celebrities NO 2397 SUNDAY CROSSWORD succeeded in my mission to at the opening of the Afro-Asian Games recently. And cleanse Indian cricket of its ills.” he is trying to establish a network of his gym, which Soon, though, his own house had a gala opening last year in Hyderabad. came crumbling down after As for cricket, he last played in the 1999-2000 Ran- charges of having hobnobbed ji final against Mumbai.And though he was among the with fixers himself. The board Hyderabad probables for the next Ranji season, he banned him from all cricket for was banned before he could play a game. five years even though his active career was over. But that was not MONGIA: FOR the end of his travails. Prabhakar GOOD OR BAD also got into trouble due to his al- he only one among the six in-the-dock cricketers leged involvement with a fly-by-night who continued to play after being absolved by the leasing and finance company and T CBI and the board of wrongdoing, still faced charges of “cheating” and had to pay a huge price for all those allegation thrown “fraud.” Prabhakar was even arrested by at him — he was removed from the Indian team de- the Uttaranchal police before getting a bail. Neelabh spite being the best ‘keeper in the country. Prabhakar, the ebullient competitor, is now liv- Mongia has continued to play for Baroda regularly ing in the shadows, looking after his line of in first class games to keep alive the debate,‘‘Why was herbal cosmetics Naturence which he launched in he being kept out of the team when there are no 2000. He is almost completely off cricket, and off so- charges?’’ While it’s been known for long that he was ciety too, it would seem. AZHARUDDIN: TIME TO being seen as a ‘‘bad influence’’ in the dressing room, SHARMA: A FLEX HIS MUSCLES and that his activities had evoked suspicion,there was he man who was rocked the most by the fixing no explanation from the board on his omission. It took FRIEND IN NEED Tscam was . The successful Indian to put it on record in a jay Sharma was captaining Delhi when he was captain and charismatic batsman with a regally flam- TV show recently. ‘‘Sachin made it clear he won’t play Aconsumed by the match-fixing scam. A demonic boyant lifestyle was not only a legend but was also if Nayan Mongia was included in the team.’’ That tells scorer in domestic cricket, Sharma played just one seen as the epitome of oriental batsmanship, and a its own story.

his week Position: o you care what BRIDGE He was quick to conclude that T(Stepak v/s CHESS White: Kg2; Qe3; R- Dothers think? A with Double Dummy, he had little Bondar, 3rd Pravin Thipsay b3,d4; Bh3; Nc3; P- politician would Prakash Paranjpe hope. If East shifted to a Spade European Senior a3,b5,d5,e2,f4,g3. grudgingly answer 'yes'. and if the ♠A were offside, the Championship, 2003) Black: Kg8; Qh6;R-c5,c8; A scientist wouldn’t care ♠ 7 4 3 2 defenders had an easy route to we shall see an Bd7; Nf6; P- less. A bridge player, S Dealer five tricks. How could the None Vul ♥ J 4 ♠ J 6 5 unusual and beautiful a7,b7,d6,e4,f5,g6. however, would answer Declarer dissuade East from ♦ A K J 4 2♥ tactical trick. The in the affirmative, with a T 9 8 5 3 considering a Spade shift? ♣ ♦ material is equal but Problem: Black to play smile. The following deal 6 4 2 8 3 Dick Freeman found a neat ♣ White’s pieces, and win. should tell you why. ♠ A Q 9 8 K Q 7 solution. Looking at his particularly the Queen South opened a strong ♥ Q 6 2 opponent's convention card, he and Queen side Rook, Solution: 1Nt and after a ♦ 9 7 6 knew that the lead wasn't as ♣ are awkwardly placed. Black could have won Stayman sequence 2 - ♣ 9 8 3 informative as East would have In order to exploit the with an unexpected 2♦-3Nt, played in the liked it to be. Freeman knew ♠ clumsy position of brilliant tactical stroke Notrump game. West K T about the AT of Clubs, not the White’s pieces, Black 1...g5!! threatening to trap led the ♣9 (0 or 2 ♥ A K 7 East player. On trick one, when must act quickly, the Bishop by advancing honours above 9, that ♦ A K Q 8 East played the ♣Q, Freeman let before White improves his piece the ‘g’ Pawn further. White must play is from AT9, KT9, QT9, ♣ A J T 5 him win the trick in tempo. East position. In the game, Black missed this 2.fxg5 but then there follows another or 9 top). What would continued with the ♣King and possibility and went on to lose the game. brilliant stroke 2...Qxh3+!! 3.Kxh3 f4+ be the prognosis? Freeman made 10 tricks!! Can you spot the pretty combination 4.Kg2 fxe3 with a piece more for Black. Dick Freeman from the Nickell Spingold trophy in seven years in www.demicoma.com which the master overlooked? For example, 5.gxf6 Rxc3 etc. team, which won their sixth the summer of 2003, was South. [email protected]

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