“I have never let my schooling interfere with [email protected] Wide Angle my education.” -Mark Twain Joel Indrupati

Friday, March 30, 2018 11 Ball Tampering: A Bad Week for ’ll do everything I can to make up for my mistake and the damage it has caused”. “IThat’s what , the now disgraced of the Australian Cricket Team, said, after he landed in ISB students get Sydney on Thursday (March 29) night. He was emotionally distraught as he broke into tears saying, “I’m deeply sorry” and “I am absolutely devastated.” I felt sad as I watched - on a news website - the video clip of the press meet held soon after Smith landed back in Australia. And I was thinking of the enormous Hero’s welcome weight of ignominy now, on a man who was once compared to Don Bradman. And also on his two other team mates, who are all penalised. All three, “Steve Smith, and have made very serious mistakes in South Africa,” stated the Australian Cricketer’s Association when their sentences were announced. For ball-tampering caught on camera, Steve Smith is now suspended for 12 months, ordered to complete 100 hours of community work within Aussie cricket, and ruled ineligible to captain Australia for two years. This had happened in Australia’s third test match against South Africa. The fourth test begins today (Friday, 30 March). But, The Mini Olympics Overall champions with ISB officials. without Steve Smith –- who is now back in Australia, Manama Palaniswamy,Staff each and every member, there of the two-week long Mini caught in this thick scandal, which might remain in he Indian School Bahrain Representative Johnson is no doubt that our school Olympics organised by the public memory for a long time. (ISB) Executive Committee K Devassy, Physical team has reached another great Bahrain Olympic Committee in However, ball-tampering is not altogether new. congratulatedT the ISB school Education HoD Saikat level of success,” Natarajan said. cooperation with the Ministry Hi-tech television systems are new. team members on winning Sarkar,Vice Principals and Saji Antony congratulated of Education. With today’s high definition cameras, their increased the overall championship the PE teachers were in the team members on their The fifth edition of the School number, their special placements, their various angles, in the Fifth Bahrain School attendance. excellent performance and Mini Olympics saw over 3,500 and with today’s amazing technology of instant replays, Mini Olympics 2018. ISB Prince S Natarajan said the achievement was students from 58 government zoom-ins and zoom-outs, it is clear that nothing can Chairman Prince S Natarajan, appreciated the sincere efforts possible with the dedication and private schools competing escape the eyes of viewers; or from it being recorded Secretary Saji Antony, Vice and hard work of each member and perseverance of the school in a record 20 sports. Students for posterity. Chairman Jayafar Maidani, of the team and the PE teachers. team with a vision. from various schools from In the past, some ball-tampering was caught. Some EC Member-Sports Rajesh “The secret in winning as a Totalling 53 medals (18 around Bahrain competed of it has gone completely unnoticed. Nambiar, EC Member- team is the cooperation, gold, 17 silver ,18 bronze) in a variety of contests at the Some players were punished with fines or bans. But Academics Muhammad coordination and hard work. the Indian School emerged Khalifa Sports City Stadium in some players have gone scot free. Khursheed Alam,Principal VR Since these traits are seen in overall champions at the end Isa Town. Under Law 41, subsection 3 of the , “the ball may be polished without the use of an artificial substance, may be dried with a towel if it is wet, and have mud removed from it under supervision; all other actions which alter the condition of the ball are illegal”. These are usually taken to include rubbing the ball Manama on the ground, scuffing with a fingernail or other sharp et another golden feather is added to object, or tampering with the seam of the ball. the cap of NMS-DPS by Anvi Sameer of England, , Shahid TiwariY by excelling in Progress in International Afridi and of Pakistan, of Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2016. India and and of South The results were issued by the International Africa have all been charged with ball-tampering, and Education Association (IEA). The punished with fines or bans. school Principal Arun Kuumar Sharma, Even of India was once accused Teacher Sandhya Menon and student Anvi of ball tampering when, according to him, he was just Sameer Tiwari, were awarded by the Ministry cleaning the seams of the ball, from dirt. He was fined. of Education for the excellent performance But the ICC later retracted the fine after a thorough in the exam. PIRLS provides internationally investigation. comparative data on how well children utilize of New Zealand, of the opportunities provided by the education England and Inzamam-ul-Haq of Pakistan have also systems and the factors that influence students been accused. But they were later cleared of the charges. in using these opportunities. It provides There was even an interesting incident where internationally comparative data on how well Pakistan once lost a match to England because they children read by assessing grade 4 students’ refused to come back to play, after tea. They were reading achievement and offers policy-relevant protesting what they said was an unjust accusation information for improving teaching and of ball tampering. Umpires Darrel Hair and Billy learning. Doctrove waited for a while, and then awarded the test Anvi, who is currently pursuing her Grade match win, to England. VI, obtained a commendable score of 580 in This week’s case, however, is a clear case of cheating this respect. The school has been placed in as the viral videos are proving to us. But, let us hope High Level of achievement in PIRLS,2016. it will be a lesson to others. Just like what Steve Smith Chairman Dr. Ravi Pillai, Managing himself said. Director Geetha Pillai and the Principal Arun “If any good can come from this, if it can be a lesson Kuumar Sharma thanked the Ministry of to others, then I hope I can be a force for change.” Education for their efforts and support. They also congratulated the student and her parents (The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of this newspaper.) on her success. Anvi Sameer Tiwari with Principal Arun Kuumar Sharma