Use of Bollywood Actress for Match Fixing

Indian bookie Vicky Saith has opened a new pendora box of match fixing allegations. ICC is looking to investigate the allegations, that Indian bookies have fixed the results of English County and some International matches by the help of bollywood actresses.

Newspaper Sunday Times from London published a heading on its front page "English Cricket in Bung Scandal". The newspapers reported, it had evidence that massive amount was offered to players for fixing the results of international matches including Semi Final of World Cup 2012 which was played between Pakistan and India.

Newspapers says batsman were offered Rs. 70 Lakhs for slow bating, bowlers were offered Rs. 35-40 Lakhs for under performing. Rs. 3 crore was offer for players or official who was in position of fixing the results of a match.

The newspapers also reported that unidentified Bollywood actress was also used for attracting the players towards match fixing.

This newspaper has published the statement of a Bookie from India that English County is easy target for match fixing because of low profile matches and nobody monitors these matches. Therefore, there are no hurdles in making good money from English county.

In response to these media reports, ICC spokesman told the media "We are grateful for the information and will launch an inquiry for these serious allegations”.

These allegations come into existence after first ever English cricketer Mervyn Westfield was send to jail for match fixing corruption. 

Mazher Majeed’s Allegations Against Indians and Australians

In England during hearing of Fraud case against Pakistani cricketers, a recording of conversation between Bookie Mazaher Majid and Reporter Mazhar Mehmood has been presented. According to this recording Mazher Majeed has claimed that almost all senior Australian cricketers are involved in match fixing and spot fixing. He also added that he was in contact with Indian players Harbhjan Sing and Youvraj Sing. He also disclosed his contacts with some other Pakistani players like Umer Akmal, Kamran Akmal and Imran Farhat.

Now this is test case for ICC. Can ICC launch inquiry against Australian and Indians? Australian board has already rejected Mazhar Majeed’s allegations. ICC, BCCI and CA were the strong supporters of Mazher Majeed’s allegations against Pakistani players. But now CA is not taking  his allegations against Australians serious. Though BCCI has not showed its reaction till now, but some senior players has denied Mazher Majeed’s allegations against Indian players. Remember that these senior players were very furious against Pakistani players when they were named by Mazher Majeed as fixers, but now when he named some Indians they are furious against Mazher Majeed instead of Indian players. This attitude shows double standards of Indians and Australians. One can understand that they are not sincere with the game; otherwise they were due to demand similar inquiry as it was in case of Pakistani players.

If ICC is sincere in prevention of match fixing in cricket, it should contact Mazher Majeed and should launch inquiry for judging the allegations but if ICC remained silent against Australians and Indians it would be considered that all this drama was only a conspiracy against Pakistani players. 

No Difference Between WWE Wrestling Umpires and Cricket Umpires

Some countries are opposing Umpire Referral System in cricket matches. In absence of this system there is no difference between Cricket Umpires and WWE umpires. Most of the time when watching wrestling, umpire gives such wrong decisions that any one can judge these as fraud by the umpire. Due to these decisions every one realizes that these wrestling matches are fixed and these are just for entertainment. So many times when we watching the cricket matches these WWE type situations occurs. Because when we watch action replay, so many times decisions of umpires looks like incorrect. In the recent test match between South Africa and Pakistan, 5 decisions of umpires in one inning were look like incorrect. Especially the decision of rejection of appeal from Muhammad Sami for LBW of Jack Kales was the worst one. In this situation why ICC cannot implement Umpire Referral System as part of every match. Is ICC want to see the current unfair situation continue? If yes, what is the reason? Is ICC want to see some team succeeded by the help of umpires? If yes, for what purpose. These unfair decision only help bookies. Then why ICC is not serious in implanting this system. Beside ICC the attitude of Indian Cricket Board is questionable. India is continuously opposing this system. Two reasons can be describe from Indian attitude on this system. Number one, India want to use its powerful position (India position is very strong due to money in ICC now-a-days) for getting the desire results through umpires. Number two, Indian Cricket Board wants to help bookies through umpires because most of the bookies belongs to India. If this is not the case then India should not oppose this system and should demand for implantation of this system in every cricket match. Otherwise the current situation of umpiring is not different from WWE Wrestling Umpires who gives their decisions on the advice of the managers. This situation is not good for cricket and it is destroying the image of cricket game. So if any one is sincere with the game of cricket he should demand for implementation of Umpire Referral System in every form of cricket. 

Mickey Arthur Wants Cheap Popularity

Former South African Cricket Coach Mickey Arthur has doubts about an ODI Match played between Pakistan and South Arica in 2007. He stated that all of a sudden 5 Pakistani Players out for just 20 runs.  Therefore, he is in doubt that Pakistani players were involved in match faxing in that match. If we apply the Mickey Arthur formula for the judgment of match fixing. Every team can be blame for match fixing. Then the recent allegation from Ijaz Butt on English players can be considered true. Because same was the case with English players, they loss the match from very strong position in the recent tour. Even when Waqar and Wasim were on top, they bowled out every team for very low score in last 10 overs and win the matches. Because at that time it was very difficult for batsman to face  swinging yorkers of Wasim and Waqar. After 1992 World Cup Pakistan bowled out 3 times South Africans in the last 10 overs on very low scores in Triangular series, Mickey can review these matches and then can comment, were these matches fixed by the South African. He can also watch the recording of several match played in the recent past. He will find several matches in which all of the sudden bating line collapse and a strong position holder team loss the matches. It has happened with every team. So Mr. Mickey don’t blame any team for just cheap popularity. Use your mind. Don’t forget Mr. Harshal Gibbs, Hansi, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Jadeja and Azhar Ud Din. All these players not belong to Pakistan. And if you are not sleeping comment on Suresh Raina issue also.

Disappointing Role of ICC in Prevention of Match Fixing

It is said that Match Fixing, Fancy Fixing and Spot Fixing exists in the game of cricket since long long ago. Shane Warne and Mark Waugh from Australia, Harshelle Gibbs, Nicky Boy and Hansie Cronje from South Africa, Azhar Ud Din and Ajay Jadeja from India and Salim Malik from Pakistan have faced the allegations of Match fixing. Therefore, for the prevention of Match Fixing ICC has established an unit named Anti Corruption and Security Unit. The duty of this unit is to prevent match fixing and other corruption in game of cricket. But if we review the character of this unit, we can say that either this unit is not serious in prevention of corruption in game or it is  not capable of doing so. Because in recent days if we look at the spot fixing scandal of Pakistan Cricket team, it is clear that Anti Corruption Unit of ICC was totally failed to identify this corruption. It was weekly “World of News” who identified the corruption. So therefore, the role of  Anti Corruption Unit is questionable. One can draw conclusion that for prevention of Match fixing we cannot depend upon this unit.

The question is, what is this unit doing. What is the duty of this Unit? Why ICC does not feel responsibility for its failure. But there is another side of the picture also. Most of the time ICC actions look like they are supporting bookies for some reasons. I will give you one example here. If we look at the World Cup which was played in West Indies and where Pakistan loss his Match to Ireland. One can ask some question about the following two aspects.

Number one “Most of the wickets were balance for Bellowing and Bating”. Number Two “Then why the wicket on which an Asian country (Pakistan) was playing against a European country (Ireland) was prepared to suite the weak team that was Ireland (The wicket was quick and bouncy)”. Because most of the European teams are better then Asian on a quick wicket.  In other words a chance was given to weak team to win against the favorite. Why ICC did so, I think only bookie may concern with the win of weak team. And ICC given a chance to weak team to win and help the bookies. Several times ICC prepares quick and bouncy wickets in a country that have record of slow and dead wickets. It is look like ICC want to get unexpected results for some reasons. So, therefore, I think that another Anti Corruption Unit must be established to have a watch on the corruption of ICC officials also.