Rigging the Game

The involvement of the People who have managed to Fix Matches in the ongoing Cricket world Cup from places as far as Nairobi and London has disturbed the avid cricket Fan a great deal.
The game which saw a lot of passion, determination to excel in the early 60’s and 70’s has been replaced by the lure of money and greed and games have been thrown in connivance with the bookies who operate in nexus with the top cricketing officials. Most of the top officials who have no knowledge of the game whatsoever are involved in running and administration of the same has ruined the ‘’gentlemen’s ‘’ game.
It all started in the western world where games like Boxing and wrestling(WWF) were fixed long back at the cost of the avid viewers and with some games where betting became legal the sports lost the competitiveness as Money replaced Passion and the will to win against all odds.
The ICC is said to be looking for bookies and has confirmed that a minimum of 7 matches have been found to be fixed -the most prominent amongst them being between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Let’s revisit some of the statistics which definitely has raised a few eyebrows.
India were 267 for 1 in 39 over’s against South Africa. The South Africans were down and out and preparing for a massive onslaught /run riot. The Indians lost the next 9 wickets for a mere 29 runs.
India made 338 against England but there were an astounding 139 DOT BALLS in that game- an incredible 23.1 overs were bowled by England without a run being scored. In real terms India scored 338 in a mere 25 overs (they were bowled out in the 48th Over), the run rate being an brain scratching 13.52 per over.
The IPL played on the same lines of the EPL (English premier League)-Football saw massive rigging and betting as several politicians hobnobbed and vied with one another to enter as franchisees seeking lucrative players to rake in profits. Fortunately the people saw the mess and the infighting amongst the politicians ,some of the players bogeying in late night parties with a glass of wine in one hand and damsels from the film world in another.
The World Cup suddenly has fewer viewers as the poeple are gullible no more and can easily spot the chinks in the armor. Countries like Pakistan have lost talented young batsmen and bowlers due to spot fixing recently who tried to make easy money forsaking their patriotism in the bargain.
I personally feel that empty cricket stands in the near future in protest against this willful deceit committed by the players and cricket officials across the world will restore the mindless sanity that has invaded the game which has cost us from watching the gentleman’s game with pride and dignity.