The Kiwi Corruption Files

Corruption. IPL.

Ironic that these two are simultaneously headlining the world of cricket today. Oddly enough it's not India nor Pakistan who are at the forefront of the latest scandals to emerge, instead the beacon is shining on the calm and friendly backwaters of New Zealand cricket.  Who would have thought?

How Bad is it?
Whether corruption exists or not is not even a question. It's there, it's been there for a couple of decades at least. It's been there in plain sight in front of administrators, players and audiences alike. Until recently all have chosen to sweep it under the carpet and pretend it's not real. We all stand with our eyes closed and fingers crossed with an elephant in the room, chanting "if I can't see you, you can't see me".

The real question is not if the elephant is there, but instead just how gigantic it is. I'm not even sure I want to know. If it's so bad that the ICC pretend it doesn't happen, the full truth will get ugly.

An example of the ignorance: the famous India-Pakistan World Cup Semi Final. The ICC watched on all smiles as arguably the two most corrupt teams in the sport engaged in a scripted farce.

The Butt-Asif-Amir affair had undeniable evidence, only then was something done about it. What about those hundreds of cases of obvious under-performing and rigging that didn't have concrete evidence?

But How Did New Zealand Get Involved?
Before the IPL kicked off there was this awful thing called the ICL. This 'rebel' league was basically a hunting ground for disgruntled ex-players to make easy undeserved money through staged exhibition games which nobody cared about. Heck even the ICC wanted nothing to do with it, and that says something.

And as far as disgruntled ex-players goes, New Zealand had plenty to offer. We fielded enough players to almost form a special New Zealand ICL Team:

- Astle
- Cairns
- Hamish Marshall (remember him?)
- McMillan
- Harris
- Parore
- Bond
- Andre Adams
- Tuffey

... and in plain sight we have a potential list of corrupt kiwi players. And in fact a pretty solid team, that lot would probably have beaten the real black caps. Notice how almost all of them disappeared completely from the cricket world other than to take on match fixing allegations. The exceptions being Bond and McMillan.

Of that list, three guys have been named as possible riggers of the game. Lets spotlight these:

Lou Vincent

Who?
He kicked off his career in fine style by smashing a McGrath-Gillespie-Lee-Warne attack around (in Perth no less). Destined for big things, it instead was a career of licorice all-sorts consisting of handing out towellings as an opener, some wicketkeeping, a patient double hundred against Sri Lanka (he was dropped from tests for good not long later) and finally re-emerging from the IPL as a T20 gun for hire wielding a ridiculous mongoose bat.

Thank god it never took off

Billy Bowden rejoins Elite Panel

Umpire returns after 2013 dumping

New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden will return to the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires from July 1 this year, the 51-year-old regaining his position after being dropped in early 2013.

Bowden will fill the position vacated by fellow Kiwi Tony Hill who stepped down to become the New Zealand Cricket Umpire Coach.

The ICC Umpires Selection Panel reached their decision following an annual review and selection process, with chairman Geoff Allardice applauding Bowden’s efforts during his time away from the group.

“Billy’s return to the elite panel is a result of his hard work and perseverance,” Allardice said.

“His skills and experience will further strengthen the ICC umpiring team.”

THE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY OF THE INDIAN FAN DURING THE WT20 – THROUGH GIFS

India came into the World T20, after a dispiriting few months where they just about lost every series, regardless of the format, since November last year. So, when it was time for the World T20 to begin and we realized that we were grouped with Pakistan, West Indies and Australia…..

The campaign started on a perfect note though, with a clinical win over Pakistan, but the heart refused to accept that the team would fare better in the remaining games…..

Then India beat defending champions West Indies in similarly convincing style. Suddenly, the expectations were kindled….

Have England forgotten how to win?

England fans, no matter how strong of a position England find themselves in, can never be assured that their team will finish on top. Yesterday’s result was particularly painful to the England team. This was a match that England needed to win, not only to put them 1-0 up in the ODI series, but to help them put the abysmal Australian tour behind them. It was always going to be difficult, but there was never going to be an easier chance than the one they were presented with. A weakened West Indies side with injuries to Gayle and Samuels, a number of new players in the side who didn’t play major roles in the defeat to the Aussies and also the only two players whose reputation had been enhanced during the Ashes – Broad and Stokes. On paper, England looked to be in a strong position.

England started exceptionally well. Broad, who had taken on the captaincy for the first time in ODI cricket, employed the right tactics, bowling the spin of Joe Root, James Tredwell and debutant Moeen Ali early in the innings to the Windies top order. England dominated the first 30 overs with tight lines, sharp fielding and a high intensity. It all made for an impressive picture. However, it wasn’t to last. The all important death overs, where the game is won or lost, were England’s undoing. As Bravo and Sammy started swinging the pendulum, England couldn’t find an answer. Plans were telegraphed by field placings and there was little variation allowing Bravo and Sammy to settle, able to choose their hitting areas.

 

The Reminiscences of an Old Fashioned Cricket Fan: A Flash from the Past

As school life is nearing the borderline, and with each passing day I am inching towards the ‘adult’ lot, my pen makes me realize why life was bliss when I was a kid.

Life was bliss when after a nice chiding by the teacher at school, you walked into your room, and your face immediately enlivened on seeing your MRF bat with a Britannia sticker (yes, my bat was an amalgamation of both Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid).

Life was bliss when you stormed out off the room after learning‘karele’ is what you’ll have to eat today, only to be stopped by your Mother who gave you two rolled paranthas, daubed by Kissan Fruit Jam, which you gulped down in no time (yes, Kissan was more relished than Butter Paneer).

Life was bliss when  you went birthday shopping with your parents and returned with a light blue shaded jersey, that read – ‘Dravid 19’ (yes, ‘Dhoni 7’ came quite late).

Life was bliss when you woke up paralyzed, halfway through the night, after an incubus, and the huge poster of Rahul Dravid kissing his cap that graced your bedroom door, caught your attention. You were re-assured of everything being alright and you crawled back into your bed, to have a good night’s sleep (now you know why I call him my Watchful Protector, my Silent Guardian).

Life was bliss because along with your parents, friends and family, there was a pack of guys who owned you, who inspired you, constantly, and who imbued in you a belief to become whatever you wanted to be, the way they did, ‘cause they were just like you!

There was a short, curly haired, five foot something, who was the only one you hero worshiped, next to your Father. You had heard narratives of people ‘dancing down the aisles’ from his famous Sharjah blitz. You had even braved splintering your ankle as you had climbed up your neighbor’s wall to watch the Indo-Pak clash of WC, 2003, because your house had a powercut. You saw Shoaib Akhtar steaming in, and Sachin cutting him for a six over backward point. You were overpowered, and just then your nearby resident misreckoned you for being another mango heister. You had to race back home before anyone could know what had happened.

Bedi Calls for Changes After Another Series Defeat

Former Test captain, Bishan Singh Bedi, has hit out at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after yet another away series defeat.

India suffered their fourth successive loss on tour when they were beaten in New Zealand. The fact it took a majestic, record-breaking triple century from Black Caps skipper, Brendon McCullum, in the drawn second Test in Wellington should not gloss over the fact that India have been poor once again away from home and they got what they deserved from the series - nothing.

The fact it followed on from a 4-0 drubbing for MS Dhoni's World Cup champions in the preceding one-dayers only adds to the sense of embarrassment and leaves India to reflect on a month without a single success against a country the cricket betting odds expected them to get the better of.

When Kiwi's Soared Above India

My initial prediction of 4-1 to New Zealand was met mostly with polite ridicule. Against the world number one ranked team? The World Cup and Champions Trophy holders no less? Blasphemous.

Courtesy of Sir Jadeja I narrowly missed out, 4-0 however at least landed in the right ball park!

But why would anybody have backed New Zealand?

The Hesson-McCullum partnership is really onto something, despite it starting off with theTaylorgate scandal. Since then Taylor is back and poking his tongue out more than ever and that's not all, New Zealand have constructed a team based on consistent selections, depth in all positions, and a splash of genuine pace along with the usual outstanding fielding and sportsmanship.

© Getty

In the bad old days they only had fielding and sportsmanship, but now this team is a threat in all three formats. With the World Cup around the corner and that too at home, everybody should be on their guard against this dark horse of cricket that might just steal the show.

World Cup 2015 and Team India

People and Cricket lovers in India tend to have very short memory, extremely short indeed.

2 away series with lukewarm performances and this absolutely inexperienced team is being riled and grilled with calls to bring back the seniors or bring in the fresh blood.

Let us take an impartial look...

1. Rohit Sharma: I never liked him getting millions of chances while never doubting his talent. He has played just 1 innings on any consequence ever since the ODI 200. But if he has been persisted with for so long, I think, some more persistence should not hurt. Remember he didn't do all that badly in England. The guy whom he has replaced, Sehwag has not scored even in domestic Cricket and his fielding is a joke. Unmukt Chand, Vijay Zol and co still have a lot to prove before they can stake claims.
2. Shikhar Dhawan: Well, he can't play the short ball. But so was the case with Gambhir and Ganguly before him. They survived after some adjustments. Gautham has looked extremely scratchy in Ranji Cricket this year. Shikhar deserves a decent run.
3. Virat Kohli: no questions about him.
4. Ajinkya Rahane: If he can hold his own against South Africa in tests, he can do well elsewhere in ODI Cricket. He deserves a fair chance. Don't decide after just one and a half series.

England Must Make One-Day Changes

Ahead of the World Cup in 2015, limited-overs coach, Ashley Giles, has pretty much admitted what everyone else already knew - England's one-day squad is in drastic need of major surgery if it is going to compete with the best teams on the planet.  Giles, speaking after the hugely-disappointing 4-1 ODI series defeat in Australia, has admitted he has some “tough decisions” to make as he bids to get England back on track. The way they threw away another winning position in Adelaide, to add to similar capitulations earlier on the tour, will have caused great alarm among the ECB hierarchy.

Thoughts of an Aussie Cricket Fan

I’m Aussie. And I’m a cricket fan. So yes, right now I’m pretty happy with our boys!



How long that happiness will last though, now that the team are winners, is a point of great doubt.

For me, the joy of the emphatic 5-0 success in the Ashes series comes mostly from knowing how low the team has been within the last twelve months. I became a more-than-casual cricket fan somewhere between the Aussie team being on the other end of an Indian Test series whitewash less than a year ago, and failing to regain the Ashes in July/August with England’s 3-0 victory on home soil.

Lyon Expected Unpredicted Aussie Response

Nathan Lyon has rubbed salt into England's wounds by declaring that there was never any doubt that Australia would bounce back in the return Ashes series.

The Aussies are on the verge of a wonderfully unexpected 5-0 whitewash against their old rivals after battering England in the four Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne to date.

New year wishes of a DieHard Cricket Fan

In the new year, all Diehard Cricket Fans sincerely hope...

The Indian bowlers will pick some wickets and concede lesser runs than their batsmen can score.
[350 in every second match is inhuman even for the best batting lineup in the world.]

The Pakistan batsmen will put enough runs on the board for their bowlers to defend.
[Enough means about 250.]

Sri Lanka will learn to handle Junaid Khan before the end of 2014.
[And hope they continue to feed Virat Kohli with those easy runs]

England will at least once play a fully English team.
[OK, going by IPL rules, we'll allow 4 overseas players. But not more.]

South Africa will NOT find a replacement for Kallis.
[It is complete injustice to all other teams that one team has so many all-rounders.]