F**K you Pakistan Cricket

They weren't bowling utter dross at Trott and Broad though, certainly not at first. Test innings go like this, a partnership gets established, heads drop among the fielding side and the game completely changes. England in the field do that often enough! OK this was an extreme example, but it's not as if they could have got crazy odds on England even at 102-7 with Pakistan's history of batting collapses against the swinging ball.

Feel gutted for Pakistani cricket fans - but it would appear that the possibility exists that match fixing and/or spot betting is endemic in their game.

Sadly, I think Pakistan have to be banned from all international cricket until they sort this horrible mess out.

Dear PP Members and Passionate Pakistani fans:

The events of the past few hours have left us all in a state of shock.

It wasn’t long ago that we were celebrating the rebirth of Pakistani cricket but today we find us lamenting its death !

Let us clarify that Mr. Majeed was a representative for the said players who allowed us access to interview these players. There is NO other connection with him or his organization as far as PP is concerned – our only mission was to bring the voice of the players to the fans and also take feedback to the players.

Hopefully this has made our position clear and should end all speculation and rumors on PP.

Let us all monitor the situation and hope and pray that Pakistani cricket can recover from this jolt.

Regards

PakPassion Admin Team

skully wrote:

Henry wrote:I think the Pakistani players were trying to win the match, they just thought they could make a bit of extra cash on the side whilst doing it. They're all pretty naive, and let's be honest, not terribly well educated.

Erm, I humbly submit - fark off Trev. They couldn't give a rat's @rse about the result once they knew there were major bucks to be made for bowling a no-ball on ball 1 of over 3.

Match payments pale into insignificance when it comes to the ill-gotten gains of match-fixing.

skulls, I deliberately didn't comment last night when the story first broke - but on reflection I have to say I lean towards Trev's analysis.

I totally condemn whats happenned, but in my wildest imagination I can't see how three no-balls affects the actual result. The Paksters may well be guilty of greed, naivity and utter stupidity, but actual match fixing - I'm not convinced at all. I agree with you though - match payments are small beer compared with what's prolly offerred for cheating.

FWIW, I'd also say its near impossible for bowlers alone to ensure a match is lost - they couldn't possibly know that Jimmy & Swanny couldn't have engineered better pitches & conditions for themselves. Any other year, no matter how hard the bowlers tried to lose, there's nothing to suggest the Pakistani top order wouldn't have got them into winning positions if they were unaware of the shenanigans going on behind the scenes.

This is absolutely devestating. I never thought the events in a match not involving the West Indies could effect me so much but I just feel drained of all energy today. It really is heart breaking.

Also, doesn't it make you think twice about certain matches? I have spent much of today thinking about the number of matches West Indies have managed to lose from decent positions during the last decade. Questions swirl through my head; are Sarwan and Gayle on the take? For such indisputedly class players they don't half go through some 'bad' patches and play some terrible shots at inopportune times. What about our very own version of Aamer, Kemar Roach?

I fervently pray this is not as widespread as that, but I have my doubts.

Growler wrote:

skully wrote:

Henry wrote:I think the Pakistani players were trying to win the match, they just thought they could make a bit of extra cash on the side whilst doing it. They're all pretty naive, and let's be honest, not terribly well educated.

Erm, I humbly submit - fark off Trev. They couldn't give a rat's @rse about the result once they knew there were major bucks to be made for bowling a no-ball on ball 1 of over 3.

Match payments pale into insignificance when it comes to the ill-gotten gains of match-fixing.

skulls, I deliberately didn't comment last night when the story first broke - but on reflection I have to say I lean towards Trev's analysis.

I totally condemn whats happenned, but in my wildest imagination I can't see how three no-balls affects the actual result. The Paksters may well be guilty of greed, naivity and utter stupidity, but actual match fixing - I'm not convinced at all. I agree with you though - match payments are small beer compared with what's prolly offerred for cheating.

FWIW, I'd also say its near impossible for bowlers alone to ensure a match is lost - they couldn't possibly know that Jimmy & Swanny couldn't have engineered better pitches & conditions for themselves. Any other year, no matter how hard the bowlers tried to lose, there's nothing to suggest the Pakistani top order wouldn't have got them into winning positions if they were unaware of the shenanigans going on behind the scenes.

The problem is there is no way to be sure once this sort of thing has happened. The fact that this bloke seemed certain they were also going to lose 2 ODIs makes the team have very little credibility seeing as how he was spot on with the no balls.

Thats so true vilks .......... we're going to be sceptical about so many more deliveries & dismissals.

The fact is, just taking England as an example - in the last 20 years, Atherton and Stewart are the only two bats I honestly can't recall getting out to stupid shot selection. The likes of KP, Fred, Strauss a couple of years back, Cook just now ..... we've come to half expect it - out chasing balls a yard wide, or trying to smear the spinner turning it square. Batsmen have always done it ... always will. Bowlers ...... GBH & Jimmy as obvious examples, but others weren't immune - would/do lose their direction & bowl on the legs. We don't think they're doing anything untoward as a matter of course - but now the doubts will always be there in certain match situations.

A very sad state of things indeed.

"F*ck you Pakistan" is a bit strong. You can't take Pakistani cricket in isolation- needless to say it's an historically troubled country and even more so since 9/11. Then there's the general scourge of match fixing in the sub-continent- India's as much if not more to blame for it having got it's claws into cricket.

Generally you could write a long old essay on the socio/cultural/historical development of Pakistan and how in 2010 sporting representatives of their countries see fit to make a few bucks from differing sorts of match fixing. You can't just tell them to f*ck off.

Growler wrote:Thats so true vilks .......... we're going to be sceptical about so many more deliveries & dismissals.

The fact is, just taking England as an example - in the last 20 years, Atherton and Stewart are the only two bats I honestly can't recall getting out to stupid shot selection. The likes of KP, Fred, Strauss a couple of years back, Cook just now ..... we've come to half expect it - out chasing balls a yard wide, or trying to smear the spinner turning it square. Batsmen have always done it ... always will. Bowlers ...... GBH & Jimmy as obvious examples, but others weren't immune - would/do lose their direction & bowl on the legs. We don't think they're doing anything untoward as a matter of course - but now the doubts will always be there in certain match situations.

A very sad state of things indeed.

Athers and Stewie got out to loads of "bad" shots- often caught fine or long leg hooking if my memory serves me rightly. God bless them but they wouldn't have averaged in the 30s if they didn't have some stupid shot selection.

Eric Air Emu wrote:"F*ck you Pakistan" is a bit strong. You can't take Pakistani cricket in isolation- needless to say it's an historically troubled country and even more so since 9/11. Then there's the general scourge of match fixing in the sub-continent- India's as much if not more to blame for it having got it's claws into cricket.

Generally you could write a long old essay on the socio/cultural/historical development of Pakistan and how in 2010 sporting representatives of their countries see fit to make a few bucks from differing sorts of match fixing. You can't just tell them to f*ck off.

It was aimed at the team, not the country. I'm just very angry and upset about this to be honest.

Jontyh wrote:And Athers has refused to do the presentation? No surprise there - sounded like he suspected something given his comments on the second of those dodgy no-balls..

maybe he just had dirty pants

Eric Air Emu wrote:

Athers and Stewie got out to loads of "bad" shots- often caught fine or long leg hooking if my memory serves me rightly. God bless them but they wouldn't have averaged in the 30s if they didn't have some stupid shot selection.

Your memory is letting you down somewhat Tom - at least where Athers is concerned. Stewie was more attacking so did get out hooking now and then. Remember the bowlers who used to dismiss Athers .... McGrath 19 times, Ambrose & Walsh 17 each, Donald 11 and Warne 10 ... thats a third of his dismissals to 5 of the worlds all-time greats.

They averaged in the 30s because they were facing class bowlers, on a few more sporting pitches, not todays piemen on 6-lane motorways. Bar Steyn, I personally don't think any bowler today warrants mention in the same breath as those 5 greats. Likewise, I think a few players today averaging 50+ would be closer to mid-40s were they facing the bowlers mentioned. They were all good enough bowlers they didn't need openers to make mistakes to get their wickets.

Jontyh wrote:And Athers has refused to do the presentation? No surprise there - sounded like he suspected something given his comments on the second of those dodgy no-balls..

He must have read something in the dirt ...

The One wrote:

Jontyh wrote:And Athers has refused to do the presentation? No surprise there - sounded like he suspected something given his comments on the second of those dodgy no-balls..

maybe he just had dirty pants

What was he afraid of?

Henry wrote:I think the Pakistani players were trying to win the match, they just thought they could make a bit of extra cash on the side whilst doing it. They're all pretty naive, and let's be honest, not terribly well educated.

Hmmm. I'm not sure - three no-balls is a kind of match fixing in itself. If Harmison and Hoggard had chosen to bowl 3 deliberate no-balls at Edgbaston Australia would have won the series (and the Ashes).

Partly we're all frustrated sportsmen. Everyone dreams of a crisp summer morning at Lords, a new ball in your hand and your country's flag fluttering in the breeze. And its incredible to conceive of those who have all this, and will happily piss it away for a few extra dollars. Its not just the action but the significance of it all - the integrity of the sport all together is threatened.

I've heard it mentioned that the Pakistan players are poor compared to their Indian counterparts. Is this some kind of justification? Are they poor compared to an average Pakistani? Especially one who's house has been wrecked by the floods and who's family must now exist on contaminated water?

If found guilty I think it should be life bans for the 7 involved. Pakistan can carry on as a Test nation. With Younis and 10 other honest men they may even be much stronger than we previously imagined.