Cricket is often termed as a gentleman's game. Cricket is a game of patience, character and skill and no other tournament tests these virtues more than the World Cup. The world cup is the grandest cricket event of them all happening once every four years and consisting of one day cricket internationals. For the players, the world cup is an opportunity to bring glory for their countries, for the minnows, its an opportunity to prove themselves, for the fans it is an opportunity to cheer for the greats and for the sponsors it is time to leave their own mark through advertising.
But the world cup provides another type of opportunity, an opportunity to make tons of money via betting and book making. Such activities have tarnished the image of the game in the form of match fixing scandals. But the death of Bob Woolmer and the following reports of suspected foul play have brought the game to an new low. The gentleman's game has its image tarnished and the players, cricketing boards, ICC & the book makers are responsible for this "achievement".
Conspiracy theories are bound to surface in circumstances such as those surrounding Woolmer's death. They can neither be proved or disproved. However, it is not a theory but a fact that present day cricket is engulfed by corruption & red tape. It is also a fact that bets are made over cricket matches and even more heavily so, during the world cup. Currently the media is linking the Pakistan coach's "death" & the Pakistan captain's stepping down to the elimination of the Pakistan team from the World Cup and the subsequent losses faced by the book makers.
The "facts" of the case will surface over time, and pray, the responsible shall be made to pay. But the need of the hour is to think of where the game of cricket is heading, what legacy are we leaving for the Tendulkar's & Dravid's of tomorrow. When high stake World Cup matches start getting fixed what credibility remains of the game? When people start getting murdered over a loss or an elimination from a tournament, how and why shall it still be known as the gentleman's game?
The same goes for the commercialization of cricket. With money pouring in, sponsorships and easy money for the cricketing superstars, focus is shifting from the field. Players are beginning to take their superstar status for granted with their fan following immaturely treating them either as demi-God's or demolishing down their houses.
The facts, as I see it, are very clear. Something needs to be done. Players need to be made accountable. Cricketing boards need to become more vigilant. And finally we as fans of the great game, need to become mature and make our voices heard. We must make a stand, a stand to defend the legacy of the game. Else, we might as well call it a day and hit the showers.
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nice post!