Integrity of gentlemen’s game bought into disrepute

Sunday morning’s law breaking allegations alleging the involvement of three Pakistani players in a betting scam incident to bowl ‘no balls’ in the tourists last test of the summer at Lords against England is a sad moment for cricket.

Off the back of two outstanding match winning knocks by Jonathon Trott and Stuart Broad, in a record batting partnership, much of the Test’s finest cricketing achievements appear now just a hazy memory with the News of the World investigative story suggesting fixer Mazhar Majeed made a £140,000 pound pact with the tabloid to organise match fixing involving the Pakistan cricket team. With the evidence of three, precisely timed ‘no balls’ in direct correlation to what was uncovered in the newspaper’s secret video, it brings a game full of gentlemanly conduct normally of the highest order into a state of shock.

In a list featuring a long line of rumours concerning Pakistani betting, surfacing in Australia earlier this year, the Test Series which England won 3-1 will be discarded to the memory bank. In a tumultuous day for the cricketing world, and with a full Metropolitan Police, among the various cricketing councils investigations under way the guilty parties involved need to be punished sooner rather than later.

With cricket exposed to an endless undercover betting network trying to bring the game into disrepute and as international players abroad are constantly being ‘tapped’ up but to use a phrase for their services, it is a situation which cannot just be brushed under the carpet quickly.


Pakistani paceman, Mohammed Amir (allegedly involved in 'no ball' scam) picks up Pakistan’s Man of the Series gong.

It is a fearful prospect that a special bowling prodigy such as Mohammed Amir (who has allegedly been caught up in the futile happenings) is being brainwashed by criminals trying to ruin one of sports special spectacles, but even more so now the game, loved by many. Now cricket is under the microscope if it is a real game, which people pay hundreds of pounds to be entertained by.

Federer ‘s previous best shows he’s the man to beat

A glittering career résumé featuring sixteen Grand Slam wins looks set to be Roger Federer’s benchmark for success at this year’s US Open in New York.

Heavily criticised and after being written off by many due to two below par outings at Roland Garros and on the hallowed turf at Wimbledon, Federer’s welcome return to form under the guidance of Pete Sampras’s and Tim Henman’s former Coach Paul Annacone has seen the Swiss ace chalk up back to back finals in Toronto (lost to Andy Murray) and Cincinnati (beat American Mardy Fish) in the run-up to the year’s final major.

The predatory instincts of a consistently placed serve and a enviable forehand offered a throwback to the Federer of old, and with nemesis Rafael Nadal still seeking his first US Open title and struggling on the quicker hard courts, it is a golden opportunity for the father of two to turn a mediocre year (in comparison to his standards established in recent years) into a good one yielding two Grand Slam crowns.

A player, whom is still to taste his first major success, is Britain’s Andy Murray. The talented Scot, two years ago was crushed by Federer under lights in the Flushing Meadows final but many feel this is the World number 4’s best chance to claim a maiden major title.


Murray (left) and Federer (right) pose for the photographers following the Swiss players comfortable three set final win.

Much, it appears depends on Murray’s ability to transfer the form he has shown against Federer in best of three set matches into the long, slog of a five set marathon. If he can put the past behind him he has a chance, with Federer perhaps not being as ruthless as previous, but still it looks likely it will have to take a career best Murray performance to beat Federer, a Federer of which is coming into form.