Ban Ponting, Clarke and convert Cricket to Professional Sport!

Peter Roebuck is furious at the way Australians played the game of cricket in the second match in Sydney. What he is commenting on is the way Australians attempted to cheat the opposing team and the umpires.

There is a controversy surrounding the match where Harbhajan Singh has been banned by the ICC refree Michael Proctor for 3 matches under the Rule 3.3 of ICC’s Code of Conduct (see attachment for the “Code of Conduct” document) that deals with using language or gestures that insult a person on the basis of race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin. Harbhajan called Andrew Symonds a “monkey”!

This is not the first ban that Mike Proctor has handed out. He handed out another ban to Rashid Latif in September, 2003 after the 3rd test of Pakistan-Bangladesh series. Why? Based on Clause C1 which deals with “Conduct COntrary to the spirit of the game” and explains it thus:

This is meant as a general catch all clause. Conduct which will be prohibited under the clause includes using an illegal bat or illegal wicket keeping gloves, time wasting, cheating during play (includes deliberate attempts to mislead the umpire), failure to
comply with the provisions of clause 7.1 of the Standard Playing Conditions and any conduct which is considered “unfair play” under Law 42.

What had Latif done then?

Latif knowingly claimed a dropped catch during the day’s play. It is alleged that Latif failed to tell the umpire that he had grounded the ball which dismissed Alok Kapali.

In brief, he had claimed a catch and appealed for it, when he knew that he had dropped it!

Now, lets go back to our earlier blog on how Ponting claimed the catch while the photograph shows inconvertibly that he had dropped and knowingly!!

Now, look at the video, Michael Clark floors a catch – picks it up from the ground as well, and what does he do, he appeals and when the umpire asks him if he caught it or not, he says he did. And umpire gave him out!

Ok, now based on the clear evidence which violates the “Spirit of the game” – I guess this joker from ICC – Mike Proctor should slap two more bans after Harbhajan’s – One, to Ricky Ponting and Second, to Michael Clark!

Second, the umpiring record of both Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson and have a rating system installed on how an umpire conducts a match based on the performance or lack of it. The lower ones – based on replays – should be shunted out.

Nothing short of this should be acceptable to the BCCI. Indian board and media controls 70% of the revenue in World Cricket. If we walk out of the game tomorrow, the Ricky Pontings and Michael Clarkes are worth a tenth of their earnings!

In any case, British and Australians should be told in very clear terms as to who OWNS the game of cricket now! The world has changed and the juvenile and derogatory behavior like the one below that this team – led by the same Ponting – has subjected to the BCCI Chairman – will not be tolerated. Such egotistic and arrogant idiots should be thrown out on their neck from this game!

We have started two leagues in India and there are enough players the world over – former and current – falling over each other to play in them. Shut this circus of ICC cricket and let “Professional Cricket” take over! Let people earn their reputation and money! Those who want to cheat will be worth they should be – NOTHING!
Maybe it is time the cricket needs to go the baseball way. Professional sport by professional people. It is not a “Gentleman’s game” anymore. Let us not pretend anymore. Enough is really enough!

Attachment: ICC Code of COnduct.pdf