Mohammad Asif -

1. Oct 16th 2006: "Asif was suspended by the PCB along with team mate Shoaib Akhtar, and was pulled from the Champions Trophy after the pair failed drug tests for the performance-enhancing substance Nandrolone." [March 1st 2007: "Akhtar and Asif were ruled out of the Pakistani squad for the 2007 Cricket World Cup by team officials, minutes before the squad was to depart for the West Indies. .... However, Pakistani officials told cricket sources off the record that the team management had feared that they would fail the doping tests as it was likely traces of Nandrolone were still present in their system.]

2. June 1st 2008: Asif was detained at Dubai International Airport on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs. The charges against Asif were dropped by the Dubai public prosecutor due to "insignificance." The prosecutor, Mohammad Al Nuaimi, was quoted as saying, "It is definite that he committed the crime as he was caught red-handed ... however in certain cases and for a faster litigation process the Public Prosecution drops a case due to insignificance and deports the suspect."He was banned from entering UAE ever again.

3. "In August 2010, the English Sunday newspaper News of the World published allegations that Asif and fellow bowler Mohammad Amir had deliberately bowled no-balls during Pakistan's 2010 tour of England in return for payment from a betting syndicate, a practice known as spot-fixing."

(all quotes from wikipedia)

.... Mohammad Asif will have an exceptionally fine career as a Pakistani umpire.

But he also added that Pakistan's socio-economic situation needed to be taken into account before rushing in to judge the alleged actions of its cricketers.


"I will never condone any form of fixing, but we should consider that a cricketer might not be thinking of personal gain but of getting money to buy a generator for his village because they don't have electricity."


http://www.cricinfo.com/england-v-pakistan-2010/content/current/story/475154.html

I didn't find much information on Internet regarding this matter.

In some articles I read on cricinfo, Tendular was not much interested in UDRS, but was interested in hawk-eye. Dhoni doesn't value Hawk-eye much. And BCCI, as we all know, is stupid.

I get the impression that since our captain & players don't know how to use UDRS to their advantage, they are against it. In one series, we couldn't use it better and the opposition used it better. So, they are blaming the UDRS for it.

Is my thinking right? or am I missing something?

Yet another scandal rocked Pakistan cricket on Sunday engulfing its captain Salman Butt, brilliant pace duo of Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Aamir and four other players, leading to the arrest of a bookie in London and questioning of the players by the Scotland Yard after a tabloid


Scotland Yard detectives visited the Pakistan dressing room immediately after the third day's play to question the players after the tabloid sting operation exposed 'spot-fixing' and the alleged nexus between the players and bookies.

"Scotland Yard detectives had visited the team hotel where they had taken statements of captain Salman Butt, fast bowlers Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Aamir, and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal," Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed told PTI.

The 'News of the World' tabloid alleged that a Pakistani man Mazhar Majeed, who is now under arrest, had paid bribes to the players to bowl no balls in the series and the Lord's Test.

The video evidence that the tabloid has presented also shows Majeed talking about his links with Indian bookies.

"I deal with an Indian party. They pay me for the information," Majeed is quoted as saying.

The International Cricket Council said it was aware of the developments but made it clear that the fourth day's play of the Test will continue as scheduled.

"No players nor the team officials have been arrested in relation to this incident and the fourth Test match will continue as scheduled on Sunday.

"As this is now subject to a police investigation neither ICC, ECB, PCB nor the ground authority, the MCC, will make any further comment," an ICC statement said.

Yawar admitted that the investigators had also spoken to him but denied that the rooms of the players were raided. He also denied seizure of money, laptops and phones of the players from their rooms.

"The police have also spoken to me and we are trying to cooperate with them in every way possible and we are giving them whatever information they want," Yawar said.

But sources said the Scotland Yard detectives gathered some evidence from the hotel after raiding the players' room.

The embattled Pakistan team has also gotten in touch with their High Commission in London for assistance. Confirming this Yawar said, "the High Commissioner is also in touch with the Scotland Yard in this issue. We are cooperating with them."

Besides Majeed, an accomplice of his has also been picked up by the police for questioning. Majeed, 35, was arrested late last night after the tabloid handed over details of its sting operation to the Scotland Yard. The bookie claims to have paid some players in excess of 150,000 pounds to fix the Test match.

"The police have carried out preliminary questioning of some players. Majeed is an old associate and friend of many Pakistani players and is settled in London. He has been seen regularly with the players on the tour," one source said.

"The sad part for the Pakistan cricket is that several leading players are said to be involved in this new scandal which could cause untold damage to Pakistan cricket," he said.

Pakistani TV channels reported that the players had been sounded off about the inquiry when the third day's play ended.

"That is why the players left early for the hotel without anyone attending the mandatory post-play press conference," a source said.

Pakistan had reduced England to 47 for five and then 102 for seven on second day at Lord's but Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad scored centuries to share a record eighth-wicket partnership of 332 runs.

The two Pakistanis who bowled no balls allegedly on directions from Majeed were Asif and Aamir. Both bowlers delivered three no balls on Thursday and Friday.

The two bowlers delivered the no balls "at precisely the moments promised to our reporter," the tabloid said.

"Our undercover team was posing as front men for a Far East gambling cartel. In return for their suitcase of money Majeed then calmly detailed what would happen - and when - on the field of play next day, as a taster of all the lucrative information he could supply in future," it reported.

Pakistan was bowled out for 74 yesterday and made to follow-on and were reduced to 46 for four at stumps facing certain defeat and a big series loss.

While match-fixing is fixing the result of the whole match, spot-fixing is fixing events within a match, on ball-by-ball basis.

The names of Pakistani players cropped up in match fixing earlier this year as well.

After the tour of Australia, former Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam and assistant coach Aaqib Javed (who is still with the team) had expressed suspicions about Kamran's involvement with bookies after assessing his performance in the Sydney Test.

Meanwhile, Iqbal Muhammad Ali who heads the National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports blamed the PCB and its Chairman Ijaz Butt for the humiliation Pakistan cricket was facing.

"We and the Senate sports committee had warned that if some players were suspected of having ties with bookies they should be dropped from the team and disciplined.

"But no one paid heed. If these players are now guilty we want to see them behind the bars because this conduct is unacceptable," Ali said.

Virender Sehwag worlds best opener : Matthew Hayden

He is the best opener in the world declared Matthew Hayden.He leaves an impact on every match, be it a Test, an ODI or a T20 contest. He brings excitement and drama to the game from the very first ball
It May be a Exaggerating statement to say that Indian Batting Depends upon Virender Sehwag but At lest Current stats especially the ones in Sri Lanka at present depict more or less the same story.

Thanks to Sehwag India has ,managed to reach finals as throughout the ODI Series sehwag has scored 240 runs in four games.Skipper MS Dhoni is a distant second with only 73.

Sehwag also Proved his Mettle Against Lankans in Test by becoming highest run scorer and further wining the Man of the Series award .“He is the best opener in the world,” declared Matthew Hayden, himself an accomplished opener till he retired in 2009. “Few players leave the impact that Virender can leave in a game,” the Aussie told

As Per Hayden Sehwag's leaves a impact on the game then any other opener in all formats of the game from ball one.

"He leaves an impact on every match, be it a Test, an ODI or a T20 contest. He brings excitement and drama to the game from the very first ball.”

Hayden says he is amazed by Sehwag’s ability to play square off the wicket without moving his feet.

“The best thing about his batting is the shots he plays square off the wicket. His ability to go over the top and over backward-point is amazing. It’s such a great strength that few can match. He looks to attack always.”

Hayden, who was also known to be an attacking batsman, is particularly impressed with Sehwag’s track record in Tests. “With Test cricket, we’re not giving as much attention as we should be.

Tests are all about strategy. Virender destroys all strategies. He brings the excitement and drama from the first ball.

If Test cricket is still alive, it is because of players like him. It’s good for the game.”

Hayden says Sehwag is also the best batsman in the Indian team along with Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina. “Among the Indians, he is one of the best along with Sachin but I think Sehwag makes a big impact.”

http://www.criclounge.com/news/1462/Virender-Sehwag-world%E2%80%99s-best-opener-Matthew-Hayden.html

Fake IPL Player reveals himself, says posts were 'imagination'

Anupam Mukerji is the Fake IPL Player. Mukerji's blog posts were a hit during the Indian Premier League's second season in 2009 but readers only knew him as the Fake IPL Player until now. Mukerji, who revealed himself on Times Now on Saturday afternoon, told the news channel his stories
about the Kolkata Knight Riders in his blog were all "imagination".

“The entire speculation was created by the media. The stories that I wrote, the nicknames I provided etc were all based on my imagination and research on the Kolkata Knight Riders. Everyone was made to believe that it was an insider. In fact, I had conducted a poll as well in the middle where I asked the readers who they thought the fake IPL player was and maximum votes were given to the option of none of the above.

This certainly showed that everyone had their own idea of the fake IPL player,” he said.
“I don’t think something like this will happen in the near future. I also don’t see myself getting into trouble for the fake IPL blog. It was just a blog, where we post our personal thoughts.”

Mukherji's blog referred to players by nicknames and also mentioned alleged events in the dressing rooms during IPL-2 in South Africa. He now say the reports were a hoax.

"The entire hoax of the fake IPL player is now definitely in my past," he told Times Now.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Fake-IPL-Player-reveals-himself-says-posts-were-imagination/H1-Article1-593020.aspx

England v India

July 21-25 - 1st Test, Lord's
July 29-August 2 - 2nd Test, Trent Bridge
August 10-14 - 3rd Test, Edgbaston
August 18-22 - 4th Test, The Oval
August 31 - Twenty20 International, Old Trafford
September 3 - 1st ODI, Chester-le-Street
September 6 - 2nd ODI, Rose Bowl
September 9 - 3rd ODI, The Oval
September 11 - 4th ODI, Lord's
 September 16 - 5th ODI, Cardiff

"The longest match in history.
In 1939, England and South Africa played for 14 days straight in Durban, South Africa. Even then, the match wasn't over. England needed 42 more runs to win, and had five wickets in hand, but the team's boat was due to sail home the next day, and so the game was called. The match was officially declared a tie."

Call back Rahul Dravid for ODIs: Akram
PTI, Aug 25, 2010, 04.45pm IST

NEW DELHI: Senior batsman Rahul Dravid should be called back to India's ODI team as he still has lot to offer to the country in the 50-over format, feels former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram.

"Dravid still has a lot to offer in ODIs. I believe that Dravid should be brought back into the (one-day) team. In the sub-continent, the current batsmen can do well, but on the overseas tours, India need a solid and experienced batsman like Dravid," Akram said.

Akram also was not happy with the current bowling line-up of the Indian team.

When asked about his reported comments that some of the India players were "softies and lazy", the former left-arm pacer said, "I was not talking about the whole team. I was only talking about the bowlers."

"Look at Munaf Patel, (S) Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan and RP Singh. They all were very promising in the beginning. They had everything a bowler needs. Now you look at them. They have waned, for reasons beyond me," Akram said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator also feels that a packed international schedule is taking toll on the players of the Indian team.

"There is a series between these two teams every two months. It is very natural that the Indian players have lost interest in the contests. I am sure the same is the case with the Sri Lankan cricketers," he said.

"Indian players are in the habit of playing in front of more or less 60,000 people and now they are playing amidst almost empty stands.

"Obviously, their performance will get affected. They are a top team in both Tests and ODIs and only too much cricket is their undoing at the moment," he added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/Call-back-Rahul-Dravid-for-ODIs-Akram/articleshow/6432846.cms

http://www.johnpilger.com/page.asp?partid=572

Why sharks should not own sport

22 Apr 2010

In his latest column for the New Statesman, John Pilger describes how the rich and powerful have taken over and distorted the people's pleasure - sport, from Tiger Woods Inc to the World Cup, soon to begin in South Africa. Pilger looks at the way Fifa and multiple sponsors have invaded South Africa and ordinary South Africans have been pushed aside in the cause of profiteering.


As Tiger Woods returns to golf, not all his affairs are salacious headlines. In Dubai, the Tiger Woods Golf Course in Dubai is costing $100million to build. Dubai relies on cheap third world labour, as do certain consumer brands that have helped make Woods a billionaire. Nike workers in Thailand wrote to Woods, expressing their “utmost respect for your skill and perseverance as an athlete” but pointing out that they would need to work 72,000 years “to receive what you will earn from [your Nike] contract”.

The American sports writer, Dave Zirin, is one of the few to break media silence on the corporate distortion and corruption of sport. His forthcoming book Bad Sports: How Owners Are Ruining the Games We Love (Scribner) blows a long whistle on what money power has done to the people’s pleasure, its heroes like Woods and the communities it once served. He describes the impact of the Texan Tom Hicks’s half-ownership of Liverpool Football Club, which followed another rich and bored American Malcolm Glazer’s “leveraged takeover” of Manchester United in 2005. As a result, England’s most successful club (with Liverpool) is now 716.5 million pounds in debt.

How long has this been going on? In 1983, you could buy a ticket to a first division game for 75 pence. Today, the average at Old Trafford is around 34 pounds. Watch the latest crop of parents on morose queues to buy overpriced club strips and insignia, also made with cheap and often sweated labour, with the brand of a failed multinational emblazoned on it. Profiteering is now an incandescent presence across top-class sport. Sven-Goran Eriksson will trouser up to two million pounds for just three months’ work in Ivory Coast, where half the population has barely enough to survive. Australia’s finest, most boorish cricketers are collecting their bundles for a few months’ cavorting in the Indian franchises. The attitude is entitlement, the kind that less talented “celebrities” flaunt. It was in no way remarkable that in 2007-8 a number of the heirs to Don Bradman’s Invincibles achieved what was once nigh on impossible; they were disliked in their own country. Those high fives and air-punching fists have become salutes not to “everyone working for each other, everyone having a share of the rewards” (Bill Shankly), but to the voracious sponsor and the forensic camera.

Take for example FIFA, which has effectively taken charge of South Africa for the World Cup. Along with the International Olympic Committee, FIFA is sport’s Wall Street and Pentagon combined. They have this power because host politicians believe the “international prestige” of their visitation will bring economic and promotional benefits, especially to themselves. I was reminded of this watching a documentary by the South African director Craig Tanner, Fahrenheit 2010. His film is not opposed to the World Cup, but reveals how ordinary South Africans, whose game is football, have been shoved aside, dispossessed and further impoverished so that a giant TV façade can be erected in their country.

A new stadium near Nelspruit will host four World Cup matches over 10 days. Jimmy Mohlala, speaker of the local municipality, was gunned down in his home in January last year after whistle-blowing “irregularities” in the tenders. An entire school, which was in the way, has been removed into prefabricated, sweltering steel boxes on a desolate site with a road running through it. “When the World Cup is over,” said the writer Ashwin Desai, “it will become obvious that these stadiums are going to be empty shells, that our money has been used for what is really a pyramid scheme”.

A community of 20,000 people, the Joe Slovo Informal Settlement, is threatened with eviction from where they live near the main motorway between Cape Town and the city’s airport. They are deemed an “eyesore”. Street vendors will be arrested if they fail to comply with FIFA rules about trade and advertising and mention the words “World Cup”, even “2010”. FIFA will earn about two and quarter billion pounds from the TV rights, exceeding its income from the last two World Cups combined.

Incredibly, South Africa will get none of this. And this is country with up to 40 per cent unemployment, a male life expectancy of 49 and thousands of malnourished children. This truth about the “rainbow nation” is not what fans all over the world will see on their TV screens, although they may glimpse an unreported feature of modern South Africa, which is a vibrant, rolling resistance that has linked the World Cup to an economic apartheid that remains as divisive as ever. Indeed, another kind of World Cup for effective popular protest has long been won in the streets of South Africa’s townships.

In his chapter on Liverpool FC, Dave Zirin describes a similar resistance that also offers inspiration to those struggling to reclaim sport from the sharks. A fans’ organization, Share Liverpool FC, is aiming for 100,000 shareholders to buy back the club from Tom Hicks and his co-owner, George Gillett. Liverpool fans have also formed the Liverpool Supporters Union (LSU), which has had thousands in the streets calling for a boycott of the Bank of Scotland if it gives Hicks and Gillett any more credit. Remember how the boycott of Murdoch press succeeded in Liverpool following the Sun’s lies over the Hillsborough tragedy. “If we stand together and speak with one voice, regardless of language or accent,” says the LSU, “we can make a genuine difference to our football club, the city of Liverpool and indeed the wider footballing world.” On 17 April, Hicks and Gillett announced they were selling the club. Manchester United fans are mounting a similar, principled resistance in defence of the sport they love and which they believe rightly is theirs. We should support them.