As if mucking up the game of cricket & it’s running wasn’t enough, the ICC now thinks we, the paying public are complete fools. The outcome of Inzamam’s hearing has proven beyond doubt that cricket administration needs a complete overhaul urgently.
A bunch of Caucasian ostriches with their heads firmly stuck in the sand, the ICC decision (I say that coz no way did Ranjan Madugalle alone decide Inzy’s & Hair’s fate!) to absolve Pakistan of ball tampering charges & then serve a 4 ODI ban to Inzy for not taking the field would have been understandable if the umpires too were punished, but of course their warped sense of justice dictates that when in trouble, blame the Asian!!
In essence they seem to be telling us that umpires are beyond reproach. I wonder what their decision would have been if instead of Hair, an Aleem Dar or a Venkatraghavan was the man in question! The Irony is that Madugalle, who supposedly judged the dispute is a Sri Lankan, albeit one who has time & again shown that he is willing to toe the line for his white bosses.
This is not an angry anti racist rant but a sad fact that needs to be rectified. Just moving the Headquarters of the ICC to Dubai (A tax haven) to increase profitability is not going to help the game. My belief is that they should do away with the current structure & replace it with an administrative committee comprising of one representative from each test playing nation. At least this might help in every country’s grievances being given a fair look in & we shall hopefully not be dished out convenience based decisions.