Enough already
January 31, 2008
Monkeygate (or is it Maa-Ki-gate?) has plunged to such levels of absurdity that the only way to achieve closure would be for Harbhajan and Symonds to settle it inside a ring, WWE style. My preference would be for a lumberjack match with their respective teammates acting as the lumberjacks. Procter can be guest referee.
p.s.: Wait, maybe this is what Roebuck had in mind when he gave Harbhajan this memorable sobriquet.
February 1, 2008 at 9:35 am
Shocking mismanagement all around. Let me just get a few things off my chest:
1) Overturning the Procter verdict was the only plausible recourse left in the absence of evidence. In any civilized society, the burden of proof is on the prosecution and not the defendant.
2) Not informing the judge of relevant past misdemeanours of the defendant is an unpardonable mistake by the ICC. They need to seriously examine their own processes to identify why such a mistake happened.
3) ‘Database’ errors is a most curious term. Almost hilarious.
4) Symonds apparently said in the hearing that “a Test match is no place to be friendly with an opposition player”. What’s that about? I’m sure Lee himself disagrees.
5) This whole playing “fire with fire” business started by some Indian players (esp. Harbhajan and Sreesanth) in India a few months back is stupid. Sreesanth is better served getting his seam position right. If he does, I’m even willing to turn a blind eye to those ridiculous break dance attempts.
5) Peter Roebuck has said this in defense of Procter: “Procter is a cricketing man not versed in the intricacies of evidence and may not understand the difference between a balance of probabilities and reasonable doubt.” I don’t buy this one bit. Any one with half a brain knows that every civilized society functions on the basis of assuming people innocent until proven guilty. And also the difference between testimony and evidence. Procter has never explained the reasons behind his decision. I think he must.
And I’ll stop there. Ad nauseum. Now let’s hope we get the attention back to cricket on the field. Outside of it, they can have their lumberjack matches.