‘Conscious’ Pakistan players avoiding scandals

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Education and Training Programme is paying dividends as the players are now well aware of their boundaries and have stopped inviting unnecessary scandals by ignoring strangers and prohibited ways of communication, according to programme incharge Wasim Bari.

The programme was launched after guidelines from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal last year.

“There may not be clear benefits but there are effects of the programme making their impact,” Bari told The Express Tribune. “Players who knew little about the dangers of corruption are now well aware of the menace.”

Bari added that he also held a session with the Pakistan squad before they left for Zimbabwe, reminding the players of their duties and the code of conduct. The players, according to the former wicket-keeper, were also staying away from communication through social networking sites.

“The success of the programme can be gauged from the fact that we’ve hardly had any scandals since its inception.”

Seeks more information from ACSU

Bari added that the PCB has sought more information and literature from the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit for the forthcoming domestic season.

“It’s a programme which will continue to evolve with changes,” he said. “We remain in touch with the ACSU and follow its guidelines and have asked them to share information regarding the programme which we can use in the coming domestic season.”

BANNED ASIF...

Serving a five-year ban for involvement in spot-fixing, Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif says he has been watching James Anderson's performance against India very closely and would try employing the England seamer's tactics if he manages to make a comeback.

"I have watched James Anderson's bowling very closely again and again and it has been very interesting watching him bowl. When I come back to cricket even after the time away I will be thinking about how Anderson bowled against India and will use that for my benefit. If you think you are the finished article and don't need to learn from others then you are wrong," Asif told pakpassion.net.

"I love watching Test cricket. Test cricket for me is the pinnacle, the real deal. The England versus India Test series was fascinating, I really enjoyed it. I watched more of the England vs India match as I wanted to see Anderson bowling," he said.

Asif also felt that Anderson is bowling with the similar skills and tactics that he had previously used.

"Only someone like myself who has bowled like Anderson, with a similar style of bowling can truly appreciate what he is doing with the cricket ball and how well he is bowling these days. Anderson has not been playing cricket against the Indians, he has been playing with their minds," he elaborated.

"He has truly out-thought and baffled the Indians with his artistry and skill. It reminded me so much of what (Mohammad) Amir and I did at times last year to the Australian and English batsmen. If Anderson carries on bowling the way he has been recently and continues to improve then he can become a cricket legend," he said.

Asif has admitted that being caught up in the spot-fixing scandal and then being banned has been mentally very tough for him and the events had left him extremely disappointed.

"Mentally, it's been really tough. Cricket is my life and always will be, and for that to be taken away from me in the circumstances it was, has been terribly difficult to cope with," Asif said.

"When you have served your country as a professional sportsman, then you don't want that to ever be taken away from you. I've been practising regularly with some of my friends but it's heartbreaking to think that not so long ago I was playing cricket at the top tier of the game and now I'm occasionally playing nowhere near that standard," he added.

Asked about his future, Asif, who has taken 106 wickets in 23 Tests, said it was difficult for him to predict where he would be in four year's time when the ban ends.

"It's four years into the future, it's difficult to predict what can happen in those four years I don't know what the situation will be like in four years. I guess only time will tell. Anyone who has been involved in the game finds it hard to totally move away from the sport," he added.

The pace bowler maintained he was innocent and said the Pakistan Cricket Board had not done enough to help him.

"I am confident of being cleared of the criminal charges at next month's trial under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 at Southwark Crown Court, London," he said.

"I'm hopeful that I will be cleared of everything and I can resume playing cricket again as soon as possible. Whoever committed any alleged crime, the Pakistan Cricket Board should have dealt with that individual and taken the appropriate action against that individual.

The PCB had taken offence to Asif's complaint against it, insisting it had done everything in its power to assist the players during the spot-fixing scandal.

PCB is wrong 90 per cent of the time: Miandad

Lamenting the lack of required power to work right from his day one in office as director general of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), former captain Javed Miandad on Wednesday slammed the decisions taken by the game’s authorities, claiming 90 per cent of those were erroneous.

“While closely watching the functioning of the PCB I am disappointed and feel that 90 per cent decisions [taken by the board] are wrong, and are spoiling the sport in the country. I am not part of the PCB planning only because I require power and freedom to work, since I have given 35 years to Pakistan cricket and earned a good name,” Miandad said while talking to Dawn on Wednesday.

“People around the world regard my services as a cricketer but the PCB doesn’t want to give me authority to improve [Pakistan] cricket,” the 54-year-old Miandad remarked.

“I have already brought this matter into the notice of PCB patron, President Asif Ali Zardari. Soon I will meet him again to apprise him of the poor condition of cricket in Pakistan. I will request him to either take necessary steps [to improve cricketing matters] or allow me to leave the DG post,” stated Miandad, who has been criticised for not leaving the position despite receiving the cold shoulder from the PCB right from day one.

The primary cause of friction between PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and Miandad from day one has been that the former is not ready to give latter the appropriate power to work, while the latter is not keen to operate without the authority he demands.

“The PCB did not even follow the instructions of President Zardari which he had given to the board last time on my suggestions,” lamented Miandad who featured in 124 Tests and 233 One-day Internationals for Pakistan.

Though Miandad avoided pinpointing wrong decisions of the PCB, sources said, he was not happy after the board didn’t take his advice on the appointment of new coach for the Pakistan team following Waqar Younis’s announcement to quit as national head coach after the ongoing Zimbabwe tour.

While former Test cricketers Zaheer Abbas and Ramiz Raja (both not employed by the PCB), are part of the coach-searching committee, Miandad has not been given any role in this regard.

Miandad, who has had three stints as national coach in the past, also didn’t feel delighted after the PCB decided to give former Test leg-spinner Abdul Qadir the responsibility to control club cricket. Miandad, sources said, held the view that holding club cricket was the prime duty of regional and district bodies.

I DON'T follow cricket any more INZIMAM UL HAQ

He represented Pakistan in 120 Tests and 378 one-dayers but retired former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has lost interest in cricket now and says he is so engrossed in his construction business that he doesn't even keep track of the national team's fortunes.

The 41-year-old said he does not follow game any more and has no desire to seek any role in Pakistan cricket.

Inzamam, who retired after the 2007 World Cup, told the "Express Tribune" newspaper that he was now more focused on his business.

"I'm retired now and busy managing my construction business so I don't normally follow cricket anymore. My passion for the game has faded," he said.

Despite being the country's second highest Test run-getter after Javed Miandad, the burly batsman said he does not enjoy following the national team's progress.

"If Pakistan is playing Zimbabwe nowadays, what interest can I have in following the team's fortunes?" he questioned.

"I don't know much about the Zimbabwe team, plus we have so many new faces whom I don't know that I don't see any point in commenting upon their performances."

Unlike other former Test greats who keep themselves involved in the game, Inzamam, who now also spends a lot of time on religious preaching tours, said he has no desire to be part of the sport in any capacity.

"I'm least interested in finding any role in cricket at any level. I have already served Pakistan cricket a lot."

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