Cricket holds its breath for verdicts

DOHA is not a venue that is synonymous with the game of cricket, but the high-stakes game currently being played out in the Qatar capital will provide the sport with one of its watershed moments.

Cricket's world governing body, the ICC, has, to date, acted swiftly in all its actions related to the alleged spot-fixing scandal which hit the game so publicly during the Pakistan against England test at Lords last summer. The three-man panel, appointed by the ICC to hear the case, has, however, now delayed its verdict on the three players until another hearing on 5 February. Representatives of the players have, not unreasonably, asked the panel for time to give the issues careful consideration and to provide written reasons for findings.

Under the chairmanship of the renowned Michael Beloff QC, the panel has been hearing the ICC and defence cases for the past six days. It has also now emerged that the panel were also investigating a charge against the Pakistan captain Salman Butt for the Oval test match in the same series last summer. It is not an over exaggeration to say the three players have their integrity and careers firmly on the line, and the sport of cricket has a real opportunity to bare its teeth in its ongoing and vital fight against corruption if wrong-doing is proved.

The hearings have been held in private so reports of the proceedings have been through hearsay and some alleged leaks. The reports suggest that the three players have been offering different defences, with their lawyers approaching their strategies in opposing and at times conflicting manners. The three players may well be having to trade their team mates' futures against their own. There is no doubt that the ICC have produced significant evidence to support their case, a lot of which was in the public domain due to the national newspaper that broke the story, and the damning television and pictorial evidence from the game. In fact, reports suggest that one player, Mohammad Asif, has acknowledged the weight of evidence is indeed very strongly against them. The ICC have pronounced a hard-line strategy from the very beginning of this process and will be hoping that, if the governing body's case is proved, Mr Beloff uses the severest sanctions at his disposal through the ICC's Anti Corruption Code.

Spot betting is widespread in cricket, and is a billion dollar business throughout the world. This case and the others rumoured in recent times, including Australia's amazing victory over Pakistan early last year, have left the very credibility of the game at stake.

If the three Pakistani players are found guilty is this just an isolated one-off case, or could cricket be facing just the tip of the iceberg?

Already, on the back of this on-going case, the legitimacy of many other events and games has been called into question. The paying public need to know that they are watching a real sporting contest and not a contrived show being played out for the benefit of the gambling fraternity.

Cricket, although based historically on the highest traditions of sportsmanship, integrity and behaviour, has been embroiled in many problems in recent times. The massive influx of money into the game, especially in the sub continent, has brought big business to the sport. Unfortunately some of these businesses have been of the illegal kind.

The ICC has to be commended for its actions in setting up their Anti-Corruption Unit and the work it has undertaken in the prevention programme for leading players and the investigation of cases put before it. The time, however, has now come for the hard rhetoric and threats to be turned into action in cases of corruption. If guilty verdicts are laid down next month, the players should expect significant punishment.

Eradication of spot fixing cannot be achieved overnight but this high-profile case should alert any players considering taking this course of action that their real gamble will ultimately be with their reputation, career and livelihood.