Games people play!

In the times of superfluous cricket, when the details of one particular match skip down the memory lanes in a matter of few hours, it takes special efforts by a 50 over stint to stir up reactions from zealous audiences consistently for over 3 working days!

Suraj Randiv denied Virender Sehwag his 15th ODI century by delivering a deliberate no-ball. Few fines were slapped and an apology followed the ownership of Suraj’s mistake as a team responsibility by captain Sangakkara.
Yet, this controversy raises a lot of questions.
• Has the spirit of sportsmanship succumbed to the pressure of competition?
• Is it impressed on the minds of the players that their responsibility includes only scoring runs and taking wickets? Isn’t it equally if not more important to make sure that these runs are rightfully scored??
• Has the gentleman’s game given way to sadistic deliberation which results in the futility of a sincere player’s consistent efforts?
• Does ICC really need to rework its rules of game which do not account for anything that happens post the winning run/wicket in an inning?

ICC can make sure that the rules are amended so that in future such 6 runs are deservedly credited to the then Sehwag’s kitty.
On the other hand one feels rules or not, it is expected of a player of international stature to have his ethics in place. It matters even more when actions can tarnish not only a personal image but the team’s reputation as a whole. This further implies that it is Randiv, who failed to be a sportsperson guarding his morals; who is guilty and not ICC as a controlling authority of the game.

Yet, if one person decides to let his value system go for a toss, we CANNOT justify the victimization of an honest player.