Against the spirit

Sir — India achieved an emphatic victory over Sri Lanka at Dambulla and even bagged a bonus point in the process (“Sehwag scripts Indian victory”, Aug 17). The victory was possible because of a masterly and unbeaten knock of 99 by Virender Sehwag. The dashing opener, however, was denied a century by Suraj Randiv, who no-balled with the scores level. With the game of cricket becoming fiercely competitive, it has lost its set of ethics. There is no need for an inquiry to establish that Randiv had acted intentionally. It has now been proven that another Sri Lankan player, Tillekaratne Dilshan, was the man who instructed Randiv to bowl a no-ball. This incident has generated bad blood between two cricketing nations.

Initially, the Sri Lankans tried to defend Randiv. Later, they came up with an apology, but that was a small consolation. The beleaguered Sri Lankan cricket administration’s decision to investigate the incident was a positive step. The inquiry resulted in Randiv being handed a one-match ban and Dilshan losing his match fee. Cricket lovers would not like to see such incidents being repeated in the future. Cricket has become aggressive and professional, but the purity of the game must be preserved.

Yours faithfully,
Adhip Kumar Bose, Calcutta

Sir — That cricket has ceased to be a gentleman’s game is evident from Suraj Randiv’s deliberate act of bowling a no-ball to prevent Virender Sehwag from reaching a deserving century. The no-ball controversy has raised some important questions. Randiv’s action does not uphold the true spirit of cricket. But instead of sensationalizing the issue, the cricket mandarins within the International Cricket Council need to examine whether it is possible to ensure that each and every act of a player on the field conforms to existing laws.

Yours faithfully,
Sambuddha Sinha, Khagra, Murshidabad

Sir — Suraj Randiv must be congratulated for having the courage to tell the truth. Randiv was advised by another player to bowl a no-ball, and he merely carried out the instruction. In cricket, there are restrictions on bouncers, but not on no-balls. It is true that Randiv could have desisted from bowling a no-ball so as not to violate the spirit of the game. But, on many occasions, batsmen refuse to walk even though they know that they have nicked the ball, or fielders appeal for catches that have not been taken cleanly. However, they are seldom fined for their gestures.

Cricket-lovers should treat the Sehwag-Randiv episode as a closed chapter. Perhaps Randiv ought to be thanked for throwing light upon an issue that is rarely discussed.

Yours faithfully,
Benu Kumar Bose, Calcutta

Sir — In the history of cricket, Virender Sehwag will be remembered as one of the finest batsmen India has ever produced. This is irrespective of the number of centuries he has scored in international cricket. In this context, it must be mentioned that the conspiracy hatched by the two Sri Lankan players, Suraj Randiv and Tillekaratne Dilshan, to deny Sehwag yet another century was extremely unfortunate. By resorting to such a ploy, the Sri Lankan players tarnished the glory of cricket. Their act was not in keeping with the spirit of the game. Randiv’s strategy brings to mind the equally questionable, and infamous, bodyline tactic that was employed by the English team against Don Bradman. It is also interesting to note that the Indian team did not lodge a complaint against the Sri Lankans. Perhaps Sri Lanka needs to learn a thing or two from the Indians when it comes to fair play.

Yours faithfully,
Debasish Banerjee, Calcutta

Sir — Why are the media raising such a hullabaloo over the Sri Lankan off-spinner, Suraj Randiv, bowling a no-ball to prevent Virender Sehwag from scoring a hundred? Both print and the electronic media seem to be blowing up the matter. Randiv may have tainted the spirit of cricket but he may not have broken the law, if any, knowingly. It is significant that the umpires had nothing to say immediately after the incident had taken place. Actually, as in most other games, everything is fair in cricket as well.

The Sri Lankan captain, Kumar Sangakkara, and the bowler apologized to Sehwag. The matter should have ended there, but Sehwag chose not to put the issue at rest. It was heartening to note that the Sri Lankan captain took full responsibility for the untoward incident. A probe has found the bowler guilty. Consequently, Randiv has been suspended for one match. The Sri Lankan cricket board has ensured that such incidents are not repeated in future.

This incident reminds me of the occasion when the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Indian media rose to defend Sachin Tendulkar after he was held guilty of ball-tampering. Tendulkar’s critics stated that he was merely cleaning the ball. But of course, the king can do no wrong.

Yours faithfully,
B.K. Chatterjee, Faridabad