'Controversially yours', another controversy in Pakistan cricket

Fast bowlers are fiery and temperamental from wherever they come. They have long run ups and come tearing in and let fly at batsmen, baying for his wicket if not blood.

Also fast bowlers bowl their hearts out and tend to blow their tops if a batsman retaliates and hits him for a four or a six. Same when even a fielder drops a catch or misfields and sends the ball to the boundary.

While they are fiery characters on the field they are the most likeable off field, especially when enjoying a can of beer with opponents after a day's play or at the end of the game.

Down the line there have been fast men who were the darlings of the crowds and were anathema to batsmen. Two of the most fiery and furious fast bowlers who were poetry in motion when delivering were Australia's Keith Miller and England's Freddie Trueman.

Colourful characters

In addition, both were colourful characters and had in them speed, stamina and charm to attract spectators and pack the grounds wherever they plied their trade. They were dreaded by opposing batsmen.

In recent times joining this duo and making news and making headlines and being good copy for cricket journalists was Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar. Tagged the 'Rawalpindi Express', Akhtar lived up to that tag.

Everywhere he played he walked the field like a colossus. His beautiful and lively action, with his mane flying like a galloping horse, Akhtar let fly with great speed and bounce and had batsmen jelly kneed when facing him and batsmen were eager to rush and get to the non striker's end.

Like all fast bowlers, he was controversy personified. He had his fair share of problems. But they were doubled by his detractors and the green eyed monsters who were bending backwards to see him out of the game. And it did not take long for them to succeed.

Cricket world shocked

After a tour of Sri Lanka he shocked the cricket world when he announced his retirement from all forms of the game. In announcing his retirement it was obvious that things were being made difficult for him to continue and having no other alternative he had to sadly quit the game.

With his retirement, the game lost the last of the fast bowlers who made watching cricket that much more exciting and interesting. When will Pakistan and the cricket world get another colourful character like Akhtar interesting to watch.

The 'Rawalpindi Express' seems to be more popular in retirement than he did when letting fly the red cherry at the batsmen's ribs or heads with his autobiography ' CONTROVERSIALLY YOURS', excerpts of which were released to the media recently.

In his autobiography which is hard hitting, he has taken to task India's demi-god of cricket Sachin Tendulkar and 'the wall' Rahul Dravid who he accuses them of playing for their own records and rarely won matches for India.

Marked by allegations

Akhtar whose career was marked by allegations of drug abuse and ball-tampering has said in his book that the game has become very unequal and only favours batsmen, adding that when a no ball is bowled the batsman gets a free-hit and that bouncers have been curtailed.

Akhtar also talks about ball-tampering and goes on to describe how the ball can be tampered with. 'There are so many ways to prepare the ball, it's not just a matter of scratching it. I have used my boot nails and zip of my back pocket'.

The fast bowler says he wished he played under former Pakistan great and captain who helped Pakistan win the World Cup Imran Khan who he says was the last man who cared about the game and the Pakistan team.

'Unfortunately,our seniors were the most corrupt people I have known in my whole life. Barring a few like Rashid Latiff and Moin Khan, the rest indulged in activities that certainly did not help the game, yet most of them were let off with fines', he alleges.

India angered

Akhtar's swipe at Tendulkar and Dravid would sure have angered India and the legion of their fans. India and Pakistan have long severed cricketing traditions and Akhtar's comments would not help in the cause of restoring cricketing ties between the neighbours.

Ijaz Butt, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board did not agree with Akhtar has said. 'Akhtar is talking nonsense and we will take action officially once we get the book. His comments can hamper our efforts of reviving cricket series with India'.

Akhtar is not without fault. In October 2007 Akhtar was banned for 13 matches and fined 3.4 million rupees for hitting teammate Mohamed Asif with a bat just days before the twenty20 World Cup in September in South Africa. Asif has since been banned from the game for alleged 'spot fixing' in England.

Appeal pending

Akthar's appeal against a record seven million rupee disciplinary fine imposed three years ago is pending in a Lahore High Court.

But whatever is said and done, the fact remains that 'CONTROVERSIALLY YOURS' by Shoaib Akhtar will be a best seller once it hits the stand and that is exactly what the 'Rawalpindi Express' wants. Once the autobiography is out, it will be a collector's item and cricket fans the world over will want to grab a copy of 'CONTROVERSIALLY YOURS'. It will be interesting to watch what action those mentioned in the book will take.

Pakistan's cricket has always been embroiled in controversy and 'CONTROVERSIALLY YOURS' is another addition to it.

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