Controversial Sir Ian Botham digs at David Cameron

The controversial Sir Ian Botham has again entangled himself in a web of controversy by condemning the Indian Premier League and asking that it be banned, during his Sir Colin Cowdrey MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord's recently. Besides being controversial and thought provoking, it makes interesting reading.

The former England all rounder has a penchant to soak in controversy. A former ground staffer at Lord's before going on to rock the cricket world as an all rounder, he expressed his fears about IPL's effect on corruption within the world game.

The former Somerset and England star levelled allegations against the IPl, specially on the corruption taking place which has raised the ire in the Indian cricketing circles.

Among other things Botham said: I am worried about the IPL - in fact, I feel it shouldn't be there as it is changing the priorities of world cricket. Players are slaves to it. Administrators bow to it.

Best players in the world

‘How on earth did the IPL own the best players in the world for two months a year and not pay a penny to the boards who brought these players into the game'.

Stung to the quick on the allegation that not a penny is paid to the boards, the Board of Control for Cricket in India slapped Botham saying: ‘Let him get his facts correct first. He has asked how the other boards have allowed the IPL to happen. The BCCI has distributed over 10 million US dollars as compensation to the other cricket boards for allowing their players to play in the IPL’, was BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel's reply.

Patel who seemed to be fuming hit hard further at Botham and reminded the all rounder of his dalliance with disgraced Texas financier Allen Stanford who promised to set up an IPL-type T20 league, but then was put behind bars in the USA for defrauding investors through a ponzi scheme, putting an end to his T20 dream.

‘I can still visualize the photo of Botham sitting in the front when Stanford went to England. And he has the temerity to talk about IPL.

We don't want his advice. We have enough top players like Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Kapil Dev and Rahul Dravid to advise us’, said Patel.

Cricketers swear by IPL

Ask the cricketers and they will swear by the IPL. Cricket has become their livelihood. The IPL is the most lucrative and not only the players, but also Cricket Boards, officials and all those involved in the IPL make money and big money at that. Once their cricketing days are over, there is no way that a cricketer could do a desk job for his living.

Many Cricket Boards have cottoned on to the IPL format and are

conducting tournaments and players yearn to figure in it to earn extra money. Money is the root of all evil, it is said and there are evils in the IPL and it cannot be helped. But it can be curbed.

It is generally the angry, jealous and the frustrated who spit venom against the Indian Premier League. Not only Botham, but here in Sri Lanka too we have the above mentioned who unable to enjoy the spoils of the IPL who keep hitting at the IPL, but their criticism is ignored because they understand the machinations and the frustrations behind it.

Not satisfied at hitting out at the IPL, Botham also bowled a stinging bouncer at British Prime Minister David Cameron during his lecture accusing the PM and his Government for not doing enough for school cricket.

The subject drives me mad

This is what Botham said. ‘Why aren't the Government focusing on sport as a necessity in the school curriculum?. This subject drives me insane. I feel it is my duty to point out the problem that face sport in schools, and specifically cricket.

‘The problem is now that schools are too big and there is no personal touch with the teachers. And as schools get bigger, one of the things you lose are your playing fields. Come on David Cameron - when I came to Downing Street to meet you, you made all the right noises and promised to come back to me with your ideas. I'm still waiting'.

When talking of IPL and the big money it gives the players and everyone around it, the man who understood the plight of the cricketers who were making a pittance and enriched their life styles the one and only Kerry Packer should not be forgotten. Packer formed World Series Cricket gave cricketers big pay and also introduced night cricket which has now come to stay and is a big draw.

From Botham we move on to the cricket scene that was in England and the Tests and the one-day international series between India and England which concluded with England winning the Test series three- one and India pocketing the one-day bashes 3-1.

Five Tests for the first time

It was the first time that England and India played a five match Test series. We made our comments on the Test series and now move to give our comments on the one-day series. With the Test victories England Captain Alastair Cook silenced his critics, kept his head above water and heaved sighs of relief for a few days.

But the 3-1 thrashing by India in the one-day series has again given his critics ammunition to fire and his critics are having a time, condemning his captaincy and poking fun at him. My pals Upula ‘Kukula’ Fernando and Patrick ‘hat-trick’ Perera order their bite at our watering hole the Old Bens Sports Club to be boiled and fried.

And Alastair is not only being boiled and fiend, but is also Cook(ed)and roasted with his critics baying for his blood and asking that he be relieved of his Captaincy if England is to have any chance of winning the 2015 World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in February and March. England has never won the World Cup since its inception in 1975.

Cook's batting form has not been what it should have been. Of late his batting has dipped alarmingly and it has gone to rub off on his captaincy which has also suffered and it will be interesting to watch how or what the Selectors will do.

Emphasis on one-day cricket

Today Cricket Boards lay much emphasis on one-day cricket and the World Cup because that is where the money is. Test cricket which is what the game is all about is given step-motherly treatment and at times pushed into the limbo of the forgotten. SAD.

From now on Test cricket will be forgotten with countries determined to win the World Cup, licking their teams and fine tuning them into top shape what with just a few more months to go for the mega event. It is no different here in Sri Lanka winners of the World Cup in

1995/'96. The Sri Lankans who beat Pakistan in the Test and one-day series are resting their tired and weary limbs having played a lot of cricket in both versions.

Come November/ December Sri Lanka will host England to seven one-day internationals and then fly to New Zealand to play another seven one-day games and Two Test matches, mainly to acclimatize to the conditions and wickets and in Kiwiland where a part of the World Cup matches will be played.

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