Dear Mr. Botham,
In the wake of your recent call for a ban on the Indian Premier League, in which you stated, it was powerful and should be scrapped.
Dear Mr. Botham,
In the wake of your recent call for a ban on the Indian Premier League, in which you stated, it was powerful and should be scrapped.
At your speech for the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s, where you were once a ground-staff boy before going on to become one of the shining star for club and country.
Mr. Botham you yourself expressed your fears about the IPL’s effect on corruption within the world game, you expressed the personal views about the lucrative league.
In a statement read from you stated, “I’m worried about the IPL. In fact, I feel it shouldn’t be there at all as it is changing the priorities of world cricket. Players are slaves to it. Administrators bow to it. 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 that brought these players into the game? I know this has been modified to a degree, but it is still an imbalance. The IPL is too powerful for the long-term good of the game. Corruption is enough of a problem in itself, but the IPL compounds that problem given it provides the perfect opportunity for betting and therefore fixing.”
So taking in note about your above word of action, Mr. Botham, firstly let us remind you that IPL is in no way connected to corruption or hurt cricket’s sentiments. Secondly, the players from your very own country have/has benefited from the emergence of the Indian Premier League rather than your very own domestic T20 competition or Stanford T20. The likes of Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan, Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara have flourished and for that sake, shared dressing rooms with other top international stars as well. KP’s rise in 2009 was well evident in England clinching the 2009 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.
Rightly so, what about your allegiance with billionaire Stanford?
You were amongst several top cricketing legends that appeared alongside Allen Stanford at the 2008 launch of his competition which later was cancelled after the first edition following accusations of con against the American-born. He was sentenced to 110 years in prison for heading up a 7 billion dollars ‘Ponzi’ scheme in a verdict which brought huge shame to the England cricket board.
Where were you then?
Last but not the least, YOUR very own countrymen have come out and praised the IPL for its sheer entertainment and brilliance that’s called T20.
Your jealousy dwells on the BCCI and the Indian cricket team but never forget the love of the fans!
It’s because of them that T20 and the IPL have come afar unless and until, people like you stoop in as a distraction.
May this be a lesson for YOU, Mr. Botham that cricket is a gentleman’s game but henceforth, will remain that way.
Let the BCCI and its administrators have a look at the problems within the IPL while you enjoy the sixes and fours, outside it.
Thanks,
An Indian cricket fan.
