Sensationalize, but only on the field

What is the first thing that comes to mind when we think about the imprisonments in the spot fixing scandal? The casual followers just go through the motions getting away with an odd opinion or two, the hypnotized lovers try to resist facts in order to feel that they are in a sane world that consists only of their beloved sport but the real difference-makers are those who try to analyze and perhaps even quantify the impact of significant events. As it is said quite often – “It’s not about what one captures, it’s about how one captures”.

The spot fixing scandal and the succeeding imprisonments to the convicted can be a prime example in our beloved sport of an event which needs to be effectively presented rather than being turned into a bland fact-stating ceremony. The sentences given to the quad of Salman Butt (2 ½ years), Mohammad Asif (1 year), Mohammad Amir (6 months) and the bookie Mazhar Majeed (2 years & 8 months) require as much detailed scrutiny as they require media fact stating, for the simple reason that the issue under discussion doesn’t only impact the popularity of the game but also the basic thought process of a novice – whether he/she is watching a sport or is there a recorded cinematic spectacle with live actors at the fore?

This piece is focused on the curious case of Mohammad Amir. There have been multiple schools of thoughts regarding the imprisonment and the careful handling (mishandling) of this left arm pace sensation. If we just take the crime which this talented pacer has committed, we will but start hating the eighteen year old’s guts. But, that way of looking at things will not only be incomplete or vague, but it will also instigate a new school of thought of parents/guardians forcing their kids to stay at a distance from the cricket field. What is important to note here is the fact that an eighteen year old does not have the brain cells to fight the pressurized diplomatic forces doing the rounds along with power. There is every possibility that he might have succumbed to the persistent pressures exerted from the powerful, we dare say nasty, men populating the top echelon of the sport. In this regard, it becomes even more important to applaud the sentences given to the other three, since apart from defaming the sport and killing fan trust, they are influencing a crop of growing cricketers to carry their legacy forward instead of those who have made the field sacred.

Amir’s release from the Portland Young Offenders Institution at Dorset after staying there for three months, thereby cutting short his six month stay (legally), can be considered a step in the right direction. It can be argued that his involvement was scandalous and “sensational”, to say the least. But what was more “sensational” was his 6-for versus England in the same black listed series at the same coveted yet the spot fixing venue, that is, the Mecca of Cricket – Lord’s. From where I’m looking, it is an obligation on the part of the governing bodies involved and the fans (including media and print) to try and “sensationalize” on-field events more aggressively as compared to off-field tragedies.

Having said that, this article by no means aims to defend a convict’s illegitimate or unethical contributions to our sport; its only motto is to pat the governing bodies on the back for taking a young talented offender’s case in a different stead from the others’. Another parallel aim of mine is bring home the importance of the media promoting genuine talent when actual performances unfold (especially when they happen in the longest format of the game). “Sensationalizing” the more pertinent stuff should be the media’s prerogative.

Hopefully, a few heads will roll within the ICC and there might be some lenient interrogation into Amir’s five year ban because this is not a matter that concerns just one person, rather it involves a massive group of upcoming cricketers who will define what the next generation is going to make out of our lovely game. At the same time, the example of Amir’s case can be used for future counseling initiatives to keep this ill away from the game, perhaps even persuading the cricketer himself to participate in the initiatives. The game needs to be developed on a bilateral front – one side is responsible for promoting raw talent whereas the other for keeping the boundaries pure.

The bottomline is that “sensational” performances are much more valuable than “sensational” incidents, and we’d do well to recognize that fact.