NEW DELHI: Five summers ago he was pronounced guilty of match-fixing but former Kenya skipper Maurice Odumbe claims he suffered just because he knew
someone who happened to be a bookie.
The all-rounder, who completes his five year ban this August, blames the ICC for mishandling his case and destroying his career.
"I was accused of knowing somebody, not of match fixing. The world never heard my story. I was not given a chance to prove my innocence. They had to prove me guilty and they did that," Odumbe told PTI.
The 39-year-old said his ex-girl friends were used to testify against him but not any cricketer and was given the harsh punishment.
"I was accused of knowing the wrong person in inappropriate context. Moreover, they brought my ex-girl friends to testify against me, and no cricketer testified against me.
"My verdict was read out at night, most of the witnesses were my ex-girl friends. If you look at other cases like Marlon Samuels, Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje, they all escaped with much lesser punishment but I was banned for five year. Why? I'm disappointed. It hurts," he said.
"They destroyed my life and then they tried to extort money from me. It is at this time I got in touch with FICA Chief Tim May and I asked him what else do they want from me. They did what they wanted and now they want $10,000 from me. What I have done to deserve all this," Odumbe said.
Odumbe, who turns 40 this month, said he wants to play the 2011 World Cup for his country before hanging up his boots.
"When I started playing cricket, no one told me when to start and no one can tell me when to stop, so I would like to play for my country. I have faith on my ability and I have been keeping fit myself. Aging is all in the mind and I would like to play the next world cup," said Odumbe, who signed a MOU with Deeksha Sports Management to reproduce the module and expertise of the firm in Kenya.
With the sagging status of Kenyan cricket, Odumbe felt if Kenya can be accommodated into the Champions league in place of Pakistan, it might help revive the game in the African country.
"I think Kenyan cricketers should have been there (Champions league), may not be as Kenyan team but as Nairobi team. It could have been a boost to our cricket, we could have regained what we have lost," he said.
Showing posts with label cricket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cricket. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Cricket Bluffs
A lot has transpired within the cricketing world in these few weeks. Well, I have been off for more than eternity so the margin or the contours of these 'few' weeks is for u to decide. The good thing for me and the worst thing for you is that I am back, hopefully not to go away for yet another eternity ride. Well, before u start scratching ur hair off in disdain or hurl abushes at me, let me stop my gibbering and get straight to business? Well so here it....
1. Sri Lanka has battered the Pakistani bowlers so hard that they have decided to go on an exile and not to think about playing Test cricket for another 14 months.
2. Intelligence sources say the flat and drab wicket that Pakistan laid for the first test is a ploy employed by the Pakistan cricket board to allure the foreign countries to play in the strife-torn nation as it will guarantee sure win for the visitors.
3. Listening to the news, Australia have already asked Cricket Australia to pitch for a test match series in Pakistan before the South Africa Tour so that they can gather some valuable points winning so as to retain their number one ranking.
4. Meanwhile, Australian players have decided to skip the second edition of the Indian Premier League to take proper rest but insiders say they CA have deliberately asked Ponting and co to stay away from the IPL as they will give away their strategy to the Graeme Smity's men during their stint in the IPL.
5. Kevin Pietersen have burnt his fingers in the Stanford twenty20 winner-lose-it-all, i mean winner-take-it-all series and now he is gearing up to compensate the loss by clubbing his willow in the IPL.
6. Considering Stanford's arrest in the alleged muti-billion forgery and Kevin Pietersen's association with Stanford, the US intelligence authorities will be a scanner placed on Bangalore Royal Challengers' boss Vijay Mallya. So they can sniff another scam.
1. Sri Lanka has battered the Pakistani bowlers so hard that they have decided to go on an exile and not to think about playing Test cricket for another 14 months.
2. Intelligence sources say the flat and drab wicket that Pakistan laid for the first test is a ploy employed by the Pakistan cricket board to allure the foreign countries to play in the strife-torn nation as it will guarantee sure win for the visitors.
3. Listening to the news, Australia have already asked Cricket Australia to pitch for a test match series in Pakistan before the South Africa Tour so that they can gather some valuable points winning so as to retain their number one ranking.
4. Meanwhile, Australian players have decided to skip the second edition of the Indian Premier League to take proper rest but insiders say they CA have deliberately asked Ponting and co to stay away from the IPL as they will give away their strategy to the Graeme Smity's men during their stint in the IPL.
5. Kevin Pietersen have burnt his fingers in the Stanford twenty20 winner-lose-it-all, i mean winner-take-it-all series and now he is gearing up to compensate the loss by clubbing his willow in the IPL.
6. Considering Stanford's arrest in the alleged muti-billion forgery and Kevin Pietersen's association with Stanford, the US intelligence authorities will be a scanner placed on Bangalore Royal Challengers' boss Vijay Mallya. So they can sniff another scam.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Butt must be joking!!
Even as India mounts its pressure on Pakistan after the Mumbai mayhem and toys with the idea of snaping its criketing ties with its neighbour country, one group of individuals who stand in the firing line are the cricketers.
Shunning their career and in lure of a better pay cheque, many cricketers across the borders have taken a plunge in the cash-bed of the Indian Premier League and its 'rebel' cousin the Indian cricket League and with the two countries falling out, the PCB has also uppped its ante and is planning to cut short its cricketing relations with India.
The PCB chairman Ejah Butt yesterday met with the president Asif Ali Zardari and has discussed about a possible step to sever its ties with India, which included barring its players to participate in the cash-rich twenty20 Leagues. If this suggestion is materalised into a full-fledged decision then surely the future of these players will be in lurch.
Butt is an intelligent man but such abrupt plans just reflects the immaturity and hollowness of his mind. Being the chief of the cricketing body, Butt should realise that it would be a very short-sighted and parochial approach which is not expected from a man of his strature. Even if he likes it or not, the PCB chief should realise that the wind is blowing in India's direction and severing its ties with India would be suicidal because once it is done, it won't take much effort from the BCCI to use its muscle power and make sure that no one tours the troubled nation.
The PCB chief should realise it is neither necessary nor favourable on their part to take such a decision because at the end of the day, PCB needs BCCI if it wants to continue to fill its coffers and stay in the league of elite Test playing nations. It is a difficult time for both the countries and the best way out would be to understand the psychology and logic behind India's decision and stand by the arch-rivals forgetting old rivalry.
Shunning their career and in lure of a better pay cheque, many cricketers across the borders have taken a plunge in the cash-bed of the Indian Premier League and its 'rebel' cousin the Indian cricket League and with the two countries falling out, the PCB has also uppped its ante and is planning to cut short its cricketing relations with India.
The PCB chairman Ejah Butt yesterday met with the president Asif Ali Zardari and has discussed about a possible step to sever its ties with India, which included barring its players to participate in the cash-rich twenty20 Leagues. If this suggestion is materalised into a full-fledged decision then surely the future of these players will be in lurch.
Butt is an intelligent man but such abrupt plans just reflects the immaturity and hollowness of his mind. Being the chief of the cricketing body, Butt should realise that it would be a very short-sighted and parochial approach which is not expected from a man of his strature. Even if he likes it or not, the PCB chief should realise that the wind is blowing in India's direction and severing its ties with India would be suicidal because once it is done, it won't take much effort from the BCCI to use its muscle power and make sure that no one tours the troubled nation.
The PCB chief should realise it is neither necessary nor favourable on their part to take such a decision because at the end of the day, PCB needs BCCI if it wants to continue to fill its coffers and stay in the league of elite Test playing nations. It is a difficult time for both the countries and the best way out would be to understand the psychology and logic behind India's decision and stand by the arch-rivals forgetting old rivalry.
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