Aussie Legend back Pakistani cricket team

Goonerboy


Joined: 01/04/2009
Posts: 723

Message Posted:
31/08/2010 22:38

Geoff Lawson claims the current squad may have been forced into getting involved in the 'spot-fixing' betting scandal that has rocked cricket.



Pakistan's current tour of England is under threat after allegations in The News of the World that seven members of the team were involved with illegal betting syndicates.



The accused include captain Salman Butt, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and star bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer but Lawson has offered his support.



The former Australia fast bowler, believes criminal organisations target players with non-financial ways of ensuring matches go according to a certain plan



In his column in The Sydney Morning Herald, Lawson wrote: "(The allegations) could be related to extortion, threats, and the well-being of (the players') own family members.



contd

Goonerboy


Joined: 01/04/2009
Posts: 723

Message Posted:
31/08/2010 22:39

"It would not surprise me if illegal bookmakers have told players that if they do not perform X and Y, their families will be kidnapped or harmed."





Lawson believes there could be a host of other external influences that could affect a player's cricketing loyalties.



"I will never condone any form of fixing, but we should consider that a cricketer might not be thinking of personal gain but of getting money to buy a generator for his village because they don't have electricity," he added.



I had a lot to do with Mohammad Asif and he was always missing training sessions to look after his sick mother. He has spent a lot of his money on looking after his family."



And Lawson offered words of support for Butt and Aamer, saying: "If Salman Butt is involved in any match-fixing, I would be absolutely stunned. He is a very intelligent, polite guy and has done well since taking over the team.



"(And) it would be the greatest tragedy if a young man like Aamer has been led astray."

eastendjoker


Joined: 24/04/2008
Posts: 166

Message Posted:
31/08/2010 23:28

i was very surprised to hear that alot of these Pakistani test cricketers are only on about 20/24k a year compared to English or Australians on about 320k if this is true this sort of thing will never go away !

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
01/09/2010 08:16

It would appear that there is a huge gulf between what some Pakistani players get paid when viewed against their English or aussie compatriots. However, to put it into context, 24k a year is a small fortune in a country like Pakistan where the average wage is somewhere in the region of £5 per week or 2.5k per annum. The average wage in the UK (2009 figures) was £25k. So a pakistani player is earning 10 times his countries average wage whereas an english player is earning 13 times the Uk average wage. The difference is therefore not as huge as it may first appear.



It is also worth remembering that pakistani players have only recently taken a hit on their earnings due to the ban on test matches being played in Pakistan which has resulted in the loss of lucrative sponsorship contracts.



If threats have been made then we are into a whole different ballgame, but to use their 'low' earnings as an excuse for their actions I believe is disingenuous.



Regards



Paul

CarrieRBag



Joined: 23/12/2008
Posts: 1374

Message Posted:
01/09/2010 08:49

Does the fact that they are paid less money make it acceptable.... never! They cheated... fair cop I'd say!