Twelfth Mans Diary

Home at last after nine months. I joined the team on August 3, 1996 and we played from then on till May 21.

Sri Lanka, Canada, India, South Africa, Zimbabwe, West Indies and India again. Thank God its over. I am so tired of dressing rooms, verandahs and hotel lobbies.

May 27

Just read that the Hyderabad Cricket Association is holding a Sharjah-type triangular. India, Pakistan and New Zealand will play.

Must speak to uncle to get me in.

May 29

No luck. Uncleji says only the A-team will play. I said I was a good 12th man, A-team or main team it didnt matter. But he wants to promote his own son. Everyone does.

 

Two rumours in the air. One that Joey is out for good, what with Sunil Sir having mercilessly panned him throughout the West Indies tour.

Why poor Joey, I asked, whats he not done that the

others have?

Look for clues in the Australia vs the Rest of the World match played in early May, I was told. Its got something to do with lefties.

It all makes sense now. Even the skipper has been saying that India needs a genuine all-rounder who can bowl a Chinaman! All of which must make our wonderboy from Trinidad wonder about his place in the side in the next season.

(A word about wonderboy: why does he do well everywhere except in the West Indies?)

The other rumour is about Manojbhai going about saying that players fix matches. Silly chap. He shouldnt be so bitter about being dropped.

June 1

The stuff has really hit the fan now. It seems Manojbhai has written an article saying that he was offered Rs 25 lakh by a teammate once to fix a match. But he hasnt said who the player was.

June 3

Ajit Sir has really put his foot in his mouth saying that he used to tap phones after he heard persistent rumours that matches were being fixed. Now the fur will well and truly fly.

All this is complete nonsense, a figment of the medias imagination. Sure, theres betting and sure there are temptations galore.

But no one dangles anything in front of the players. I know them all like my own brothers and, believe me, not one would stoop to such depths. Not even the Pakistanis would.

The thing is, you see, you get paid about a lakh per one-dayer, so you dont want to kill the golden goose. You want to keep playing and winning.

What about players who arent sure of their places in the side? Wouldnt they want to

make a quick killing before

they are dropped, asked my journalist friend?

To which my answer is that if you dont have a guaranteed place, you arent good enough to influence the outcome anyway. No one will offer you a bribe to lose a match.

But so willing is the public to believe stories of corruption that Im afraid permanent damage has been done. My regard for Manojbhai has plummeted.

Its really bad form to defecate in your own nest.