Was there ever any doubt that the whole Herschelle Gibbs interrogation would yield nothing besides what was already known? It even seems fictitious that this whole drama of suspense and intrigue was created around the fact that he was flying down with lawyers to solve an age old nag. Surely, it is apparent to all and sundry that Gibbs was but a pawn in the entire saga and like all little men on the lower ranks, little percolates as far as key information or startling evidence.

              The late Hansie Cronje still evokes empathy for his very human fallacy. But he also stands symbolic of the kind of greed that can destroy the most promising of hopes. South Africa still stand vulnerable in the wake of his actions and it is a wonder if they will ever appear as animated and effervescent as they did during his hey days as skipper. While what he did cannot be condoned, he was the one man whose untimely death buried many pieces of information that if they had been allowed to float much longer, would have perhaps shed greater light towards bringing a respectable closure to the issue.

               As things stand, the men accused, Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja amongst others, have found new lease of life. They may dancing to different tunes these days (in some ways literally) but the shadow of the saga ever looms and without the extradition of the kingpins, one wonders if this will be akin to the blasts case where it is debatable that justice can be rendered without bringing the guilty to book.

               Was there every any doubt that the initial rounds of the Champions Trophy would be anything but boring for most spectators, cricket inclined or otherwise? It is hard to bear down on Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. While the former has been seriously sabotaged by internal politics at the very high end of the system that has rendered many of its players jobless and in a crisis of national identity, the latter has shown progress in sporadic situations and circumstances.

                 In typical reaction to the world to most events that beg empathy or at least, sympathy, the world has been a mute spectator as Zimbabwe have been forced to languish at the very bottom of established teams with little to rejoice. What it has rendered has been to rebuild the entire system yet again with a new bunch of embryonic youth who require finding their feet first in the international world before taking on the might of the greats.

               Bangladesh have been a work in progress for some considerable time now. But perhaps as unique to the sub continent, the progress does not follow the International Date Line and time. So, despite their inconsistent but laudable victories, Bangladesh were never really threatening to take away a position in the Champions Trophy line up, not that of the West Indies and even less of Sri Lanka.

              To catch either team at a raw moment would have been spectacular. But for Bangladesh or even Zimbabwe’s fortunes, both these established teams have risen like Phoenix from the ashes after a less than ordinary few months in the international fold. While Sri Lanka have diplomatically taken on the challenge (if it can be called that) with greater enthusiasm, the West Indies, in true fashion to their extravagant legacy, have termed this charade demeaning and an insult.

              Nonetheless both teams have had to go through the musical chairs which fascinating had two chairs laid out, one for each! With the outcome never seriously in threat, it has only allowed the teams a more realistic match practice ahead of the big encounters. But it is the last one they will cherish with greater fervour because it is a match up amongst equals, or close to it. The last two matches of the qualifying section involve Bangladesh taking on Zimbabwe and West Indies having their first real test against Sri Lanka. Would it not have been prudent to include these teams in the main fold and let the two groups unfold? Perhaps it would have made the point raking more frenetic for the more competitive teams.

             So, while the rest of the cricketing world waits with bated breath for Sunday’s encounter, the first big one, between India and England, there is much interest, although academic, in these last two matches of the qualifiers which promise to make a fist of it.

              Was there ever any doubt that the BCCI is out to make money (the same motive also applicable to the ICC)? Yet while Lalit Modi called it sensationalizing on the part of the media, in taking his grievance to the common man, he has intentionally or otherwise involved the nation in participating in what he calls ‘East India Company’ policy to the recent hard bargaining of the ICC via ambush marketing.

                In what can only be termed as a master move, India filed in their angst at the eleventh hour of the deadline, leaving the ICC with little time to consider their options while ensuring that the Champions Trophy is not jeopardized. But the ICC has explicitly expressed its motive in holding an event such as this for the globalization efforts of the sport. While cricket is a money guzzling extravaganza, few other matters seem as significant or directly hindering the sport as the off field battles it evokes.

              The fact that money is generated in the multi-billions in the sub continent is a fact not lost on the ICC. So, while Lord’s and England remain historic edifices of the sport, the business centre and heart of cricket rests in enormous measures with India, as the representative of all cricket crazy enterprises in the sub continent. With marketing men realizing the potential in the country and hence, targeting the players for mind blowing endorsements, there is naturally an interest that needs to be protected by the BCCI. It would only be natural that it would want to enhance its own interests to be in control of what rightfully accrues rather than have a remote control use men of the sub continent as pawns. It is with full knowledge of the life of cricket that could potentially  be held ransom and could tighten the purses of the ICC that the BCCI has audaciously launched into this tirade of what it feels is an unwarranted exploitation of the cricketing interests in India. Only a fairer distribution of wealth will see the ICC wriggle out of this wrangle.

                Malcolm Speed said he was looking forward to some exciting cricket, trying to keep his eyes firmly set on the encounter between India and England in Jaipur. Surely he is aware that he is going to be at the receiving end of some fireworks, seasonal and otherwise!