Vampire strikes cricket world cup 2007

Vampire strikes cricket world cup 2007

by Remigius de Souza

THE VAMPIRE'S FACE IS MONEY – big money, because cricket involves big money. Bob Woolmer, perhaps, is the first and the last victim, though we are not sure. Who is/are behind the murder of Bob Woolmer, the coach and former cricket player, on the venue of the games, which was under tight security? It may be revealed, hopefully!

This murder is a shame to the spirit, if there is any, of sports. International cricket is already riddled with many factors – demoralization of players, drug abuse, politics, baiting, match fixing, favouritism… – known and unknown.

Some Indian TV news channels overplayed, to add fuel to fire or to rub salt on the wound, the Indian fans’ fury, added with big wigs’ condemnation, on the sousing Indian team. Finally only one has to win. Then why is this fury? Is it because of their patriotism? Or do they enjoy themselves playing, any time, as leisure that is rare in Indian urban life? Or, is it because they lost heavily on baiting? They forget neither India, nor the TV watchers, nor a TV channel is the cricket team. It is a known fact. From cricket to Kargil take any field – policy, planning, administration, implementation, research and development – India lacks “fieldwork” and “physical fitness”.

What strike most is all the players and teams seem ‘cooool’ about the murder of one of them, while he was among them. Otherwise, they would have boycotted the Cricket World Cup, once they knew Bob’s death was a murder and not natural.

What could be the repercussions? All the agencies – cricket control boards, sponsors, TV channels, match-fixers, baiters… would have been stunned and in a fix. However the players behaved as if they were dumb-race-horses. They failed to assert their right to safety and human dignity. They continued playing like zombies.

What more could have happened?
There could be court cases, or they may be fined, or jailed, or debarred from playing in the International cricket forever. But nobody can stop anyone from playing cricket; they could play with kids in the by lanes, instead of playing in ads.

What they, and we, forget is:
If there are no students, there can’t be schools.
If there are no sick people, there need not be hospitals.
If there are no faithful, there can’t be institutionalised religions.
If there are no watchers, there can’t be a TV chanel.
If there are no players (if all of them – inside and outside – join in solidarity) there can’t be cricket control boards, and no more dirt games by centralised powers they play.
We, the people, help the institutions to sustain; Institutions are not above us

Remember the event in South Africa in Gandhiji’s life that eventually shook the mighty British Empire!
~~~~~
Remigius de Souza
25-03-2007
Mumbai

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