KEY POINTS:
Columnist Chris Rattue argues that the 2007 World Cup and cricket itself is in a state of such appalling infamy that we have on our hands the most compelling case - although certainly not the first - for the abandonment of a sporting world tournament.
He says: "Yes, there is a case for a final declaration: that cricket's 2007 World Cup is not only the worst, but should also be the last on the horizon."
This forum debate has now closed. Here is a selection of your views on the topic.
Michael Perera
That money and nationalism has tainted sport in the modern era, there can be no question. That sometimes sport is not the honourable enterprise it started out as, is a tragic reality. But this alternative - scrapping all forms of international competetion - would do more harm to the spirit of sport than any action taken by unscrupulous gamblers and hot-headed players. Yes, match-fixing, drugs and most tragically murder have cast a shadow over cricket, one that will not soon be removed, or forgotten. To admit defeat and just give up, however, runs contrary to every decent scrap of humanity that sport, in its purest, noblest form, tries to recreate. Maybe we wont ever get that humanity back, and maybe in trying to do so we'll unwittingly line the pockets of some match-fixer. But if we were not to try - if we were not to even attempt to look past all the vices and the ugliness - what would that make us? What would that say of us? That when presented with the challenge to do s omething honourable in the face of dishonour, we backed down? We gave up? We threw the towel in and went home? There will undoubtedly be more hardships in the future, more questions asked, more uncertainty, more scandals, more controversies - and maybe, God forbid, more death. But if sport - be it football, cricket, rugby, the Olympics, whatever - if sport has taught us anything, it's that we move forward, we push forward, we strive, we attempt, we try - but we do not give up.
Ross
To TVNZ: how about we actually get to see a few matches on free to air TV? We love the cricket - at least those of us who can remember the "pre SkyTV" days do. Why do we have a state broadcaster again? Unreal...
Jacob
Interesting truths are raised in this article. But the overall "vibe"' I get from this piece is an overreaction to what is and has been a problem in this particular sport. I love the world cup of cricket and have enjoyed it so far. The matches which are contentious for possible match-fixing are normally matches with no real bearing on standings or rankings. So there will not be major effects from "throwing" certain games. The over-cynical approach by the writer is annoying and I certainly dont enjoy the nauseating puns which he has used. Although these issues need to be handled better with serious ramifications as penalties, the overall outcome of this world cup will stand and be recorded in history. Thank goodness it will continue without cancellation for what has been very entertaining (the murder inquiry notwithstanding) for me.
Kent Jones
While I agree with your sentiments about Bob Woolmer,I do not think that cancelling the World Cup would be in the best interests of cricket.
Remember, this is the games showcase event that only comes around every four years. We are in the middle of the tournament well immersed in proceedings; it would appear a tragedy,even more potent than Bob's death to cancel at this stage. Ask youself this question. If Bob were asked if it should be stopped,what do you think he would say?
Common Cents
A very sombre comment. Unfortunately, he is quite correct that all of sports is rife with corruption. This is becoming more and more prevalent with big money at stake, food and temptation for the greedy. What is more motivation for the prima donna star, love of country and glory or big dollars? Frankly, the sports organizers are only interested in cleaning up the public image of the sport sufficiently to keep the public dollars pouring in. Why else would they not seriously expose and punish perpetrators? Drug users, match fixers and chuckers? Organisers believe that publicizing and exposing the filth harms the sport more than the perpetrators. So we whisper what is so obvious on everybodys mind. Slow motion replays blatantly exposes a chucker but no comment from the commentators. Woolmers murder now a totally taboo subject. It never happened!
Mick
Chris Rattue misses the obvious. If the match fixers were operational they were useless (like some journo I can think of). The fact that "lesser"(and I use that term not disparagingly) teams are through is a sign that cricket is getting healthier. Why kill the patient to cure the cancer?
Anthony Smith
What a subjective, speculative piece of journalistic garbage! We don't actually know yet if the murder was down to match fixing, so wait until you have some evidence to fall back on. Bob's death was tragic and a dark day for world cricket but abandoning the tournament is simply surrendering to those who want to destroy a great game. Furthermore, Chris never seems to have anything good to say about cricket or rugby. According to him, the six nations was a snore and a bore. Well, I am a Kiwi and I can tell you I willll have the Heineken cup and Six nations any day of the week over the insipid Tri nations and super 14. The NH tournaments may be low quality, but that doesn't matter as they capture the imagination of fans.
Ch Das
While it is possible that match fixing has not been completely eradicated from the game, the author has clearly based his arguments on hearsay, gut feelings and speculation. While there is massive media speculation over the motives behind the unfortunate death of Pak coach Bob Woolmer, nothing concrete has yet emerged that links his murder to match fixing or bookies. In fact, people who have been close to him have all denied his ever mentioning anything about match fixing in the recent past. If he indeed had some inside information on corruption in Cricket, I think a responsible person like Bob Woolmer who loved the game would have approached the ICCs anti-corruption unit long ago and would not have waited to complete his stint with Pak and then reveal all in a book. That just seems too selfish and irresponsible and I dont think Bob Woolmer who loved the game deeply would do something like . Cricket might not have regained its integrity since the Hansie Cronje incident but we should hold back our judgements until concrete proof emerges.
Tank
While I agree with a lot of what Chris has to say I think he has missed the point entirely. Cricket, as with Football and rugby, are no longer sports. They are businesses. If an umpire is allowed to make a decision that swings a match, like a bad LBW decision, then why can't the player take the matter into his own hands? After all it is his livlihood. He has to pay the bills at the end of the month. I think the biggest problem is that the players don't respect the game. Hansie only started getting involved in match fixing after the SA government introduced their quota system. And after political decisions were being made that effected his team. While this doesn't excuse what he did, it does help explain why he felt that cricket was not so "high and mighty" anymore. If other people like politicians and umpires can screw up the game then why can't the players? My solution to the problem. Strip all sports of their professional status and take away the big paychecks. Then you will see the sportsmen playing for the love of the game and pride, and not for the money. The love of money is the root of all evil.
T
The World Cup still means a lot to many players and to many fans.
Sameer
What about the UEFA Champions league, the " Holy Grail" of Football? Undisputedly the most competitive tournament on the planet! A new winner ever time! One mistake means another year of agonising wait. Winning team has to win twice as many games as the FIFA World Cup. No world tournament can compare to this spectacle of human endurance.. Broaden your horizon to this mega event!
Hans Baldwin
Chris mate , it is a sports tournament not the Salem Witch Trials. The man seems happy to be the self appointed judge, jury and executioner of the entire game of cricket when, let us not forget, we do not have a single shred of official evidence that Mr Woolmer's killing was in fact related to match fixing at all. I am no Sherlock Holmes but when you have TV coverage of thousands of enraged Pakistanis shouting for your death and burning your effigy in the street in the afternoon, and you are found dead the next morning, is it not at least possible that the two things are related? Or that the murder was carried out by a person with an entirely unrelated and as-yet-undiscovered purely personal grievance against Bob Woolmer, such as the vast majority of murders are? It is one of our most fundamental legal rights to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Flogging conspiracy theories may indeed sell more newspapers, but the biggest tragedy of all would be if the World Cup were cancelled on the basis of a load of ill informed media speculation from a bunch of self righteous and hysterical journalists like Chris Rattue.
Andrew
I can not remember the last time I read such a load of drivel. Rattues theorem = Bob Woolmer was murdered by bookies who stand to lose money by another team winning the tournament. Why not call the tournament off? Great idea Chris, so the bookies get their money back, and sets an amazingly dangerous precedent. It is a tragedy that Woolmer was murdered, but to call off the entire event would acheive nothing other than a pathetic Hollywood-style gesture. Crickets image would be irreparably damaged, sponsorship which predominantly comes from TV rights would suffer (5 weeks of sudden empty scheduling - don't think the paymasters are going to take that with a smile), the West Indies already poor islands would lose countless millions, all the fans who have saved for years to get there, the teams who have worked for seasons all lose out. Have a bit of a think next time Chris, before slopping out lazy cliches such as "Speed and his fellow administrators will soldier on, with a cash register ringing in their ears". Things are more complex and wont be altered by sanctimonious posturing.
Peter
What a misery guts Chris Rattue is... desperate for a story he is willing to sell the game he is paid to report on. Give me Richard Boock anyday, atleast his writings have some decent substance and some clever and humorous readings... I think Rattues article is rubbish and depressing and cricket is in a much healthier state than the way he reports it. If he honestly thinks India and Pakistan threw their matches to exit the world cup he should give up reporting as he is miles off the mark. If he is just saying this to create headlines it was not convincing and is just regurgitated yesterdays headlines anyway. The main thing letting this World Cup down is the weather, Bobs death, and average organisation of stadia and the like and typical ICC intervention like the banning of video clips on "You Tube". The cricket itself when it has been played has been fantastic, I hope it continues....
Mark J.
I went to the first three world cricket finals and a number of the pool games. One day cricket was exciting. Over the last four or so years I have lost interest in it, but remained a devout Test Cricket Fan. This is because of to many one day games and the absurd length of the present cup. I also believe that the ICC are amoral visa vi their blind eye to Zimbabwe and their inaction on corruption and positive drug test results.
Stanley Doney
I agree with Chris on the one-day world cup, it has turned into a circus and I have not been watching even though Lou Vincent is from my old cricket club?! What I would like to see is a World Cup for Test cricket, with a points system of some sort being applied and the two top teams playing out a final on every fourth year (or 4 in semis). For example, if we started at the beginning of this year in 2007, and then played in 2008, 2009 and half of 2010 before finding out the finalists to play in the World Cup Final. Each team would have to play a 5 test match series against each nation both at home and away within that 3 1/2 year time frame, giving more meaning to Test Match series being played. If this was started I would start following cricket again. As for the one dayers, yes NZ has a chance but even if they do win I haven't been watching it and I am a very keen sports enthusiast so something must be going wrong?
Skipper
Chris Rattues comments are baseless and meaningless. Taking his comments to there full, why dont we just forget about competitive sport and follow politics? I am finding the cricket world cup compelling, even if there is "match fixing" it simply adds to the entertainment value of the event. As for cancelling it because of Woolmers death what a ridiculous notion that would do nothing except validate the actions of the killer. Maybe the killer was Chris Rattue, with articles like this he is trying his hardest to kill modern day sport!!.
James
Rattue appears to be very precious. Sport is for entertainment first. Look how many people watch WWE wrestling and there is no truth in any of it. I agree that corruption needs to be filtered out but i know that I would prefer to watch a cricket game that was entertaining than watch no cricket at all Boxing fans love to watch even though there will always be some kind of suspicion. To conclude that the world cup should be cancelled because of corruption is truly astonishing.
Andrew M
I dont blame Chris for the diatribe as such. There's obviously pressure on (deadlines, editors?) to produce spicy controversy, in that there seems to be a prevailing view that it's what we would rather read. I dont, I would far prefer some analysis and insight. Opinion sure, but after the evidence has been presented. The poor man is so far out of practice that he is most probably now incapable of producing anything other than which we read today. More cliches than I could shake a stick at too!
RJ
Chris is correct, but then why bother with almost any sporting event. They arent about sport, they are about money. We are being entertained. Witness, for example, the drug results at the LA Olympics that were, perhaps, lost for some major stars. There are many more stories about the Olympics for certain. Cycling, football, rugby, ... they are all full of it. Once a sport reaches critical mass then the "athletic" quality is lost.
CK
What utter sanctimonious nonsense written by someone who obviously never really loved the game in the first place. It is insulting to think that Matthew Hayden is not playing to win or Andrew Symonds or Lou Vincent or Stephen Fleming or Brian Lara or even the Indian team who were in tears when bundled out of the tournament. Guess Rattue can be excused for not realising the entertainment they provide as he is not watching anymore.Woolmers death while tragic, will not overshadow the game itself and to suggest it will and any corruption around it, is just plain silly. No man(or woman) is bigger than any sport.
Phil Sinclair
Cricket is susceptible to corruption precisely because the one day game is such an imprecise measure of a teams ability. All the fuss that has gone on about the sub-continents gambling inspired match-fixing must be weighed against the "weird" results which occur with appalling regularity across the Tasman when the three-way one day competition shapes up looking as though the teams most heavily supported by the public may not make it into the finals. Sometimes it is Australia although more recently it has been England, Pakistan or the West Indies which have struggled. Looked to be gone, then a weird result eg Australia suddenly losing to the Poms this year, has restored the ideal commercial balance.
Hopefully the disaster which followed; ie Australia losing the finals to a re-invigorated England may give some of the players pause about the precariousness of throwing a game. Once another team is let in and gets their confidence up it can be difficult to beat them when you mean to.
In fact Australian one day contests are not the only ones outside the sub-continent where the results have appeared to reflect chance rather than skill. NZ, England, and South Africa have also lost to cricket minnows such as Kenya, Zimbabwe or Bangladesh often enough for any cricket follower to wonder if the games have been fixed or that there is too much luck involved to make the contest more than superficially interesting.
I gave up watching one day cricket decades ago long before any stories of gambling syndicates appeared, simply because the results were meaningless. Sporting contests are only interesting when the best team wins. Silly results combined with the mess that rain makes of a game, a mess that cannot be fixed fairly with any system that doesn't require both sides to bowl 50 overs and lose 10 wickets have created a situation where the best team usually doesn't win.
There is a sub text of racism to the way that the "white" cricketing nations have been carrying on about the gambling issue. eg John Reid seeming to only call into question unexpected results which featured at least one team from the sub-continent. This will eventually tear international cricket asunder. The ball tampering episode of last year brought that racism into focus in Test cricket. Think about it. The only known way to create reverse swing is to lift the seam on the ball. There have been plenty of "white" teams with bowlers who get the ball to swing the other way. England in particular comes to mind yet the English werent called into question when Pakistan was - even though their bowlers had been swinging both ways as well. During the ashes many English supporters wondered where the swing had gone. Well they didn't want to get caught "at it" in Oz where the Tv cameras film everything and the TV owners dont belong to the same club as the England selectors now do they?
Adam
As much as I hate to say it, I think Chris Rattue is right. Bob Woolmer has been murdered and a lot of people within the game have linked it to match fixing. If this is right, then someone has sent cricket a very strong message. It will be very interesting to see how the ICC re-acts to that message. The world cup has been smeared with corruption and murder. Amazing. Cricket needs to get its house in order. Continuing the tournament would be the correct course of action for now but never ever again invite a team that cant be fully trusted to play honourably.
Sukumar
This is hopeless journalism - can we have more of Richard Boock please. I wonder if Chris is trying to be different just for the sake of it. Cancelling the World Cup will indicate that the administrators are weak and have given up on correcting things. We have seen great cricket, and there is more in store. Our heartfelt condolences to Bob Woolmers family, but even he would have said the show must go on.
Daniel
Well the prospect of Chris Rattue not watching another game of cricket at this world cup and thus not reporting on it at least means that Bob Woolmers untimely death was not in vain. Just because in days gone by there has been match fixing in cricket this does mean it still occurs. If you will recall the Chicago White Sox (renamed black sox) team threw the World Series in a betting scandal. Yet baseball is not constantly tarnished by the same brush.Why is it that South Africa not tarnished by the same questions that always arise when Indian or Pakistan loose? After all they are the kings of match fixing and still retain Hershelle Gibbs in their side.Given the reaction back home to the early exit of India & Pakistan and the murder of Pakistans coach it would be a brave Pakistani or Indian to throw the match. As for World Cups this is a much more open contest than the other NZ pastimes such as rugby, netball or League, and therefore constitutes a true world cup. Maybe Chris Rattue would make a good talk back host as I am sure his views would light up the switchboard.
Mark Bradman
While Chris Rattue certainly makes some good points about corruption in sport, as often is the case, he goes OTT (Over The Top) in the pursuit of a few biting headlines. The Hansie Cronje scandal proved what we already suspected - some teams have thrown games for money (perhaps the current Pakistani Team included). But it did not automatically prove all teams and all players were equally corrupt. To list such great players as Martin Crowe and others in the same breath is like branding a "drug dealer" everyone who has ever been approached to buy drugs. To imply that teams such as Australia, South Africa, West Indies and even New Zealand wouldnt deserve to win the current World Cup is both ridiculous and insulting.I am all for catching the killer/s of Bob Woolmer and bringing them to justice. But I refuse to believe that they could possibly take anything away from the ultimate winning team and from others whose absolute best just wasnt going to be good enough this time round.
John McCall
So Rattue does not like cricket. That is fine but please don't write a diatribe of nonsense. I still watch the cricket even thoughprefer Test cricket. It is still a spectacle. If Rattue was around in 1972 he would have had the Olympics scrapped after the Munich tragedy. Rattue brings down the journalism profession even further with his opinionated views. It is not cricket that is at fault it is the gambling syndicates and it is by no means restricted to cricket, I am sure. Please remove him from your panel of journalists and send him to The Sun.
Scott
What a waste of space. Chris Rattue might think it is good journalism to be controversial in his opinions but these are ill-informed rantings of no value whatsoever.I am all for good debate and a fresh perspective, but how about some intelligent, well-thought through ideas rather than the idiotic whining of this half-wit.
Simon
I thought a starting criteria for your columnists would be that they are at least sports fans. Not only does Rattue waste my time by writing the longest and most pointless rant I may ever have read but he seems to have completely missed the point that this tournament has become one of the most compelling for years. Minnows upsetting the big guns, murder, gambling, behind the scenes skull-duggery, passion, national shame and exhiliration, tell-all books, police investigation, our own team doing well. If this was boxing we would be hailing it as the biggest success ever. Get over yourself Rattue, if you wouldrather crow on about how all sports a sham and a waste of time rather than getting out and finding a great story from this world cup and reporting it in stunning style then maybe its time you started writing an interior design column for Viva...
Jonno
To me the Woolmer murder is a real tragedy - my first thought was that an angry fan got to him - and that could still be the case. Sport at all levels engenders great passion. Sometimes it can go too far. All I know is that I am passionate enough to follow the NZ games on Cricinfo, as we dont have Sky.The World Cup is a great event and will continue to be so. I wish Chris Rattue would get a life, go away or preferably, both!
Ollie
What?! Cricket must "examine its own corpse"?! What planet is Chris Rattue living on? And how much does he get paid on this planet to write utter drivel? Todays news, tomorrows fish and chip wrapping.
Maureen Sheldon
I do not agree with Chris Rattue.I think that the evil which has occurred in Jamaica does not mean the tournament should be cancelled. It means that the perpetrators must be caught and dealt with. It does not smear the entire sport of cricket.
David Marshall
Now hold on just one moment: scrap the world cup tournament because of a major suspicion of corrupt practices? The world does not work that way! Not in sport, not in business, not in politics! It is precisely because of crickets millions of passionate followers that exploiters are drawn to it for their own selfish reasons. The right response of cricketers, the administrators and the fans, is not to shut up shop but to take up the challenge to right the wrongs. If those empowered to act fail, then it is they who should be shut down. Can we trust that the team who wins deserves the trophy? No matter what, that will always be questioned by sports lovers. Many will cry, We was robbed! while others will shrewdly lament, Today was not our day! Sport has always had its cheaters and that has never been a reason to hang up one's togs. Let sports lovers celebrate the world cups of all codes and empower referees, umpires and organisers to adjudicate fair play.
Daniel
Well I think Cricket still has a future for world cups as does football, the olympics and rugby! Chris has his head buried in the sand and will be out of a job as a sports journalist the way he is going as there will be no sport. Sport is people competing against people with a winner and a loser and with professionalism it also means their and their families livelihoods are dependent on the result so tempers are going to flare, stupidity may be encountered, and the easy "cheating" option may be taken.
Tony
Once again the Herald plumbs the depths of poorly thought out and sensationalist opionated editorials. This World Cup is compelling viewing, yes it is tragedy and corruption that has caused the elevated profile, but now the matchfixers, drug cheats and prima-donnas have been removed from the Cup there is much to look forward to, including a very real chance that New Zealand could make its first ever Cricket World Cup final. No doubt the Herald will be the first to jump on the bandwagon of celebration if the Black Caps continue to perform well.Rest in peace Bob Woolmer, the remainder of this tournament is for your memory.
Calvin
Nothing wrong with the cricket. The problem is journalists picking their noses all day trying to think of something that might get up the noses of everyone else. Very poor. "We all live in the gutters but some of us prefer to look at the stars."
James
So based on no evidence Chris Rattue decides to mouth off about all sport world cups?? The cricket would cup has been brilliant and infinitely better than the boring 14. Give us a break and a new columnist.
Simon
I disagree with Chris Rattues stance that the World Cup is a waste of time and should be called off. Yes there seems to be issues in betting that are hard to stamp out, however this seems to be more a case in India and Pakistan than say Australia, N.Z or England. India and Pakistan are both out of the World Cup so we should get on with the competition knowing that the countries still involved would rather have the prestige of "World Cup winners" than making a few bucks on a side bet. Lets face it there are plenty of opportunities to make money when the spot light isn't on teams as it is at this Cricket World Cup for goodness sake. As for the Bob Woolmer tragedy, what has happened has happened and we cant change that, calling off the World Cup would not bring him back. As a coach for over 20 years Bob Woolmer would certainly want it to continue, knowing that the best team at the World Cup WILL be found and Cricket will move forward. The Countries still in the cup have every thing to play for, the cricket will be exciting and I hope the Black Caps continue to play well and make this a world cup to remember...for all the right reasons!
Chris Brazendale
Have to say I disagree, especially in regards to comments about the Football world cup, its just as compelling as it has ever been.
Keith Gorringe
If this is the level that Mr Rattue has to stoop to fill the pages of the Herald then your paper is close to the standards of the British gutter press. Sensationalist ponderings combined with a lack of real understanding of the nature of elite sport makes for poor and sad journalism. It also vindicates my decision not to purchase the Herald any more. The overall support of the game that exists makes cancellation a non option. Sport does look to clean up its act and the wilful acts of the very few should not negate the good of sport to its participants, supporters and society. Play on.
Ian
What a load of crap this Chris Rattue has written! To say that no-one is interested in the Cricket WC because of what has happened in the past and at this tournament is completely ridiculous and shows a head-in-the-sand mindset. A Cricket WC is essential for the games survival as every team that plays the game aims to win that one tournament every four years and I for one will be watching every game that is possible to watch, now and in the future. Perhaps the real crime is that some "commentators" of the game are more interested in promoting their own egos and perhaps some "perceived" influence that they may feel they can have on the game.The loss of a world cup tournament in any sport would be a disaster for the world in general and may lead to international conflicts, which any world cup sporting event helps to suppress.
Michael J
Chris Rattue is a prime example of the difference between someone interested in the cult of personality and the regular cricket fan. As with the wider media reporting in the Herald, the reader is subjected to more opinion than news. In an "article" about the abolition of the cricket world cup there is not one mention of the actual quality of the games that make up the tournament! His personal feelings really have no bearing on whether this is a good idea or not.Its really a sad indictment on the state of modern journalism when polls, readers views and soap boxes replace simple new reports. Give us the news!
Andrew Law
This is the most poorly written story I have read on the NZ Herald website in a long time. It contains very few specific details, just repetitive pissing and moaning about how bad everything is. I dont want to hear it. If he has nothing constructive to offer other than "cancel everything and lets never play international sports anymore" then he should just shut up.Dont ever hire this guy to write for you again.
