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Of thunder and slumber

What a sense of expectancy has built up ever since Prabhakar released his tapes. It's almost like waiting for the monsoons. You feel the heat and humidity become oppressive, as it does just before the showers, and you strain to hear the distant sound of thunder heralding the much-awaited downpour. And every time a few drops of rain squeeze out of a parched sky, you sit up with hope, thinking this should be it, at last the rain gods have stopped teasing and are about to answer our prayers.

So it is with the match-fixing saga. As soon as some new and horrific piece of news comes out, we sit up and think at last, this bolt of thunder has to penetrate the general slumber. But does anyone other than the poor public, who in any case can do nothing about it, hear these noises? Your guess is as good as mine.

There are many who are still sniggering at Prabhakar and calling him names ranging from upstart to liar to fame-seeking braggart. He deserves a pat on the back and a medal, instead. No doubt he exasperated a lot of people by acting coy and refusing to divulge more than a useless hint now and then, but I'm beginning to understand why he was scared enough to keep harping on protection. Take the interviews of two fine gentlemen in a recent issue of India Today -- Chota Shakeel, who is Dawood's CEO and Shobhan Mehta, the head of the Mumbai betting syndicate.

It makes for a read as chilling as any Stephen King. Chota Shakeel says bhai likes to bet on matches but not fix them. When bad boys like Shobhan and co. fix matches like the Pakistan versus England game in Sharjah 1999, bhai loses a lot of money and that is enough to put out a contract for Shobhan, as under no circumstances will they tolerate 'cheating'.

What makes it chilling is the matter of fact way they discuss players and fixing and killings. Mehta says 'Asian teams are susceptible to bribes and naming the middlemen having access to players and managers is to invite death.'

Any wonder, then, that Prabhakar wanted protection before he opened his mouth? Shobhan goes on to say that Indian players can be bought, that since the past four years the names taken on the betting circuit are the same names facing serious charges today, and that it all started in the north, mainly Delhi. Chota Shakeel adds that he doesn't want to add to his enemy list by taking names, but managers, captains and even ICC members are involved. The Urdu phrase he ends it with says it all.

Of course, this by itself is not enough to point the finger at anyone. But too many smoke signals should surely mean a fire nearby? The conversation that Prabhakar had with Lele was by far the most interesting, I thought, for Lele took specific names and dates and matches. He talks about prior information of run outs, and how he saw it happen. He mentions that quite a few are aghast when India does not enforce the follow on against NZ in the third Test. The captain had said the follow on would be enforced, but ten minutes later changes his tune on the instructions of his coach. Later, the coach denies it was his idea, when practically the whole team knows it was he who was set against the follow on.

What's happening here? If such a thing happened why is Sachin silent? I have been told it's because he's fed up of no one listening, or caring. Well, we'll listen now, because we want to know once and for all if the coach can put his hand on his heart this time and deny that any such thing happened. The issue is not about winning or drawing the match, it's about simple things like having a coach who doesn't lie and manipulate.

And just remember, I never said it, it was Lele who spelled it out! And it's funny, but a certain enraged ex-captain has sent notices to tehelka.com and Prabhakar, but ignored the man who spoke of him in such a fashion.

I've had a few mails asking me to write something about the game and ignore the match-fixing stories, as it has become tiring to read about it everywhere. I couldn't agree more. But it's hard to concentrate on Azhar's legside play when subconsciously, I'm waiting for him to get run out. When I see Jadeja, I wonder if the man who was capable of making us gasp with awe in Bangalore could really be so uninspiring in his ideals. There are too many questions left unanswered, too many holes in the pleas of innocence, and until it all gets sorted out, watching the game will at best be a form of light entertainment, not to be taken seriously.

Sujata Prakash