The Final ODI

      Today is the date of the final ODI match between England and Pakistan and after this match what will be known as an infamous tour will come to and end.  Pakistan arrived in England on the 5 July and in just 80 days this tour has possible damaged the sport of cricket irreversibly.  With the allegations, of the Pakistani players, of Spot fixing, deliberately bowling no-balls to set up betting coups, in the fourth Test match and the irregular scoring patterns in the thrid ODI.  It would be hard to say that Pakistani cricket, as we know it, will survive and they may have shot themselves in the a foot after Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Butt said he had heard from bookmakers that England had been paid to lose Friday's third one-day game at The Oval. 

For me I am amazed at the England players continues to play the series and here is why.



       On Monday morning, Butt was reported to have told India's NDTV channel: "There is loud and clear talk in bookie circles that some English players were paid enormous amounts of money to lose. No wonder there was total collapse of the English side."  England's players were so shocked by the accusations levelled at them that they considered refusing to play the fourth one-day international against Pakistan at Lord's on Monday, which they went on to lose by 38 runs.

      I honestly disagree with what the England team and the ECB did at this point, the ECB have stated that it was a board decision for the match to go ahead stating "That was in the best interests of world cricket, England cricket, the ICC and the world game."  Butt's recent conduct before this incident had been cruised, with many calls for the revamp of Pakistani cricket and some calling for his head. 

     Butt claimed that he had heard some allegations from some betting rings and with no proof then told a journalist about the rumours he had heard I can only think he was trying to take some of the heat of the Pakistan Cricket Board and their team.  But by doing this he has heaped more trouble on the PCB and after claiming there was a "conspiracy to defraud Pakistan and Pakistan cricket".  He has lost all control of the current situation.

      The ECB has threatened to take legal action against Ijaz Butt unless he apologises for claiming England threw a game.  This is a good step but the ECB should have postponed the fourth ODI match, Captain Andrew Strauss "refuted the allegations" on behalf of the England team before the game and said he had "strong misgivings" about playing the last two matches of the five-match series.  But if I was an England player I would refuse to play, I know it is possible childish but it is utterly outrageous to accuse a player of throwing a game with out any proof.

     The Final ODI takes place at 14:30 BST and after the conclusion of this match I wouldn't be surprised if England never play Pakistan again.  I honestly hope that some form of ban to the whole PCB and side, the way it is currently run is now where near the standard required for an international sporting team.  They need to let the ICC in and rebuild from the bottom up, something like this can never happen again.