Media watch: Cricket, corruption and society

'Shock and horror' expressed over the spot-fixing scandal, while former players call for patience.

Media watch is a daily round-up of key articles featured on news websites, hand-picked by The Express Tribune web staff.

Cricket as a metaphor

The shock and horror being expressed in newspaper columns, letters to editors, and on TV talk shows would make anybody think that nobody in our fair land has ever been accused or guilty of misusing his position to illegally line his pocket. Irfan Husain (dawn.com)

I’ve evidence to prove Dixit approached Asif: Veena

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif’s estranged girlfriend Veena Malik Tuesday hit back at Dheeraj Dixit, an Indian freelance photographer, claiming she had substantial evidence to prove that he had approached the tainted Pakistan bowler for spot-fixing. (dailytimes.com.pk)

Ramiz sympathises with Aamer

Ramiz expressed sympathy for Aamer, and said the greater blame lay with the men who had led him astray so early in his career. “To see an 18-year old boy being dragged into the controversy is the worse part,” Ramiz was quoted by Cricinfo.“He had the world, everyone was raving about the talent and praising him. It is such a sad moment in cricket. “Aamer comes from a humble background,” Ramiz said. “He is 18, with an impressionable mind, and if he has been keeping bad company, it’s possible he could have been drawn [into wrongdoing].” (nation.com.pk)

Amir needs rehabilitation not punishment, says Atherton

“Admittedly, if these allegations are proven accurate, to reprieve Amir at the expense of anyone else involved would be arbitrary and, in a sense, unfair. It would give succour to those who argue — rightly — that the events of the past few days are a direct consequence of a failure to act on the excesses of the past. Yet that would be to ignore the obvious: that Amir is a potent symbol right now, of what was, what is and what might be,” wrote Atherton in his column in The Times on Tuesday. (thenews.com.pk)

Players' plight blamed on Pakistani society

Many believe the cricketers' plight is a reflection of Pakistani society as a whole, where corruption is rife and underground gambling dens are controlled by fearsome gangsters. "There is a greed for money in our society and our players are part of this society," said Tauqir Zia, who supervised the first judicial inquiry into match-fixing allegations against Pakistani players between 1998 and 2000. (brecorder.com)

Fans demand ticket refunds in anger at Pakistan allegations

Reaction has been particularly marked in Yorkshire where, as the seriousness of the allegations has become clearer, large numbers of ticket holders have demanded a refund. According to club officials the callers said they were furious about the betting allegations uncovered by the News of the World which has now turned into a drama involving at least four investigations, three of them criminal. (guardian.co.uk)