Brian Radford - Caught Out: Shocking Revelations of Corruption in International Cricket

By Darrell Hair

I t is not often that a book about sport, and cricket in particular, delivers on all its promises and publicity. This book is one of those exceptions.

My career in cricket umpiring, and a lifetime in the game, has time and time again, told me that many people within it have an opinion about its dark side the cheating and under-performing for financial reward, which provides a fraudulent contest for those who genuinely believe they are watching a match that is being played, and won or lost, on its merits.

But when push comes to shove, few players, if any, are willing to say exactly what they know, or think, for fear of retribution from apathetic and ignorant administrators, or fearing that they will be ostracised by team-mates and driven from the game.

It is a shame when cricket administrators treat allegations of corrupt behaviour with apathy or absolute fear. One reason for this attitude could be the thought of their game being dragged through the mud and may, in the eyes of the public, ruin the values and spirit of the game that have been inherent in the culture of cricket for more than 280 years.

Crickets unique appeal has always been the willingness of players to accept an umpires decision, show respect for the laws of the game and its traditional values, and to believe that cheating has no part in it.

In the modern game, this spirit has sadly often been abused by unruly behaviour from players, open dissent towards decisions by umpires, and the advent of much more sinister behaviour in playing corruptly by manipulating the game for financial benefit.

It is this corrupt behaviour, and there can be no other words for it, that Brian Radfords book exposes, and cuts to the bone. The very core of the game has suffered because a greedy few have exploited cricket and, in doing so, produced a fraud on the public the very people whose support the professional player of the 21st century relies upon so heavily.

On the pages of this book, you will discover how the Anti-corruption Unit, which is run by the International Cricket Council, was continually frustrated by a conspiracy of silence, even though overwhelming evidence existed of illegal betting on such mundane things as the outcome of the toss for choice of innings.

The depth of unsavoury behaviour also extended to information being divulged to bookmakers, as to who would open the bowling in a particular match, and from which end of the ground.

Further startling revelations emerged as to how pitches were doctored midway through a match to ensure certain results, and how the ever-present metal bottle top was used by some players to scratch the ball to make it swing even more.

Corrupt behaviour and blatant cheating are to be abhorred. Immoral behaviour strikes at the very heart of our game. I took a stand in trying to stamp out such behaviour, and my reward was to be ostracised by the International Cricket Council, which later watered down its rules on ball-tampering, and dissent at an umpires decision.

Cricket should be sacrosanct. But it never will be, unless participants and administrators band together to stamp out corruption.

Brian Radfords book goes a long way to exposing the manner in which the game has been infected. His expos about the past may, hopefully, ensure that the game is cleansed of the greed and corruption, so that its future, and the future of its players, is beyond reproach. We must certainly hope so.

Darrell Hair,

Executive Officer,

NSW Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association Inc.

Darrell Hair is a distinguished Australian umpire who reached the peak of his profession when the International Cricket Council appointed him to its Elite panel. He officiated in 73 Test matches and 135 One-day Internationals before he retired in 2008, and was highly acclaimed for his fairness and integrity.