The Offside
There comes a time when one has to take a deep breath, collect one's thoughts, and look at a situation from every possible angle. The recent two-match ban on Kenyan captain Maurice Odumbe provided one such occasion. Following Kenya's nine-wicket loss to South Africa at Kimberley on Saturday, Odumbe made some comments in the press that have earned him the wrath of the authorities. In the traditional post-match press conference, Odumbe is quoted as having said that one of the umpires had "not been friendly" to the Kenyans.
Odumbe claimed that the umpire, who was not Wilf Diedricks, the other official standing in the match, had said that he hadn't "come here to listen to your bullshit," when asked to change his position to allow a bowler a clear run-up. Odumbe also said that the umpire had been un-co-operative when asked to clarify no-ball calls.
While none of this can be easily verified, it is certain that Odumbe will miss Kenya's next two matches in the Standard Bank Triangular Tournament. A disciplinary hearing was held at Port Elizabeth on Tuesday morning, chaired by Justice Ebrahim, at which Odumbe was found to have violated Clause 8 of the International Cricket Council's code of conduct. The clause reads:
"Players and/or Team Officials shall not make any public pronouncement or media comment which is detrimental:
- to the game of cricket in general;
- to a particular tour (whether or not they are personally involved with the tour); or
- to relations between the Home Boards of competing teams."
Now, for a small instance like this, the captain of a fledgling team, one that is being encouraged to gain experience at the highest level, has been taken to task. Has any inquiry been ordered into the incident? None at all. Has the International Cricket Council looked to take any action against the umpire in question? Not so far. Why, then, take Odumbe to task so severely?
Remember Michael Slater's behaviour when Australia toured India earlier this year? The Aussie batsman lambasted both a player and umpire, used language that cannot be reproduced here, and still got away scot-free. And yet, for a small infringement like this, the establishment brings out a stern punishment for Odumbe. There is no way that the ban on Odumbe can be justified. It is too harsh and the punishment certainly doesn't befit the 'crime.'
The Onside
Having admitted Kenya into the fold as a full One-Day International team, it would be wrong to give them any concessions. Yes, one must do all that is possible to encourage the Kenyans and raise the level of their game. That, however, is purely developmental activity and has to be done off the field rather than on. There can be no room to mollycoddle the minnows of international cricket.
For starters, one has to examine the situation at hand. Maurice Odumbe made certain comments about the umpires after Kenya's match against South Africa. Whether they were justified or not is secondary. Whether his comments were prompted by the actions of the umpire is questionable. But commenting about the umpiring is strictly against the rules of the ICC. There can be no two opinions about that.
One might very well sympathise with Odumbe. But to condone his actions would be a travesty of justice. The law is very clear on this issue. Clause 8(b) reads as follows:
"Players and/or Team Officials shall not make any public pronouncement or media comment which is detrimental:
(b) to a particular tour (whether or not they are personally involved with the tour)"
Clearly, Odumbe's statements have tarnished the name of the Standard Bank Triangular Tournament and have raked up controversy. In effect, Odumbe has transgressed the law and, for that, must be punished. The incident was investigated along established ICC procedures and a verdict was reached. Some argue that the punishment on Odumbe was too harsh. Nothing could be further from the truth.
As recent entrants to the world of international cricket, an exclusive club of 11 countries, the Kenyans have a responsibility on their hands. If they wish to be taken seriously, they must demonstrate the ability to live up to the privileges granted to them. As new entrants, the Kenyans should, if anything, be far more careful about their behaviour than any other team. After all, if a bad habit is allowed to set in so early in the piece, who knows what will follow later?
Maurice Odumbe made a mistake. For that, he has been punished. The action taken against the Kenyan captain is perfectly justified.
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