Predictably enough, the much hyped meeting called by the Union Sports Minister SS Dhindsa on Thursday failed to tackle the match fixing problem head on. The government seemed to play carefully forward with bat-pad close together. And though there were hints that the government would hand over the inquiry to the CBI, there were more sceptics than believers. So when Dhindsa announced in the Lok Sabha on Friday that it had ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the vexed issue, it did come as a surprise. Clearly, the government means business.

Though no time frame has been set for the investigation to be completed, the decision to hand over the problem to the CBI means that the government has certainly followed up on its promise ``to get to the bottom of the truth.'' Also indicative of this approach is Dhindsa's announcement that cases registered by the New Delhi police against former South African captain Hansie Cronje would be pursued to their logical conclusion.

Following the unprecedented meeting Dhindsa held with leading Indian players and officials, the Minister had told a media conference that the government would announce the course of action in Parliament in the next few days. ``We will first decide the mode of the probe. We will conduct the inquiry through any agency. Handing it over to the CBI is one option,'' he said.

Throughout the media conference, Dhindsa while making a few valid points, seemed to hedge over others. There were the usual platitudes: ``I am satisfied with the meeting. Those who attended have given very valuable and constructive suggestions. The government is committed to bring out the truth.''

On Friday, Dhindsa's tone was very different. ``The government has decided to hand over the matter to the CBI to make an appropriate enquiry and take necessary action. This is in keeping with the sentiments expressed by members of Parliament and the sensitivity of the case and the complexities involved. Those guilty will be punished. Those who are innocent will not be slandered. Those who have evidence must co-operate with the probe and shall be given adequate protection. Those who make ill founded allegations must be exposed.''

Tough talk this. And if action indeed follows these strong words then we may be in for some momentous happenings. But then these are early days yet. Given the experience of other probes, it is easy to be sceptical. However the CBI is expected to approach the problem in a businesslike manner. And there is no denying the fact that the general mood is that everyone - the government, players, officials, the public - wants this controversial issue solved soon. At least that just about summed up the sentiments expressed at Thursday's meeting.

Among those who attended were ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya, BCCI president AC Muthiah, BCCI secretary JY Lele, former BCCI presidents NKP Salve, Raj Singh Dungarpur, IS Bindra and Madhavrao Scindia, Test cricketers turned MP's Chetan Chauhan and Kirti Azad, BCCI vice president and Union Minister Manohar Joshi, former captains Kapil Dev, MAK Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar, Bishen Bedi, Sachin Tendulkar and Mohd Azharuddin and former Indian coaches Madan Lal and Anshuman Gaekwad. All of them also spoke about various improvements that needed to be made towards the betterment of Indian cricket - one of the reasons why the meeting was called. But of course of much more importance were the deliberations that related to the burning topic of the day.

Indicative of the mood were the utterances of Bindra and Dalmiya who have been hurling charges at each other recently. Dalmiya backed any form of inquiry the government would launch into the match fixing allegations but called for a specific time frame. ``I am delighted the government is taking an active interest in this matter. We will co-operate fully with the investigations.'' Bindra went one step further. ``A government probe is different from what the BCCI carried our three years ago.'' he said. ``I will be the first to help them in any way possible. If it is names they want, they will get names.'' In any event, the government decision could certainly change the scenario in the controversial matter.

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