Fixing Scandal!!!!!

[Dan]

Mr. Packer has a lot to answer for

 

[Fuller Pilch]

It gets worse - might have to find another sport to follow

 

[SteveNZ]

Lou Vincent's confessions of a cricket fixer REVEALED... Crooked Kiwi says Asian bookies fixed English county matches | Mail Online

Not sure if this has already been posted. As someone who sufffers from a few mental health problems, the way Vincent seems to be painting that as partially to be to blame is disgusting. It doesn't effect your morals.

I know that's your own impression but I would almost certainly promise you it does affect your decision making. A scrambled, murky, desperate brain will make decisions you wouldn't dream of in a calm, measured moment. Then I would say once you're in, it's a dug hole with no elevator back to the surface.

Lou is someone who has always been very eager to be everyone's best friend and please everyone all of the time. Mr XXX and others obviously knew that.

 

[James]

Interesting interview with Andre Adams for those interested - Andre Adams: Lou Vincent revelations - News Clips - Audio on Demand - Newstalk ZB

 

[Kippax]

,

British media are expected to reveal the identity of the man who's become known as 'Cricketer X', in the next few hours.

 

[Spikey]

im on the edge of my seat i dont know who it could be

 

[G.I.Joe]

Lalit Modi firing up his team of lawyers as we speak.

 

[straw man]

Now public knowledge that McCullum was approached by a cricket 'hero' to fix games. This is all very sad and it seems pretty obvious who that 'hero' was, and that he was not merely a passive party but was actively involved in fixing that extended beyond the obviously compromised ICL.

Brendon McCullum was approached by a cricket 'hero' to fix matches | Mail Online

I don't have any sympathy either for Lou Vincent. Sure he came across as immature, needy and a little foolish from his earliest TV interviews etc a decade ago (long before the talk of depression), but ultimately he's still responsible for himself and his actions, which were disgraceful.

 

[SteveNZ]

Now public knowledge that McCullum was approached by a cricket 'hero' to fix games. This is all very sad and it seems pretty obvious who that 'hero' was, and that he was not merely a passive party but was actively involved in fixing that extended beyond the obviously compromised ICL.

Brendon McCullum was approached by a cricket 'hero' to fix matches | Mail Online

I don't have any sympathy either for Lou Vincent. Sure he came across as immature, needy and a little foolish from his earliest TV interviews etc a decade ago (long before the talk of depression), but ultimately he's still responsible for himself and his actions, which were disgraceful.

Of course he is responsible for his own actions and you're completely within your rights to not have sympathy. I do, however, and it seems like a few do as well. Whereas someone like an Azhuraddin, a Cronje and particularly our man Mr X etc did it out of pure greed and almost an egotistical view that they'd get away with it, Lou's was fuelled by desperation and a foggy head. Yes that doesn't absolve a criminal act, certainly.

Mr X has got more than a sniff of Lance Armstrong about him, doesn't he - especially when you consider his (admittedly noble, as per Armstrong) efforts in the 1000km walk for rail safety. Funnily enough, right around the time of 2008 that Brendon is referring to.

I can't believe he was ballsy enough to approach Brendon, if that is the truth.

 

[Bahnz]

Ugh, this is all so sad. I really didn't want to believe that X was involved in this **** when it came out into the open a couple of years ago. When it started to become obvious that something fishy really was going on, I wanted to believe that it was just a one-off folly isolated to the ICL. But the fact that he appears to have been the ring-leader of a major fixing operation, and that he used his reputation and influence to pray on financially (and in Vincent's case mentally) vulnerable cricketers is just disgusting. For me it will forever overshadow X's achievements on the field, which is terrible given how much joy those achievements brought me as a fan.

 

[Bahnz]

And on a completely unrelated note, here's the latest from Chris Cairns on the investigation:

The Herald on Sunday sought Cairns' reaction to [Vincent's] testimony through a phone call and email. The former New Zealand all-rounder has always denied any wrongdoing regarding match-fixing.

Cairns responded: "I am not going to speculate on matters right now as I am in the middle of my interview process with the Met which I am hoping to conclude very shortly.

"Currently the media appear to have more information than I do and you've got to ask how that has been allowed to occur.

"Since this story broke last year, my contact with the relevant governing bodies has been limited to a half-day interview with the UK Met Police in NZ which I have been more than happy to co-operate with. This was six weeks ago and I hope to conclude this very shortly.

"I have had no meaningful contact with the ICC who have still not interviewed me on this matter.

"I support fully the intention to address a really serious issue in the sport of cricket. However there must be some proper checks and balances that need to be put in place and a commitment to resolve this matter swiftly."

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Certainly makes this interview from 2010 rather interesting:

From cricket star to Dubai diamond dealer | Stuff.co.nz

 

[SilentOne]

Makes me sick to know he would be involved to that extent. once a childhood hero and now scum

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Cairns v Modi : Cairns v Modi: Chris Cairns' former team-mates allege fixing demands | Cricket News | Global | ESPN Cricinfo

"Bank statements submitted to the court show that Cairns received two separate payments, totalling 600,000 Emirati Dirham ($160,000), into an account in Dubai, where he had set up home with his new wife. The payments, which were made in August and September of 2008, were for Cairns' involvement with Vijay Dimon. He had a verbal agreement to do promotional and sales work for the India-based diamond trader, which also has offices in Dubai and Antwerp. "

 

[hendrix]

I can't believe he was ballsy enough to approach Brendon, if that is the truth.

Ballsy isn't quite the right word, is it?

I have a sickening feeling that he was getting a thrill out of the audacity of it all. You see this type of thing all the time - criminals will keep pushing the limits. They're power junkies and adrenaline junkies.

 

[hendrix]

Certainly makes this interview from 2010 rather interesting:

From cricket star to Dubai diamond dealer | Stuff.co.nz

But his third marriage, says Cairns, will be an enduring one. "Mel is a wonderfully motivated woman - beautiful, spirited and with a minimal tolerance for the mundane."

That's a bit of a strange characteristic to deem as an attribute, isn't it? Especially for a NZ guy to say something like that.

 

[straw man]

Of course he is responsible for his own actions and you're completely within your rights to not have sympathy. I do, however, and it seems like a few do as well. Whereas someone like an Azhuraddin, a Cronje and particularly our man Mr X etc did it out of pure greed and almost an egotistical view that they'd get away with it, Lou's was fuelled by desperation and a foggy head. Yes that doesn't absolve a criminal act, certainly.

Yes you are welcome to have sympathy for him, however I think that's letting Vincent off the hook far too easily. Particularly as he seems to be quite willing to let himself off the hook in his own mind, as revealed by quotes like the following:

When you're under whatever this power is that XXX has over me, I felt I couldn't say no to him

Looking back, I knew that what I was doing was wrong but I was just completely and utterly manipulated by XXX.

and some allusion to depression contributing to his actions, in which case 'depression' (even though he may have genuinely suffered from it) just becomes another entity upon which he can externalise guilt while casting himself as an entirely passive party, or even victim.

It's classic blame-shifting and a few other sentences that say the words he knows he's supposed to say i.e. appearing to take responsibility for his actions, don't hide that he's given himself a leave pass.

For someone who is eager to please others, he clearly wasn't too concerned about the team-mates he affected in County Cricket and Auckland (I know you're outraged about this too) - no matter how he might have cloaked it and self-justified it in his own mind, that requires a conscious decision. Mysteriously, he was more eager to please the other fixers and it was clearly just a coincidence that he also stood to gain from leaning that way. To borrow Gideon Haigh's quote on Mark Waugh "I suspect that, for all his easy-going nature, he was more covetous of money than he let on."

Sure, even the most responsible adults in the world make mistakes and do foolish things. However Vincent fixed for the best part of five years - that's ample time for a bit of reflection and while there is always room for redemption, it's telling that even now he's confessing because he's been caught rather than for any other reason.

Anyway I doubt we really disagree about this - this post has more become one on how I don't give weight to any of Vincent's protestations while he tries to wriggle away from this mess. Or maybe we do disagree - every bit as guilty as Azhuraddin, Cronje and Mr X in my opinion.

 

[SteveNZ]

Oh Lou is as guilty as the others, nothing absolves that. I just know he'll look back and say 'how the hell did I get sucked into that' whereas Mr X in particular seems very calculated and knows exactly what he's doing, because he's the ring leader. I have sorrow in that regard, and because I've always believed Lou to be a well-meaning human being. I believe he'll be sorry he ever did it, whereas the other names would be sorry they were caught.

I think we agree in the most part, you and I. I just know the human brain is a strange thing and Lou has not had full control over his. But he has to take full responsibility.

And I agree there should be no praise for his releasing of information now, when it is basically as a plea bargain.

 

[Kippax]

But his third marriage, says Cairns, will be an enduring one. "Mel is a wonderfully motivated woman - beautiful, spirited and with a minimal tolerance for the mundane."

That's a bit of a strange characteristic to deem as an attribute, isn't it? Especially for a NZ guy to say something like that.

Yeah that chick's ego and idealism left a bit of a path of destruction itself, after that.

Pricey regatta sank Cairns' events company

 

[Kippax]

Yeah well there's the long-held passion for gambling and racing with McCullum, but he essentially grew up with that. It probably resides quite close to patriotism in his mind.

Cricket Star keen to pursue passion for Racing - New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing