Innocent Until Proven Guilty
An important tenet of natural justice - at least in terms of the criminal law - is that people remain innocent of charges until their guilt is proven in court.
So far, so good - but sometimes things can be taken to ridiculous extremes.
Take all this hullabaloo about cricketers bowling 'no balls' to order - which means that out of perhaps several hundred balls bowled in a day - it becomes possible to say with certainty that ball number 534 will be a 'no ball'.
A 'no ball' is cricket means that the ball doesn't count and has to be bowled again - with the batting side being awarded an extra point.
So it's something that no self-respecting bowler would do - because it's letting his own side down.
But in the recent match that's caused all the fuss - this happened not once but twice - in the same match.
And someone not directly connected with the cricket team was filmed undercover saying that - for a large sum of money - he could arrange precisely which balls would be bowled as 'no balls', e.g. balls numbered 534 and 676.
Now this is clearly impossible - and the sooner the authorities act to deal with the culprits - the better.
Various sport have been plagued by cheats down the years - athletics and cycling with drug cheats - now cricket with betting cheats and racketeers.
The accused may be innocent for now - but the evidence against them is overwhelming - if they don't come clean and put their hands up - they deserve the harshest sentence possible.
So far, so good - but sometimes things can be taken to ridiculous extremes.
Take all this hullabaloo about cricketers bowling 'no balls' to order - which means that out of perhaps several hundred balls bowled in a day - it becomes possible to say with certainty that ball number 534 will be a 'no ball'.
A 'no ball' is cricket means that the ball doesn't count and has to be bowled again - with the batting side being awarded an extra point.
So it's something that no self-respecting bowler would do - because it's letting his own side down.
But in the recent match that's caused all the fuss - this happened not once but twice - in the same match.
And someone not directly connected with the cricket team was filmed undercover saying that - for a large sum of money - he could arrange precisely which balls would be bowled as 'no balls', e.g. balls numbered 534 and 676.
Now this is clearly impossible - and the sooner the authorities act to deal with the culprits - the better.
Various sport have been plagued by cheats down the years - athletics and cycling with drug cheats - now cricket with betting cheats and racketeers.
The accused may be innocent for now - but the evidence against them is overwhelming - if they don't come clean and put their hands up - they deserve the harshest sentence possible.
