I gather that the Indian Cricket Board now says that they will continue with the tour provided that Harbhajan Singh is found not guilty of racist abuse. That, I think, would drive a coach and horses through the entire disciplinary process. We might as well abandon having such hearings if they are going to be subject to this sort of interference.

Also in the “not helpful” category is this post from someone who ought to know better. Aggers is living in fantasy land if he thinks that players can be expected to be honest at all time, especially with so much at stake. Indeed, I found Symonds’ honesty in saying that he would not walk, even if he knew he was out, very refreshing. Relying on the players to say whether they are out or not only succeeds in creating an impression of dishonesty when calls are tight. It also opens the door to game playing. Players are not stupid. If umpires take the players’ word on decisions then the right tactic is to establish a general reputation for honesty when calls are obvious and to lie when they are close.

Finally, for those of you in the Americas who don’t know anything about the game, you might find my article, Cricket for Baseball Fans, helpful.