Match and Spot-Fixing - a Great Cricket Scandal!

I did misunderstand you then and apologise for the misinterpretation. Yes, it certainly sounds as if Vincent is cast adrift on a very choppy sea, and whatever weaknesses and greed motivated him I'm sure he's in a very miserable state now, particuarly if these bookies are as monied and as influential as has been suggested.

It's certainly more than just a Sussex issue - but then we would have to focus on Sussex on this board, wouldn't you expect?

As for the IPL, I can only think you've misplaced the winking emoticon from your sentence above. Allow me to lend you one...

"But frankly, I'm less interested in whatever spin Sussex put on it two years ago" quoth BM

But therein lies part of the problem.

One of the more obvious troubles that the club has suffered from in recent years, is the unfortunate use of spin in its public statements. I occasionally challenged Jim May and Jon Filby about this, and Jon was kind enough to take the point. The problem with extreme spin is that you can (almost unwittingly) end up not telling the truth, and the ""nothing untoward has come to light" statement could be said to fall into this category.

Spin is a discredited technique because those with any intelligence see through it, and automatically downgrade the credibility of the spinner. It is therefore counter-productive. 

I was hoping that the club's public statements would now be spin-free, especially on the subject of fixing. However, the wording of the club's announcement of the closure of the old message board suggests that the club is trying out a new brand of fairly pretentious marketing speak, presumably picked up from its new consultants. Again, this jargon puts people off, and is counter-productive. I am all in favour of proper marketing, but please communicate in plain English. All other things being equal, it is much more persuasive! 

My wife has just read yesterday's Telegraph report and comments 'It is depressing and they(the Club) need to be seen to take some action within the legal restraints necessarily imposed'. She reflects my own views and one wonders what the state of morale is like within the Club and, importantly, what effect this is having on the younger members of the team who will be perhaps we will have a better idea during the game against Middlesex starting to-morrow weather permitting of course. Comments like 'we must move on' only serve to try and leave a festering sore behind. This one will not be cured until the whole issue can be dealt with transparently and with closure being reached in a manner satisfactory for all club administrators, players and members etc..

I would like to say, without being patronising, how members of this Board have dealt with the issue in a thoroughly responsible manner and this can only do good for the board's image.

To play devil's advocate, one reason why our club are quiet apart from a couple of
paragraphs stating how "disappointing" these claims are, is that no-one expected an ICC whistleblower
to appear. I am not surprised McCullum is furious given he offered his statement with the understanding
the facts would remain secret to the outside world.

So, how active will the whistleblower be this week or next? Who knows what further revelations may come
out? Is it not sensible to keep stumm until all the facts are known and then comment on them?

As county cricket fixing was almost certainly most active between 2008 and 2011, we are looking at past
history. In hindsight, Sussex should have been more transparent, more honest and open but when a Sussex
player allegedly told the hierarchy about Vincent after the Kent game, what would you have done?

We are told they did contact the ECB but the contention is primarily with the ICC. Sussex believed the
case was resolved and the matter closed, yet, the ICC are claiming otherwise. Who do you believe? Are the
ICC merely covering their a*se?

One might suggest wait until the whistleblower has finally stopped whistling, look at all the facts, and then make
a comprehensive statement. 

PS: The usual excellent article from Ed Hawkins that offers more questions than answers. Is there a cover-up
going on at the ICC?

"That is why the moles, sneaks and whistleblowers have turned a blind eye to protocol.
They have had enough. They want action."

www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11261256

AND:

"The ICC's anti-corruption unit says it's monitoring suspected activities by over 100 players."

www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11261253

press conference by Sussex tomorrow morning- as Sergeant Wilson would say "is that wise, sir?"

Rather depends what they have to say !  11.30  tomorrow morning at Merchant Taylors School. . .

I hope it suggests a robust and pro-active approach by the club, which is what almost everyone on here has been calling for. And it represents a swift backtracking from  the brief statement made on Friday  which said, "The Club will be making no further comment on this subject at this time."

You don't summon the Fourth Estate in order  to announce a worthy statement about being opposed to badness and corruption and in favour of goodness and fair play, otherwise you end up with a room full of very peed off and unsympathetic journos who don't take kindly to having their time wasted - so it must be something of substance.

I hope it's not going to be an attack on the ICC for their apparent criticism of  Sussex or a point-by-point refutation of what the ICC has said about the case. It would be very unwise for Sussex in its present vulnerability  to get into a public slanging match with the authorities and I'm sure the club would not be so rash.

I also think it would have been better to have held the pc on a non-match day and away from the players who can only be distracted by the circus off the pitch tomorrow while they are engaged in a tough battle out in the middle with the championship leaders. But perhaps the timing of whatever is to be announced is dictated by other events beyond Sussex's control?

Fingers and toes all crossed that it works out for the good and takes important steps towards restoring the reputation of the club...

bm,

perhaps the timing of whatever is to be announced is dictated by other events beyond Sussex's control?

I find the sudden timing of this a little odd and its location. Surely, at Hove would have been better away
from the players and the match. Although, given today's rain, I can't see any play taking place until well
after lunch.

This press conference has an air of panic about it which as you suggest may be dictated by further
revelations about to be revealed. Cheap speculation, perhaps, but watch this space.