It would appear that Murphy’s Law has become the very essence of West Indies cricket; just when it seemed that things could not possibly get any worse they have. News last week that former West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has been charged under the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Code is both extremely disturbing and disheartening. It was revealed that the ICC, on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), has charged Samuels with breaching four counts of the ECB Anti-Corruption Code for Participants of the T10 League.
The offences under the code which Samuels has been charged with include failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official, the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute, failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official receipt of hospitality with a value of US$750 or more, while the other two charges cover failure to cooperate and obstructing or delaying the investigation by concealing information.
According to the ICC, which said it would not make any further comment at this time, as regards the charges, Samuels has 14 days from 21 September to respond to them. Meanwhile, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said in a media release that it had not yet received “detailed information” relating to the ICC investigation, but stood firm on denouncing “any such activities” in cricket and fully supported the ICC’s efforts to rid the sport of all corruption. It stated too that the charges stemmed from Samuels’ involvement in a T10 League two years ago in Abu Dhabi, where he represented the Karnataka Tuskers, but did not play in any matches.
This is the second occasion that Samuels has run afoul of the international cricket ruling body’s anti-corruption unit. Thirteen years ago he was handed a two-year ban by the ICC for “receiving money or benefit or other reward that could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute.” On that occasion, the Nagpur police had claimed that he had passed on match-related information to a Dubai-based bookmaker, prior to a One Day International (ODI) involving the West Indies and India. At the time, it had been contended in some quarters that Samuels had been acting on someone else’s behalf, an allegation which he never confirmed or denied, whilst continually protesting his innocence. The severity of the two-year ban even extended to club cricket in his native Jamaica.
After just seven first-class matches, Samuels, at the age of 19, was flown out to Australia as a replacement for an injured player during the 2000/2001 series and catapulted into the West Indies team for the Third Test at the Adelaide Oval. It was the beginning of a career, which, often embroiled in controversy, never quite reached its true potential. After 71 Test matches, the last one being in October 2016, 207 ODIs and 67 T20 matches for the West Indies, Samuels announced his retirement from the international arena last November.
That this calamity has occurred a few weeks before the ICC T20 World Cup commences, when fans should have been reliving the highlights of the 2012 and 2016 finals, in which Samuels’ outstanding innings of 78 and 85 not out, respectively, secured the titles and the Man-of-the Match awards, is very distressing. More so given that Samuels, the only West Indian to date, and the eleventh player ever to be charged by the ICC Anti-Corruption unit, becomes the first international cricketer to face charges on two separate occasions.
The fact that the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit has taken two years to lay charges strongly suggests that it has performed due diligence in preparing the case against Samuels. The charges of failing to cooperate and obstructing the investigation by withholding information clearly imply that Samuels was aware of the ongoing case and it may even explain his decision to withdraw from international consideration.
This embarrassing scandal comes upon us despite Samuels’ prior close call with the ICC (five of the first ten players charged initially received life bans) and the extensive anti-corruption seminars conducted by the West Indies Players Association as part of its player development and welfare programme. On the threshold of being inducted into the ICC Hall of Shame again, it appears as though the former all-rounder learnt nothing from his first brush with the authorities and does not fully grasp the implications of the damage his actions could inflict on the game of cricket.
It will be very interesting to observe how Cricket West Indies deals with the fallout of this blight. Aspiring youngsters on the cusp of wearing the Maroon cap and the younger members of the current squads should pay keen attention to this catastrophe that is playing out here for the 2013 Wisden Cricketer of the Year. These are the dire consequences for reaching for the temptations of dangling carrots.
If the charges are upheld, Samuels is probably looking at a lifetime ban from the game, an ignominious end for someone who at a very tender age had set the very ambitious goal of playing Test cricket for the West Indies.
