Cricket

#Black Cricket Matters# Continuity.....

January 1885 was very special for Samuel Morris. A Caribbean Island heritaged, born on 22nd June 1855 in Hobart, Tasmania, with maternal link to British Colonial Bengali family in India, was the first Black Player played the Test Match for Australian team against British. He played just one test match, took 2 wickets and scored 14 runs, before he disappeared from Test arena, and later became groundsman at Punt Road Oval, Melbourne University, Australia and was absolutely blind when he died on 20th September 1933.

 

He is symbolized as the  First Black Cricketer from Australia,  in absolute White dominated National teams of the world.

 

The tragic paradox is that even after 185 years of that great happening, we still have to shout and remind others that #Black Cricket Matters#.

 

The International Cricket Council was born in 1909 as Imperial Cricket Conference by Australia, England and South Africa and none need to be the space researcher to find out that spaces for those days Cricket were totally reserved for White British Origin.

 

Since then lot of water passed under Sydney bridge, Thames bridge and Paul Sauer bridge but for certain hereditary mentality of some powerful, old attitudes seems to remained unchanged. 

 

Today non-white Bengal cum India is the jewel of global Cricket crown, Caribbean islands of West Indies are the tremendous united non-white Cricket Force and from the end of apartheid thousands and thousands non-white cricketers from Soweto to Nyanga and far  in South Africa made Cricket arguably second most Popular sports but today some people from land of Samuel Morris, and British origins continuing to clasped on to governing of near 90% of ICC members, all are Associates, excluding just 12 Test playing Big boys of Global cricket; predominantly more than 70% non-white Cricket activists of near 1.6 million heads are forced to be submissive. Any accountability has no place in the reign of His Lordship; its like 2 men-show of a 8 men army. ( Please read similar titled article published in this e magazine ). 

 

One should not blame directly to ICC Board because of disgraceful attitude of semi autonomous Development structure due to Machiavellian ways of implementation of development policies apparently by a handful of tendentious British Origin personnel. 

 

In Latin we say Divide et Impera and by this theorem some, not all but some  are very effective in remaining  power by breaking up larger concentration power into pieces portraying similar to faithful believers of Lord Minto, undeterred by realistic surroundings. Obviously shade of colonial style governance can be smelled and felt perhaps within ICC Development Governance structures because historically like colonial  governors, ruled through greedy "Rottweilers" or innocent or asymmetrical natives but controlling powers stayed in the hands of  handful of Masters, up on the ladder. Native Parroting for Masters are not new in colonized countries. 

 

Ironically British historian Lord John Acton's statement - Powers tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely is a conviction well accepted globally. But it seems that this perception failed to  endorse the British origins of ICC Development teams enjoying absolute majority and scrupulously accompanied by other British origins, inside important ICC structures like,  elected/employed women Rep /department, legal department heads etc and supposedly bestowing  consequences toward near 89.5% ICC members, who are Associates. By far and wide it is estimated that between 70 and 75 % Cricket participants of all ICC Associate Countries  are dominated by Dark-skinned cricket based activities in 5 continents, including above 90 % inside European Associate members.

 

For readers simplifications, activities of all 92 Associate members from  a total of 104 ICC members, are exclusively overseen by Board approved Development Committee and ICC management staff of Development Department, operating from ICC head office Dubai.

 

Today gradual prominence of the BCM - Black Cricket Matters have gained the momentum to fight against injustice in Associate Cricketing World thanks to mother of all source BLM - Black Lives Matter movement. We all draw our spontaneous inspiration to take a knee on the Cricket field in the spirit of George Floyd and in the name of Black Cricket Matters. it is inseparable.

 

The High-Octane powers in the hands of British origins of ICC Development Department is notable and  with tendentious collaboration of some British origins of Development Committee created the Hub of Absolute Powers and smoothly fitted inside prognosis of Lord Acton......Absolute Powers Corrupt Absolutely. 

 

This is not a racial movement, at least not from the voices of Non-white cricket world  but against prejudicial actions to non-whites that of contrary yardstick for Caucasians. Question is not about majority blacks are against minority "white rulers"  in ICC Development structure but gut feelings are about how a very few  Caucasian rulers are becoming the symbol of arrogant knights sitting on impunity saddle. You can shoot questions if prejudiced but will be ricocheted from Knight’s shield as "The King can do no wrong." 

 

Masonic-like secret syndicate stays far behind to form an united forum when some South Asians dance Samba in Brazilian Cricket development  tune and gets face-lift on social media or in global projection space from Global Development staff or Vanuatu under present day Honorary Finnish Consul promoted from last position of a global tournament to top position the then Associate rank or Finnish Cricket Development tastes Hyderabad Biryani, speaks Urdu or Hindi language instead Finnic and coincidentally all these Heads of NCB and global shepherds are British Origins. Evidently there are no accusations of wrong doing been made by author but views are left at Reader's choice. The pattern, for some may be, having a taste of favoritism.

 

Now talking about pattern; again Lord Minto's flag of convenient-conviction is well adopted by smart people who knew how unity for just-cause could cause serious damage to remain with absolute power  and what could be the best laboratory to experiment all prone  testings other than All Black Africa? After-all it is Core of  Pangaea  of the mother earth but always had been treated catastrophe by the very people whose ancestors were soul-mate of keystone of this Gondwanaland.

 

First salvo on line  was Morocco. The only African the then Affiliate member country received a full fledged Cricket Stadium as a gift from King for Cricket Development. The then Only ICC Affiliate country where Big Full members played games. But that was not sufficient for ICC Development structure team to acknowledge Morocco as a big potential. Pride of indigenous Moroccans  refused to surrender to one sided non compliance charges and ultimately they were severely punished and thrown out recently. 

 

One of the biggest name of Global Associates was Kenya. I said was because  the  senior barrister of Supreme Court, Honorable Lady Chairperson of 22 members regional cricket body ACA - Africa Cricket Association  is also President of Cricket Kenya. She is not a person who could be taken for granted when she encounters alleged irregular, unjustified impositions on Kenya or ACA members by certain Development staff of ICC. She objected, protested and even had an open discussion with the then Caucasian ICC CEO for a healthy resolution.  Apparently she and her strong team became the symbol of biggest threat to the "autonomous kingdom" ICC Development Structure. And Kenya was stopped to receive its due well-earned funding. Instead, after long  spell of tireless efforts for the interest of one of Glorious Cricket unit of Africa, hiccup funding are been provided at the mercy of allegedly certain British origins of Development structure, even in recent past. Kenya was choked and deprived of financial oxygen and crack within CK operation teams, CK administration, CK players are visible  and worse of all Cricket Kenya Pride was shattered probably by Lord Minto's strategy.

 

If anybody is looking for an appropriate definition of "Miscarriage of Justice" I am convinced that Zambia is nothing but the true case-study of such expression. A senior Cricket playing nation of Africa Zambia is officially Suspended. Apparently by the grace and again by the fruit of direct intervention of ICC Development team members under British origin management. From our reliable source, we understand Zambia is totally deprived of any financial membership grants since 2019 despite their strong protest and counterarguments and appeals against apparent false and fabricated specific charge by ICC Development personnel and process is stalling.....and Zambia Cricket heading to death.

 

When there is no accountability, when Lord  John Dalberg-Acton warning Absolute Powers Corrupt Absolutely....paid no heed to arrogantly maddened of certain ICC Development staff, The Gambia, a long-small slice of west African Country become the latest alleged victim of probable personnel, those who first accuse, then pronounce judgement and then sentence. All in beeline. The process is on and stalling, but The Gambia is not receiving any fund they were  attributed for 2020. 

 

We can also feel the pain and hardship of Nepal and USA management led by their Non-White leaders when they went through painful suspension process with financial bans.

 

We are not in position to vote whether that was right or wrong but one thing is for sure we can see, the pattern in one body, one soul and one spirit of Judge, Jury &  Executioner of Majority British Origins ICC Development Structure. 

 

Yes, this is the time to say   #Black Cricket Matters#....... To Continue...........