Desperately sad

A few years ago, when my daughter was at primary school, I watched her skip happily into the school building at the same time that another girl ran across the playground, in fear that she would be late. The girl caught her feet, tripped and fell her full length. Within seconds of the realisation hitting her, she was sobbing her eyes out, with her knees skinned and bleeding and her jacket torn.

Everything inside me wanted to help the poor mite, but the realisation dawned that a man going to help a young girl in this day and age might not look good. All I could do was to run to the school door and find someone - a female someone - who could help. For a few days afterwards the event played on my mind, as I had allowed a concern of the modern era to override my concern for the wellbeing of the girl. Perhaps I should have gone straight to her to comfort her, but there are so many people who might have read something into it that wasn't there. I couldn't - wouldn't - take the chance.

A few weeks ago at Mum and Dad's we were watching athletics on TV as an athlete stormed away from the field to win at a canter. 'I bet he's on drugs,' said Dad, oblivious to the possibility that it may just have been a great performance and subscribing to the generalisation that now tarnishes the sport.

Which brings me, I'm sure you have realised, to the furore over the current Test match and the alleged betting scandal. To be fair, the newspaper's headline that calls it a 'match-fixing' scandal is over the top, as few matches have ever been won or lost on a no ball, but it doesn't look good. If substantiated, the penalties should be severe as the game cannot tolerate such actions.

It is such a shame that these activities, together with the investigation at Essex earlier in the season, have meant that supporters will now look at bowling in a different light. I have seen a number of erratic bowlers over the years who have struggled to bowl a consistent line, some of them in Derbyshire colours. Not once did it ever cross my (or anyone else's) mind that it was anything other than poor bowling, which it was, of course. Now, however, any bowler who loses his run up or line, or who bowls a succession of long hops and half volleys may get similar suspicion come their way. It is desparately unfair, will be incorrect in 99.9% of cases and tarnishes the game in the eyes of millions.

I bet I'm not the only one who is deeply saddened by the whole affair.