Cricinfo - Blogs - Rob's Lobs - A tale of two pities

Many will contend that the only tears to be shed should be strictly those of a crocodilian persuasion. Collingwood, after all, shook sackloads of sensibilities with his ruthlessness in an ODI last month against New Zealand at The Oval, refusing to withdraw an appeal after Grant Elliott had accidentally been clattered, and injured, by Ryan Sidebottom. For all his subsequent apologies, for all that team-mates might have counselled him better, or at least helped him carry the can, it cost Collingwood a great deal more than his suspension for permitting a slow over-rate. And rightly so. There are even those who rejoiced when Billy Bowden gave him out so cheaply, and so wrongly, at Lord’s. Here was justice. Here was karma.

All the signs now are that he will be replaced by Andrew Flintoff for the second Test of the D’Oliveira Trophy series, starting at Headingley on Friday. Having served his country so splendidly and unstintingly, in all forms of the game, one trusts, feels almost completely certain, he will return, but he needs assistance to dig him out his trough.

I have never met Collingwood, but all the interviews and anecdotal evidence suggest he is an admirable man, a quietly passionate sportsman blessed with a rare and priceless brand of determination. He’s needed every ounce. A north-easterner, he had to scrap his way to the top of a pyramid run by north-westerners and southerners, overcoming prejudice and pigeon-holing. Durham’s first major contribution to the national cause since they became the 18th first-class county in 1992, he batted with a punchy responsibility, could outsmart the best with the ball, and consistently produced the sort of breath-snatching catches one never, ever, associates with an Englishman. Characterised - snottily, snobbishly - as a one-day specialist, he nailed that theory long ago.

Lord’s, though, was his first game for England since that Oval miscalculation. Was this really Colly we were watching? Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell’s frolics meant that runs weren’t that crucial, rendering that single-figure score almost inevitable: here is a bloke who thrives on, lives for, the challenge; without a mountain to climb or a wall to be backed up against, he is a lesser player. Yet even in the field the colour appeared to have drained from his cheeks; a catch was dropped that, by his own admittedly celestial standards, was virtually undroppable. And, although he took a vital wicket in the first innings, there were no magic balls in the second, no flashes of sorcery to relieve the frustration, no “Goldenarm”.

It is hard not to sense that Collingwood is down on himself. Forget what the outsiders have said, outsiders who know nothing of him beyond boundaries and catches. Forget the number of hands that have been sheepishly raised when other players have been asked whether they would have acted, in the white-heat of battle, as he did. His own self-image, as a tough but fair competitor, has taken a pounding.

Whether he can recover will depend less, one suspects, on form alone than man-management. One of the main advantages of central contracts is that recipients no longer slink back to their counties after being dropped, tail between legs, confidence shot, sense of belonging evaporated. Yes, a few hundreds and wickets for Durham will help, but the phone calls and texts must continue, reassurance the theme.

The same should apply to Asif, who has fallen foul, like so many before him, of his own immaturity and short-sightedness, but has also been nobbled by immature bosses, by poor guidance. Not that long ago he was made vice-captain, suggesting a man of substance rather than substance-abuse. Pakistan cricket, and the art of fast bowling, are not so well-endowed with talent that we can afford to see him ditched to the wayside.

Sympathy for Asif? Don't make me laugh! Cleared on a paper thin technicality when exposed by a dope test the first time. Arrested in Dubai for possession and now failed a dope test taken while playing for the IPL.

I had no sympathy for Asif when the first dope test failure came up. He should have been banned there and then. And you're comparing him to Paul Collingwood?

Failing drugs tests twice is a far worse thing than just once playing that little too hard. Collingwood admitted he was wrong soon after. Asif has insisted innocence. Even the PCB has washed their hands of him. Until he goes to court and overturns the ban (if the B test is positive).

Whether karma was in play when Billy Bowden triggered at Lords I know not. Justice must surely be seen to be done to the (alleged) drugs cheat as well.

Collingwood can come back and surely will. For a drugs cheat the road back is rightly much harder; look at Dwain Chambers. Asif has a cloud over him which may become a ban and a brand.

A nice point is raised about how the effects of performance enhancing drugs can really make you a better bowler - bowlers are essentially judged by wickets in test cricket and economy in one day, neither of which can be enhanced by a pill or injection. Either way, Asif knows the rules and this point makes his repeated misdemeanous even more senseless. Shame on him and Pakistani cricket for allowing this to happen.

Your portrayal of Collingwood I find a bit fanciful - the idea of him weaving some magic with the ball in test cricket is ridiuclous, he's never been anything more than an occasional changing ends/drain the last few overs along with Panesar before the second new ball bowler in test cricket. He has always been a test cricketer that's needed to be on top of his game to thrive as shown by his recent glut. An extremely likeable sort of guy and tough as they come, but I fear Paul Collingwood MBE might be out for a while.

Asif Drugs Pakistan. Not since the Windies tour in '93 have I heard the last 2 in the same breath. Now it’s happened 3 times in the blink of an eye with the name Asif repeating each time. Sympathy, well, more like embarrassment. Sadness, undoubtedly. Gone, forever. Please.
He has tainted all Cricketers, Pakistani’s, Muslim’s and the name Mohammed.
He would understand this if said to him in English, Urdu or Punjabi.

Observation, thought provoking article thank you Rob, but mention of Asif and Drugs with no mention of Shoaib is barely believable - as many Pakistani’s believe him to have been the one to introduce Asif to drugs.

I never rated Colly as a test player, but a very hard trier. He will be back but he has to go for now. Pity your readers missed what you were saying in respect of the Over-rates ban / Elliott dismissal / subsequent dropping. I do feel for my fellow Karachite Shah, not sure what he has done wrong since 2001 - the same year Colly made his debut. For the s

Asif is gone, so should be Shoaib. Pakistan would do well if they hand over the captaincy to Misbah and allow Shoaib Malik to be a batsman [1,2 or3] in tests. For the moment they will have to be content with the resources they have in bowling. Sohail Tanvir is a good start, get some bowlers to support him and wait for the next great fast/spin bowler to emerge.

As for Collingwood its a bit tough no doubt. The best memories that i have of his game was when he lead [batting] England over Australia in the oneday finals after that 5-0 royal thrashing. He showed that had the mettle to take it to the Aussies. But that doesnt guarantee him a place in the squad for ever. And the man who would replace him, Flintoff, is defenitely a mightier force than Collingwood. So its tough on him, yes, but thats the way it is.

I think the Elliot incident has been blown out of proportion, enough has been written comparing New Zealand's reaction to it and their reaction to McCullum running out Muralitharan. As Brian correctly pointed out, Collingwood was in woeful form long before the incident. On current form I'm afraid Collingwood just isn't good enough to get a spot in the squad with Flintoff returning. If anything he might be under pressure for being pilloried by the media and sanctimonious ex-cricketers after the incident, so a break from the spotlight might be best.
As for Asif, I'm going to play devils advocate here and recommend waiting for the B sample's result before condemning him. Having said that, he should have been banned after being caught the first time. Its disgusting to see Abdul Razzaq and Shane Bond being banned for joining the ICL while Harbhajan, Shoaib Akhtar and Asif are let off the hook for far worse infringements.

well india or no india ... i dont think asif should be thiking about it. To be honest reading too much into things is what is being done in this case by somehow involving india. Once a mistake twice is stupidity. Its common sense that performance enhancing drugs are banned. Whether they play a significant part or not thats another debate. But he broke the rules and not once. Is he nuts? He should realize that the future of pakistan fast bowling depends on him. Umar gul has been his bowling partner and how responsible and workhorse like he has been. Honest tryer with good abilities. He was as uneducated as asif if thats the defence point then why did'nt he go for the drugs. Hiding facts behind delusional reality wont work. I am a pakistani myself and he has put our heads down with shame which were once held high by his own performances.He needs to set his priorities right and get back to the noble spirit of the game only then we can expect a come back from him in international cricket.

As a writer, it is always fantastic to see unique approaches, thank you writer.
I like the attitude & hunger of Colly, he is sort of Shoaib Malik, always fighting with available (limited) talents. But it was shame what he had done in Elliot incident, i will compare that with Greig Chappel captaincy to ask his bowler to bowl disgraceful delivery to no 11. What is happening to Asif is result of poor system and poor politics. I will definitely wait for B sample results.... still 3.--- nandorine level is how much more than in a normal healthy body? What can it make difference to a seam & swing bowler like Asif? Well can it not be because of his consistent injuries specially elbow problems? remember he played 9 out of 16 matches for Delhi. Still, if found guilty, he should be punished though system & board are involved in it but still we have to follow the rules. I will bitterly miss his magic (if anyone remembers matches in Karachi, Colombo, Oval & UK). Comparison is justified.

Great Article Mr. Steen. It is quite refreshing to read something so different from the normal drivel put out by some writers. Collingwood does deserve some sympathy for the decision he took with Elliot. I believe it was obvious he wanted England to win the one day series quite badly under his captaincy and so took a very, very immature and unsportsmanlike decision at the time. Let me hasten to add I believe Ponting, Vettori and Smith would have done the exact same thing. And would have laughed about it afterwards whilst patting themselves on their back would have announced their decision on the field as the greatest thing since the invention of peanut butter. At least Collingwood had the grace to apologize in the post match awards distribution whilst talking to Atherton. Asif on the other hand is an idiot.He is a man from a small village in Pakistan who has loved the party life after being exposed to it. During the IPL he has gone over to the dark side.

I am not one for invoking pity, as i think it is the most abject of emotions. I would rather, implore than all and sundry bring greater objectivity towards assessment of both these situations.
I unequivocally support Collingwood's action in light of the simple fact that games have gotten competitive, and more importantly because the right of way is not necessarily a batsman's prerogative.
As far as Asif goes, I reiterate what I said on Mr. Abbasi's blog. Performance enhancing drugs have minimal impact on a game like cricket, because of the skill intrinsic to its pursuit at any level. The usage of drugs like hashish and other psychoactives is purely a personal matter that should have little or no bearing on the recognition or adulation we bestow upon an individual. The entire "cricketers are role models" arguement is shaky at best, owing to the fact that we do not apply the same standards while idolizing rockstars, film personalities and so on.

I'll risk incurring the wrath of the people posting here by defending Asif. Here is the record:

1.Nandrolone: taken under Shoaib's bad influence and because he was not councelled by anyone on whether it is illegal or not. He himself checked with Bob Woolmer who then told him to stop using it. Let off, and rightfully so, because it was not his fault. Everyone here agrees with this.

2. Dubai: possession of Hashish. Hashish does not enhance performance. Hashish is just weed. Sporting bodies should not have any say in a person's choice of recreation drug. Hence that offence has no business in a sports related debate. Its between Dubai anti-narcotics and Asif.

3. IPL: As yet the illegal substance has not been identified. If it is nandrolone, then he should be banned. If its weed, then everyone should butt out. You dont ban people for drinking alcohol, then why would you for smoking weed? That smacks of cultural imperialism. However, I repeat, if its Nandrolone: Ban him for good!

ICC & CA's crimes at Sydney -
1. Australians abused Indians & went scott free.
2. Indian abused Australian & was penalised. Mike Proctor went to the extent of penalising the Indian without even sufficient evidence !
3. Umpires win test match for a good-for-nothing Australia.
4. Blatant violations of the spirit of Cricket by Australians are ignored by the same match referee.

BCCI was forced to hit back. When BCCI hits back, ICC / CA probably fund jokers like Rob Steen to cook up imaginary problems insinuating problems with India.

Indian Espionage against Mohammed Asif - man you must be well paid by CA who have reason to hate India for removing Australia's secret weapon - "Human error from ICC Umpire" in Intl. Cricket to even think such rubbish, leave alone write it.

I'm disappointed that the espionage comment made by one person made this article. One over enthusiastic fan does not represent the majority. I'm a huge Pakistan cricket fan but Asif needs to be banned. As Kamran Abassi said in his article, Asif has be treated with kid gloves by the PCB and this has now led to his downfall. He obviously has some affection for narcotics considering his arrest for possession of opium (yes opiuim)in Dubai. How his illegal offences are being compared to Collingwoods unsportsman like behaviour I do not know!! What Collie did was undesireable and his apology afterwards lacked any sincerety. He knew exactly what he was doing when he decided to proceed with the appeal. He had time to make a judgement call, even Benson the umpire seemed to ask if he was sure about what he was doing? I believe Collie assessed the situation, looked at the ranking points gained through a win and the financial bonuses and decided not to worry about the 'spirit' of the game.

Goodness gracious me! When I read the now 'infamous' comment alleging Indian espionage in the Asif case in reply to Kamran Abbassi's column, my immediete reaction was "what mushrooms has THIS guy taken". It was a ridiculous comment, and should be treated as such. The more we discuss it, the more credence we give it. I say that as a Pakistani, and as a cricket fan.
As for Colly, he'll be back. He is one batsman I always love to see do well, and he will rise to get out of this hole as well. In the heat of the battle the best of us can be led astray.
Asif... sigh. Dizy makes a valid point about the B sample... but who is advising Asif? What is he thinking? It's just utterly inexcusable.. and the fault largely lies with the PCB. Asif, for all of his talent and potential, should be banned from active cricket if the B sample confirms his guilt.

I think I get your point Mr.Steen, a lot of people posting are taking your comparison of Colly and Asif too literally.
Colly's just slumping, he'll be back. As for our young tearaway from the Punjab, he's just a half wit. I really don't blame the PCB as much as Mr. Abbasi tends to do because I'm a firm believer in personal responsibility. Asif had a pretty simple decision to make in my opinion; work on the farm and kick back with a dooby at the end of the day or sweat it out all over the world playing top flight cricket and make millions. He tried to combine the dooby part with the cricket. Tough Shit, No Can Do.
Yes the PCB should have seminars and the like on the dangers of drugs and loose women but if one's head is as far up ones own ass, as Asif's seems to be, theres really not much good seminars and videos and workshops can do.
Ban his dumb-ass as a lesson. I don't say this lightly since I bleed Green and White all the way through. Asif at this point just needs to bugger off.

I feel bad for Collingwood. Poor guy. Being dropped from the test side to make way for a player that has a good history, but merely shows a modicum of form with the bat and took a few wickets for Lancs. They couldn't even bring in a REAL allrounder, or another batsman at the least. A real shame to see him go. Even Vaughan said he could come back and make a hundred at Headingley because that's how he is. When South Africa wins this next match, I won't be surprised.

As for Asif, my stance on this issue is very simple: Ban him. Three times he's used steroids and nothing has come of it. If Warne had to miss the 2003 World Cup because of it and all sorts of players before were banned for periods of time for one offense, Asif should be gone for life. The same goes for Shoaib. The only reason his "ban" was suspended was so he could play in the Champions Trophy. The PCB is one big farce and will never change.

Actually this article is difficult to make sense of. I think Rob is pleading Collingwood's bosses should not fail him as Asif's bosses have failed Asif. But the writing is a bit convoluted and I can't be too sure. At any rate, if that's the point of the article then the article has no point. Asif is still a beginner, who played a handful of ODIs and Tests. Collingwood is a proven performer. What I would like to say in regards to Collingwood is that, sometimes people go through bad times. Whatever the reason may be, and he should be rested, to recover. It should not be made such a big deal of and he should not be considered to be "dropped". He's got nothing new to prove, although by Collingwood's own modest self, people often ignore his achievements. A gutsy cricketer he is and a champion in his own rights. He is not doing well for a while now and should be rested. Asif does not fit in this category. He hasn't proven himself completely and he's already falling off the deep. 'Nuff said.

I have been vividly reading your blog for a while now.But i find myself at the other end of the cave when it comes to some of the arguments you made here. Regardless of the impact on the performance, drugs and sports must stay away in cricket crazy nations like India and Pakistan. It is a common sense that if you are deprived of your chance to play the world cup, you would never use drugs to even shed your puppy fat. So Asif should have no mercy.
Regardless of how good was his 200 against australia, performance alone should guarantee a place in the national team. I cannot keep playing "Beefy" now just because he was the best all rounder of his time. When batsmen like Rahul Dravid are not assured of their place if they fail to perform, i don't see English cricket getting any better with keeping repeatedly failing collingwood in the test line-up. Every one knows he is not the "partnership-breaker" in test cricket as he is in ODIs.