We are clutching at straws if we are going back as far as the Seventies, when declarations were made in county cricket at the end of the season so that teams could try to improve their position in the table. Enterprising captaincy will be forever questioned should the result not go right every time. Some say cricket deserves that but, by and large, the vast majority of cricket played is as it should be. With the number of cricketers there are bound to be some bad apples - indeed they have been found out and will be punished by their fellow players, which equates to loss of respect, a far bigger sentence than could be achieved in a society looking to shift blame. These words are used because, on the sub-continent, betting is illegal so the normal standards and practices are not in place to police gambling.
Sharp practice is therefore at a peak.
A more constructive line should be taken where we look for solutions. Some governing bodies have been reluctant to have player representation. This has to change. If players have a voice and are happy with the way the game is being run, there is every chance anyone considering bribery would be exposed by his colleagues long before he could reap any benefit. Player declaration forms are being mooted by the inquiry.