Mervyn Westfield: Banned spot-fixing cricketer seeks redemption

[Andy]

No comment from me necessary.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/26405494

[squarelegumpire]

Best of luck to the lad. Hard lesson learned etc.

[Blocky]

absolutely right.  Merv has been the fall guy for some very naughty people.  I do hope it bites them right on the 'aris on day. 

I found a lot of respect for Larry at the forum last year when he argued with saville and farragher on this subject.  For me, we know where the cover up was....

[squarelegumpire]

Right on, Blocky. All isn't known, but we've got a b****y good idea of what happened.

[eastsax]

To be fair, the new CEO also said that the Westfield issue could have bern handled better.

In the (hopefully) unlikely event that it should happen again at Essex I would think that lessons will have been learned.

Although Don Topley feels that he's, to all intents and purposes, still regarded as persona non grata within the upper echelons of Essex CCC.

[nat]

Sorry but I don't buy MW playing the 'victim'. Whatever and whoever else was involved it was MW who did the dirty deed. He needs to man up.

He'd never play for any club where I was involved.

[honkytonk]

I wont pretend to know the ins and outs, rumours etc but from my point of view I find it hard to believe that others did not have an idea/hunch or know something may have been going on.  Of course MW did the crime but was he hung out to dry by others.  Hopefully we never see this again.

[Andy]

I'm in favour of the 5 year ban, plus the fact that MW served time. Consequently I feel he's been punished sufficiently. Didn't see any need to 'man up', a phrase often  used rather pathetically, in what he said.  DK targeted the most vulnerable fringe players. It came out in court how the coach and senior players 'turned a blind eye'. Total absence of leadership.

[firehazard]

MW has done the punishment, and served the ban. He was a vulnerable young player when it all happened, and others involved were more culpable. The failure of leadership and management at ECCC was shocking, and it's equally shocking that some of those responsible at that level should still be part of the club.

Time to let MW move on and rebuild his life, in my opinion. He does seem to be trying to do the right thing now, and good luck to him.

[squarelegumpire]

I'm with Andy and Firehazard.. IMHO some senior people at the club have not behaved well at all. It's cowardly to let a junior employee take the rap when a more aware management would have had some idea of what was happening.

[Valentines Park]

a more aware management would have had some idea of what was happening.

A blind eye was deliberately turned I reckon.

[Mog]

a more aware management would have had some idea of what was happening.

A blind eye was deliberately turned I reckon.

Undoubtedly this was the case.  The Club would and will continue to always back their *star* OS player, especially considering how ridiculously over-reliant on that player the Club were.
As several have stated, this is one of the toxic by-products of an unaccountable, stale and complacent Cricket Committee, who believe they are above scrutiny and indeed arrogantly assume are actually doing us mere supporters/members a favour by being a member of said committee. Who if ever challenged adopt the belligerent defensiveness that is the fall-back position of No Change Essex.