Drugs in cricket

By now, everyone's read about and expressed an opinion on cricket's latest scandal - Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif failing a drugs test. That Shoaib would partake of a banned substance probably does not come as a surprise to many, but I suspect even the most hardened cynic would be shocked at what goes on in the cricketing world.

The stories I could tell probably would not be believed, and yet I am quite certain that what I have witnessed barely scratches the surface. After all, it's not as if I routinely move around in such exalted social circles! Still, my own experiences have been sufficient to ensure that little does surprise me. In fact, I am amazed that much more has not been exposed in the media, although I am glad for it in so far as I am more interested in cricketer's on-field exploits than there off-field ones.

Still, for those who are curious, some of the things I have either seen with my own eyes, or heard about from one or more of the parties involved include:

• recreational drug use (okay, that one's not going to surprise anyone)
• discussion of how to start with creatine (not considered doping, although it's banned in many countries), and go on from there
• cricketers on the phone to their wives whilst in bed with someone else (no, this is not one of the ones where I was standing in the room)
  
• notes being passed between the dressing room and groupies with arrangements of where and when to meet
• requests to officials/management to arrange 'dates' with specifical types of women
• exchange of 'love letters' over many years with multiple women (by married cricketers, of course)

The funny thing is, none of this really sounds that unusual, although what you read here is not neccessarily the worst of it. Most readers are probably thinking - "well, of course, that's the sort of thing Shane Warne does all the time." Thing is, it's often the ones who you are convinced are innocent, simple gentlemen who are the worst of the lot.

More than enough said.