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CRICKET: I'm no cheat – Shahbaz

7:42am Friday 30th May 2008

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KIDLINGTON captain Shahbaz Ali has admitted he made a "massive mistake" in fielding a player under a false name.

o But although he accepts his actions amount to cheating, he denies he is actually a cheat.

Shahbaz has held on to the Kidlington captaincy despite playing Jehan Mohammed, of Morris Motors Exiles, under the name Aquib Lakab in their ECB Cockspur Cup clash at Reading.

Kidlington were kicked out of the competition as a result, but chairman Nick Duval said the club ignored calls to sack Shahbaz.

Shahbaz said: "I'm not a cheat. I'm a very competitive player, all I tried to do was get 11 players out.

"I know it's a massive mistake and I do take responsibility because the other players didn't know about it.

"At the end of the day, it comes down to me. I have been hammered for it.

"The punishment is that we are out of the cup."

Shahbaz said he had already written Aquib Lakab's name on the teamsheet, but claimed the 16-year-old "bottled it" when he learned Reading had some first-class contracted players.

Jehan Mohammed had come to watch the match with some friends and was persuaded to take Aquib's place.

"If I wanted to, I could have got in some big-boy ringers," said Shahbaz.

"I pushed him in just to field 11 players.

"It's not like I fielded a first-class player and because of him, we won the game.

"At the end of the day I didn't think I was 'cheating'. That is a massive word to use.

"People who don't know me will think Shabba cheated to win that game, but that wasn't the case."

Duval has given Shahbaz his backing and hopes the club can now go forward.

"It is very difficult to administer cricket at any level," he said Duval.

"Some are saying Shahbaz should be sacked, but how would we benefit from that?

"We are always likely to make mistakes. I would like to know anybody who has not made a mistake.

"But what's happened is that we have started another plate spinning and one has fallen off at the end."

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Your Say YourOxford Mail

Jav, Oxford says...
12:20pm Fri 30 May 08

so you say you are not a cheat and are coming clean.Why then don't you then tell everybody in Oxfordshire that you used another un-registered player in the same match against Reading.Jav Farooq from East Oxford Cricket Club also played in this match and Shabaz please explain this to all of us all.

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alex jewell, Oxfordshire says...
12:57pm Fri 30 May 08

this arguement could go on forever. i'm sure theres not many clubs that havent fielded an inlegible player at some time whether its been 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI and so on. Shab has admitted he has made a mistake and been big enough to come out to the mail and say that and i'm sure he wont make the same one again. seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. the punishment has been given and accepted so this should be the end of the matter. i'm not justifying any of this by the way

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Oxford Directory of Meanings, Reading says...
1:35pm Fri 30 May 08

Cheating is an act of lying, deception, fraud, trickery, imposture, or imposition. Cheating characteristically is employed to create an unfair advantage, usually in one's own interest, and often at the expense of others. Cheating implies the breaking of rules. The term "cheating" is less applicable to the breaking of laws, as illegal activities are referred to by specific legal terminology such as fraud or corruption

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black socks, Oxon says...
2:25pm Fri 30 May 08

I have noticed both alleged unregistered players have come from Morris Motors and East Oxford.. as we all know both teams have a great record of fair play and honesty, did either player not think that maybe they should not be playing! POT KETTLE BLACK. Shabaz has done what most cricket captains have done at some stage, mostly just to get a team out.. but he got caught. Move on!!

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Cricket is the loser, lords says...
2:28pm Fri 30 May 08

As alex rightly pointed out this could go on forever and to what end....at the end of the day they have been caught out breaking the rules and have been punnished . does it realy matter Jav how many players should not have been playing if it was 11 would it make it better? no would it make it worse ? no so just leave it and get on with the cricket.

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NIck Leeson, Kidlington says...
3:58pm Fri 30 May 08

So Shahbaz was just getting a team out was he? Interesting that a club the size of Kidlington couldn't find 11 registered to play an important cup match, especially as Jehan was only drafted in to make the numbers (nothing to do with his cricketing ability). There must have been many players from their lower teams only to happy to have run on as a fielding number 11 batsmen.
And please, Shahbaz hasn't come clean in the Mail. He was caught bang to rights and is now making a play which in American Football is called a Hail Mary!! The minimum he should have received in having his captaincy stripped. HE IS A CHEAT.

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rob jones, oxford says...
4:54pm Fri 30 May 08

dont know this lad shabaz,owned up to his mistake.we all make mistakes. Get on with the game of cricket and leave him alone.

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Imran Khan, Pakistan says...
4:58pm Fri 30 May 08

Imran Khan here from Pakistan. Just wondering was I registered also?

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SPEEDYFAN, Kidlington says...
5:01pm Fri 30 May 08

only one person in kidlington who knows more about the silly american sport than cricket.......AAAlll
lrrriiiggghht Speeedy

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Imran Khan, Pakistan says...
5:04pm Fri 30 May 08

Imran Khan here from Pakistan. Just wondering was I registered also?

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Assassin, Oxford says...
5:05pm Fri 30 May 08

Seriously, give the matter a rest and move on. The matter has been finished, Reading have gone through, Kidlington have been punished. If you have something against Shabaz personally then please feel free to tell him in person.

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observer, says...
6:08pm Fri 30 May 08

Have we really got the truth here ? If this player was only dragged from the boundary to make up the numbers why did he bowl a long spell and not just field..just where does dishonesty start..and yet you printed the story without asking that obvious question..I think ths article makes the story worse because the truth is still not being told.

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olly, Oxford says...
7:11pm Fri 30 May 08

What exactly is draging this on proving?
the club has had its punishment.
DEAL WITH IT.....BITTER PEOPLE

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m, kidligton says...
9:49pm Fri 30 May 08

how many teams do kidlington run surely they could got another player from another team or even get two players. that are what the 2nd 3rd 4th teams e.t.c are used for well they are in my club i think the captain knew exactly what he was doing hearing that one of the two players involved was an east oxford player does not surprise me with there recent history

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ronnie, kidlington, says...
10:09pm Fri 30 May 08

Nice of the 1st XI skipper to carpet a 16 year old kid for bottling it in the local press and pass the blame for the situation onto Aquib. Kidlington can be really proud of that positive youth policy.

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bolo, oxford says...
10:57am Sat 31 May 08

i would like to ask m to clarify what he means by East Oxford recent history? it was not East Oxford who played the unregistered player, so why bring them into it.Get a life

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m, kidlington says...
12:36pm Sat 31 May 08

to clarify my comment kidligton seemed to have played two illegal players one of whom was from east oxford.if i remember correctly east oxford have had a history of doing this in the recent past in the osberton radiator cup.as i said before the captain knew exactly what he was doing. for such a high standard of cricket and such a big club it beggers belief this happened.this sort of thing happens at village cricket not at this level

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CricketFan, oxford says...
9:14pm Sat 31 May 08

Ok you needed 11 players, however you fielded a player of Jehans quality just to give you an advantage?

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Vic, South Hinksey says...
9:24pm Sat 31 May 08

CHEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Fazza, Kidlington says...
10:36pm Sat 31 May 08

For those of you who've never met Shabba how can you call him a cheat? And those of you that have met him know he isnt! They have been chucked out the competition what more needs to be done?

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observer, says...
10:53pm Sat 31 May 08

Fazza wrote:
For those of you who've never met Shabba how can you call him a cheat? And those of you that have met him know he isnt! They have been chucked out the competition what more needs to be done?
In cricket more than any other sport the captain is responsible for standards and fair play..it is absolutely clear what needs to be done and it defies belief that the club think they have any credibility from their inaction

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taz, oxford says...
8:52am Sun 1 Jun 08

im the one doing all this,im evil

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jolly, oxford says...
10:06pm Tue 3 Jun 08

East Oxford cc fielded an ineligable player in the 2006 telegraph cup. He was player under the name abdullah sheab and was the MOM in the final. An ex first class cricketer in pakistan can some1 explain what he was doing playing in the oca UNREGISTERED??? Beat that shabaz ali

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Amin, Cowley says...
12:06am Wed 4 Jun 08

Everybody makes mistakes. Shabba's paid for it by being taken out of the competition. I know Jehan, the boy loves cricket. He was asked to play to fill the XI and jumped at the chance. He didn't even really impact the game much. Just get on with it. You can't possibly call Shabba a cheat of you don't even know him.

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786...X...786, Oxford says...
12:10am Fri 6 Jun 08

Shabba is not a cheat and he didn't cheat. Technically he used his brain and made a full team which everybody would of done. So how can you call him a cheat? It is not wrong to get a player on da last minute especially if you need one.

This is bad what they done, they shouldn't of banned them. Everybody does mistakes. On behalf of Shabba i apologose for what he done. Don't worry about it, forget it and let's get on with the game...

Thank You X

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xxxxxxxxx, Oxford says...
1:03am Tue 10 Jun 08

This is silly he cheated to gain an advantage. End of! I find it hard to understand how people can come up with theese excuses! Cheat!!!!Cheat!!!!

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