The News of the World’s revelations yesterday about “spot fixing” are devastating for cricket, and couldn’t really have come at worse time. Further opportunities to get people enjoying cricket this summer – especially after England’s poor showing in the football World Cup – slipped through the fingers of the game’s organisers eyeing up money. The novelty of Twenty20 cricket has been ruined by the ECB’s desire to cash-in on its popularity and similarly an overkill on test matches and one day internationals have left grounds three-quarters full instead of packed out.

And all at a time where the national team is playing some of its best cricket.

News yesterday of Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif bowling no-balls, allegedly on the orders of fixer Mazhar Majeed, tears up any interest many people have in the game. Any thought that what happened at Lord’s last week was pre-planned – even if it is only three no-balls – shreds the game apart and further undermines the sport.

Despite allegations and lifetime bans since Hansie Cronje’s match-fixing revelations over a decade ago, cricket was just starting to get over the thought that match-fixing was a part of the game. With people’s trust now subsiding, especially with the allegations surrounding the Pakistani cricket team, it would be completely ridiculous to press ahead with the upcoming one-day international series.

That both international cricket boards want to continue playing this week, no doubt thinking about the financial loss if it doesn’t. The decent thing would be to postpone the series, get to the root of the spot-fixing allegations and restore the integrity in what is being played. Incredibly, the players at the centre of the allegations are set to be a part of the series. What a mockery of the sport it will be when just a week after the sport is dragged through the dirt, the ICC, ECB and PCB will continue as if nothing has happened.

Cricket needs to stop, group together and clobber any hint of corruption. Failure to do so, and the sport will be remembered more for Hansie Cronje than WG Grace and Sir Don Bradman.