How do you tell skill from skulduggery, that's the question?

ICC crime buster, Sir Paul Condon made some interesting points in his long-awaited report on corruption in cricket.

Amongst an in-depth report were some issues close to my heart, mainly the ICC KnockOut tournament we had in Kenya, where Mr Condon has said some investigations are to be held.

Until any further report comes out, it would be silly of me to say outright that I thought the intensity and desire showed by the teams we played in the ICC tournament would put to rest any suspicions that wrongdoing had occurred.

Everyone before the Hansie Cronje situation thought he was a man of integrity and honesty.

I will wait with interest the outcome of any findings on the tournament and what games might have been affected.

The game of cricket throws up many variables, in fact, if you could translate another name for cricket, variable would be a comfortable winner.

All this match-fixing debate in cricket will be very tough.

How do you confirm someone's apparent lack of form with not trying or tampering with the game?

As cricketers we all know the bad trots and bad luck that is omnipresent in this great game. Why did someone play and miss 20 times and go on to make a hundred? Why was someone bowled off a no-ball? Why was that dolly catch dropped at mid off then a screamer taken at second slip next ball?

When the match-fixing scandal erupted and accusations of today's players were flying around I thought back to 1981 and the famous after-dinner talk of [Dennis] Lillee and [Rod] Marsh, two of Australia's heroes of the baggy green.

Third Test at Headingley, the Ashes were about to kick in to full swing. Odds of over 100-1 were to much too good to ignore for Lillee and Marsh on an England victory so they put a few pounds on considering England were an innings behind.

The rest of the story is well documented as a great laugh with wads of pound notes being dumped on a losing Aussie dressing room.

England, sorry [Ian] Botham, then rallied and England came back to win the series 3-2 to take the Ashes.

Now this story, in today's light, looks a trifle clouded but cricket is the game that throws up some of the most unlikely scenarios of any sport. It was Botham's series and every time I see his performance of that time I sit back and marvel at his skill because that's exactly what it was.

How to tell skill from skulduggery is a job Mr Condon will have to try and figure out. For the game's sake, I hope the games he publicly denounces do indeed have substance behind them.

The second Test at Old Trafford against England and Pakistan kicks off this week. What is traditionally a very flat wicket will see Saqlain [Mushtaq] called back into the Pakistan side. The hold he has against English county players will be one that he hopes will work against this English Test side.

Personally, I'm very impressed by these English players and all I can see is another English series win.