When one is writing for any publication, it is best to try and avoid too much emotion. Though your passions are central to any good writing, if you wear your colours too openly, you are prone to being sideswiped by accusations of bias and prejudice. After a few harrowing experiences with cyber mobs, I have generally tried to hide any agenda behind data and evidence.But the person I am writing about here is somebody I have opposed quite vocally, and so it seems futile to try to pretend I am being objective here. With that disclaimer in place, let us examine the news that the former Pakistan captain and opener, Salman Butt, is expected to be included in the upcoming ODI series against West Indies.My issue with Butt isnt limited to the fact that the spot-fixing scandal tainted him. While the act was extremely contemptible and shameful, over the last few years I have consistently argued for allowing the three disgraced cricketers to return to playing the sport at any level once their bans were served. In my opinion, if you dont wish to see them back, then your issue is with the laws and not the players themselves.The reason I dont particularly like Butt has been because of his attitude since the scandal. While Mohammad Asif displayed indifference and Mohammad Amir remorse, Butt showed defiance. Now I am not going to argue whether any of these reactions were sincere, and indeed, I expect they were carefully created reactions rather than heartfelt ones. What I am talking about here is the chosen response.For several years, even as his lawyers were accepting his guilt, Butt acted as if he was the victim of a vast conspiracy and someone who was completely innocent. He showed up at political rallies against corruption, attended conventions on accountability at elite universities, and appeared on talk shows where he seemed to stop just short of blaming the Illuminati for conspiring against him. In a country that is never short of conspiracy theories, Butt played out a remarkable narrative where five years in, it left many wondering if indeed he was just some pawn in a massive game.But that is not a reason to oppose his return to the team. That is a decision that should be taken purely on cricketing grounds, and in that sense, Butt has made some sort of a claim. In his first List A tournament since returning, he was the second-highest scorer, averaging over 100 in seven games, with a century and four fifties. He was then selected in the more elite Pakistan Cup, based on five teams. Butt passed 50 once, and averaged 27. His latest outing has been in the recently concluded National T20 cup, where he averaged over 70 with four fifties, once again ending up the second-highest scorer behind an Akmal.For his supporters, such numbers surely merit a return to the side, but there are a couple of caveats. In the two tournaments that Butt has done well in, the bowling stocks were fairly weak, with few internationals playing. Butt did much worse in the higher-quality List A tournament. More importantly, his strike rate has been worryingly poor throughout. In his first tournament, he and Shan Masood stood out among the top ten batsmen for their strike rates, around 75, with the rest all at 85 and above. In the Pakistan Cup, Butts strike rate of 65 was worse than those of his team-mates Masood and Asad Shafiq, both of whom are known for batting relatively sedately. In the National T20, his brilliant average came at a strike rate of 102, which was an aberration among the top batsmen. His semi-final knock displayed this trait best - he scored 55, yet took 55 balls to do so. In charitable terms, it could be said that his approach is obsolete in modern batting. In cynical terms, it could be said that he is selfishly putting together runs to get back into the national side.Now it might be harsh to judge a player returning after five years this way, and more appropriate to focus on his successes, but given that Butt might be poised to return to national duty, it is important to consider what he brings to the table. As an opener, he is contesting for one of two spots, given that the other is taken by the incumbent captain, Azhar Ali.Azhar has had a major impact on the top spot, and his personal record is among the worlds best. And though he has played with ten different partners, over the last year Pakistans opening partnership has put on more runs than that of any team bar England, at an average better than Australias and South Africas. But Azhars strike rate is still below international standards, and unlike other options such as Sarfraz Ahmed or Sharjeel Khan, Butt will definitely be the slower partner of the two. Bringing him in as an opener feels both unfair as well as a step back in terms of ignoring younger options.Pakistans real problem lies in the middle order, where their partnership numbers are just about respectable in terms of the average, but their run rates are closer to those of Associate sides. Once again, Butt cant quite be expected to provide the answers here, even when accounting for the fact that if he were to play here, he would be batting in unfamiliar positions.Given all that, it doesnt make sense to turn to someone like Butt in the white-ball side, at least at the moment. While even a critic like myself cant deny the sheer weight of his runs, it would be foolish to imagine that strike rates dont matter in the modern game. Moreover, with Pakistan struggling to qualify for the next World Cup, picking a player like Butt feels like giving up. Given that Pakistans coach, Mickey Arthur, recently criticised his ODI side for playing 90s-era cricket, its quite puzzling that Butts sub-75 strike rate is being viewed as an option. Of course, he still might be able to convert his style to a more modern pace, but he hasnt given any indications of doing so at the moment. Discount Rockets Jerseys . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. Cheap Houston Rockets Jerseys . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. 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Glamorgan 335 and 30 for 1 trail Sussex 552 for 5 dec by 187 runsScorecard Luke Wells and Ben Brown both made big hundreds as Sussex piled on the runs against Glamorgan on the third day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Hove.Wells scored 181 and Brown an undefeated 159 as they shared a partnership of 294 in 73.1 overs, the second-highest for the fifth wicket in Sussexs history.But a turgid pitch still looks like being the only winner. After declaring with a first-innings lead of 217 on 552 for five, Steve Magoffin trapped Nick Selman lbw in the seventh over but Mark Wallace and nightwatchman Owen Morgan saw Glamorgan to 30 for one at stumps, 187 behind.Glamorgan paid a heavy price for handing Wells a life on 56 when he was missed at second slip by Aneurin Donald off Tim van der Gugten. He didnt offer a chance thereafter as he reached his third hundred of the season.Brown gave him excellent support as he rediscovered the form which brought him 1,031 Championship runs in Division One last season, but their task was made easier by a surface on which batting was relatively straightforward.Glamorgan plugged away but their fast-bowling spearhead Michael Hogan was restricted to 10 overs as he continued to recover from mild concussion when he was hit on the helmet on the second day.Graham Wagg diid remove Luke Wright for 19 when the Sussex captain lost his off stump playing no shot but Sussex accumulated remorselessly after that as Wells and Brown set a new record for any wicket against Glamorgan, beating the 281 by John Langridge and Harry Parks at Eastbourne in 1938.ddddddddddddWells guided van der Gugten through the vacant slip area for his 10th four to reach his century and Brown got to his off the last ball before tea when he cut slow left-armer Morgan to the point boundary.As Wells inevitably tired towards the end of an innings which ended four minutes short of seven hours, Brown upped the tempo after tea as Sussex sped towards their declaration.A dab to the third-man fence took him to 150 for only the second time in his career. Wells then struck a straight six - only the 16th of his career - before offering a sharp return catch to Morgan off the next ball. Wells 181 came off 343 balls and he also hit 18 fours.Browns 159 not out was only four short of his career best and came off 225 balls with 15 fours and a maximum.With skipper Jacques Rudolph nursing a badly bruised hand, Glamorgans 46-year-old coach Robert Croft was among five substitute fielders employed. Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping China NFL Gear Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Jerseys Jerseys From China ' ' '