Second cricketer approached by match-fixing bookmakers
27th May 2010
The England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed a second player has reported match-fixing approaches by bookmakers. An anonymous county player said on Wednesday he had been asked to name his price by an Indian businessman to fix televised one-day matches.
The ECB said it has passed on the details of both cases to the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit as well as the police.
Both players remain anonymous and no details about the matches were given.
An ECB statement read: "The ECB is pleased that the system of anonymous player reporting is working and ECB's board has reinforced the need to all players and officials to be vigilant concerning illegal approaches by bookmakers and others.
"The board takes this opportunity to remind cricketers and others falling under its jurisdiction that any unlawful activity of this kind entered into by anyone will result in disciplinary action, irrespective of any sanctions imposed by the law of the land, and will inevitably be dealt with severely, constituting as it would, a grave slur on the integrity of the game. "
The second admission comes following a story in Wednesday's Telegraph that an unnamed county professional, with over a decade of experience, had reported to the Professional Cricketers's Association that he had received an approach by Indian businessman for him to fix a televised match.
The player was told other county cricketers had accepted money from bookmakers.
"My worry with this is that there will be a situation where two of the smaller counties play against each other in a televised game and they could come to an agreement and make about five times their salary from one match," he said.
Essex police are currently conducting an investigation into alleged spot-fixing after two players, Mervyn Westfield and Danish Kaneria, were arrested and bailed until September earlier this month.
Neither player has been suspended by Essex.
County players were briefed by the PCA before the start of this season about what to do if they received a suspicious approach.
An education programme has been in place for nearly a decade following the exposure of the late Hansie Cronje, the former South Africa captain, by Indian police.
That scandal led to the formation of the ACU unit which, from next week, will have a new chairman in Sir Ronnie Flanagan, a former head of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Northern Ireland.
Source: BBC News - Business
