CA and ECB respond to fresh spot-fixing allegations by Al-Jazeera

The recent spot-fixing allegations made by the Al-Jazeera that the matches played between during 2011-12 season has stunned the cricketing fraternity. They have claimed there were 26 spot-fixing incidents in 15 international matches in this period and several England and Australian players were involved in the same. However, both the boards, Cricket Australia (CA) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), have rejected the allegations even as the ICC has launched the probe.

The report states that six Tests, six ODIs and three World T20 matches have been spot-fixed. The games under the scanner are the India-England Lord’s Test in 2011, South Africa-Australia CapeTown Test and several matches during England-Pakistan 2012 series in the UAE. Even three Pakistan are under the radar while names of anyone haven’t been disclosed by Al-Jazeera.

Meanwhile, ICC has launched an investigation and has appealed the broadcaster to support them. “The ICC is committed to working to uphold integrity in cricket. As you would expect we will again take the contents of the programme and any allegations it may make seriously and will investigate fully,” said ICC’s ACU head Alex Marshall.

CA and ECB react

Cricket Australia’s Chief Executive James Sutherland expressed confidence in his players while also saying that they have a zero-tolerance policy against anyone corrupting the sport. “Cricket Australia takes a zero-tolerance approach against anyone trying to compromise the integrity of the game, and to suggest anything otherwise is unsubstantiated and incorrect.

“We have full confidence in our players in also protecting the game.” Prior to the latest broadcast, CA’s Integrity Unit conducted a review of the claims, which it said came from a “known criminal source”. “From the limited information provided by Al Jazeera, our team have not identified any issues of corruption by any current or former player,” he was quoted as saying by Times Now on Monday.

However, ECB also stayed put to their stand and claimed that the evidence of fixing claims lack clarity. “Whilst the limited information we have been given by Al Jazeera is poorly prepared and lacks clarity and corroboration, it has been properly assessed. Analysis of this by the ECB integrity team has cast no doubt on the integrity or behaviour of any England player, current or former,” its statement read.

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