Danish Kaneria arrested-match fixing issue

World cricket’s top administrator has insisted officials are “extremely vigilant” when it comes to ‘spot-fixing’ after Pakistan’s Danish Kaneria was arrested in a betting probe.

But International Cricket Council (ICC) president David Morgan, in an interview with AFP here in Barbados on the eve of the World Twenty20 final between Australia and England, insisted: “I can honestly say to you that I have no knowledge of any spot-fixing that I am refusing to tell you about.”

Kaneria and a colleague at English county side Essex, Mervyn Westfield, have been arrested in connection with a police investigation into betting, a club official confirmed on Saturday.

Both Test leg-spinner Kaneria, 29, and 22-year-old pace bowler Westfield were questioned on Friday before being released on bail.

It is understood the match under scrutiny was a 40-over win against Durham last September. The investigation centres on the practice of ‘spot-fixing’ whereby money is placed on individual details in a match.

“I’ve been aware of the potential problem at Essex for a little while,” Morgan told AFP at his Barbados hotel here on Saturday, ahead of Sunday’s showpiece match at the Kensington Oval.

“And I was made aware by Mr (Haroon) Lorgat (the ICC chief executive) yesterday (Friday) that those two cricketers had been seen by the Essex police,” Morgan added.

“There is a police inquiry and therefore there is absolutely nothing I could or would wish to say (about Kaneria and Westfield’s arrest),” insisted Morgan, a former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

In its recent past, cricket has had to deal with several match-fixing scandals, most notoriously including betting scams involving the late former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje.

But in an era of spread betting, the issue of spot-fixing, where events such as the number of wides in an over can be gambled on, is potentially even a bigger problem for cricket as results do not have to be “fixed” for an underhand betting coup to take place.

Turning to the issue of spot-fixing in general, Morgan said: “Cricket is full of discreet events — overs of six balls, powerplays, in first-class cricket the morning, the afternoon and the evening (sessions).

“There are lots of these discreet events that attract people who gamble.”

However, he insisted the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit, which is about to be headed up by Sir Ronnie Flanagan, formerly the senior police officer in the British province of Northern Ireland, was on the case.

“What is very clear is that we are extremely vigilant. We have the anti-corruption and security unit,” Morgan said.

“They look very carefully at movements in terms of the amounts bet on particular issues and so on.

“I think cricket is very fortunate in that we’ve had 10 years of operation of the anti-corruption and security unit,” he added of an organisation which has effectively been run for that time by Lord Paul Condon, a former head of London’s Metropolitan Police, who steps down in June.

“There is no more I can say about spot-fixing. We are vigilant and will continue to be so,” Morgan said.

“But I can honestly say to you, that I have no knowledge of any spot-fixing that I am refusing to tell you about.”

Both of the bailed Essex players will be free to continue playing until September 15, meaning Kaneria will be available for Pakistan’s Test tour of England, which also includes a ‘neutral’ Test series against Australia.

Kaneria told AFP in April he was “surprised and shocked” to see his name linked with the investigation.

“The story is baseless,” he insisted. “I have played my cricket for Pakistan as well as for Essex, with pride and honesty... For the last two years I have been Essex’s best performer and have never done anything wrong.” Kaneria has taken 254 wickets in 58 Tests since making his debut against England in 2000.

Danish Kaneria investigate by Police-betting Scandal

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria woke up to the news that he will be investigated by British police for a betting scandal involving his county team — Essex.

Kaneria, 29, was identified by a section of the British press as one of the two Essex players involved in ‘spot fixing’ which is different from match-fixing and just fixes the outcome of a minor aspect of a game.

The Karachi-based player, who has been one of biggest stars for Essex in recent times, has vehemently denied any kind of wrongdoing, saying he has an ‘unstained career’. He also said that he would consider taking legal action against people trying to tarnish his image.

“I’ve always been an honest cricketer and my entire career is in front of you to judge,” he told ‘The News’ on Saturday. “It was actually a huge shock for me when I woke up today and learnt about this news. To accuse me of match-fixing is simply unbelievable. I don’t know where it came from. I mean I’ve been in touch with Essex officials in the recent past and am looking forward to play for them later this season.”

Kaneria, who is Pakistan’s most successful spinner with 254 wickets from 58 Tests, said that he was deeply hurt by the allegations. “I’ve learnt that it’s a British tabloid that has written about my involvement in match-fixing. Everybody knows how credible that tabloid is itself but even then I’m really very hurt by the allegation. I’ve played for Pakistan and for Essex for a long time and has a completely clean slate,” he stressed.

It was the Sun newspaper that has alleged that Kaneria is the key suspect in the Essex betting scandal and the leggie says that he would seek legal advice over whether to sue the paper for defaming him.

“I’ll discuss the matter with my lawyer,” he said.

According to a report, the investigations are thought to centre upon a televised one-day forty-over match at the end of last season.

While other papers have refrained from naming the players involved, Sun alleged that Kaneria and another Essex player are to be probed adding that the Pakistani star’s future at Essex is now in doubt.

The paper has also questioned Kaneria’s absence from the county season that got underway this month though the player announced last week that he would join Essex later in the season as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked him to feature in the Pentangular Cup one-day tournament to be played in Lahore from April 17-27.

“I was scheduled to join Essex on April 7 but had to change my plans after being asked by the PCB to stay on in Pakistan and play in the Pentangular Cup,” said Kaneria.

According to the Sun, televised matches in the Twenty20 Cup and the 40-over competition attract millions of pounds worth of gambling money because they are normally shown in India — regarded as the hub of betting in the cricket world.

Meanwhile, according to reports, Essex have known about the allegations for a month but were shocked when they became public.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that two Essex county cricketers are at the centre of a police investigation, following allegations of “match irregularities”. With the investigation still underway, the ECB added that they would be making no comment on the matter, but quoted a statement they had received from Essex Police: “Following allegations received about two Essex County Cricket players involved in match irregularities we have initiated an investigation,” read the statement, “and are working closely with Essex County Cricket Club and the English Cricket Board.”

The Essex team was called into the dressing-room at the close of play on the opening day of their County Championship fixture against Hampshire at Chelmsford, where they were given a briefing from the county chief executive, David East. It is understood that the allegations first came to light a month ago, but Paul Grayson, the head coach, told reporters: “I am not allowed to comment on the matter.”