Share

Match-fixing warning for England, Sri Lanka

Colombo - Cricket's world governing body on Wednesday said players would be briefed about the risk of approaches from "corrupters" during England's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka amid fears of match-fixing.

The International Cricket Council's anti-corruption chief Alex Marshall said Sri Lanka was the subject of corruption inquiries but the England tour itself was not under question.

"However, I will take the opportunity to brief both the teams over the coming days to ensure they remain alert to the risks from would be corrupters," Marshall said in a statement.

TV news channel Al Jazeera broadcast a documentary in May showing a groundsman and a player allegedly discussing possibilities of altering the pitch at Galle where England will play their first Test against the hosts from November 6.

England will play five one-day internationals, three Tests and a one-off T20 between October 10 and November 27.

Galle groundsman Tharanga Indika and professional cricketer Tharindu Mendis allegedly speculated about fixing the pitch to ensure a result in under four days in the Test against England.

Both men have been suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket, pending the outcome of an ICC investigation. A third man, provincial coach Jeevantha Kulathunga, was also suspended.

Marshall said ICC investigators were currently in Sri Lanka but declined to elaborate.

"I can confirm that we have, at their request, provided a detailed briefing to the Sri Lankan President, Prime Minister and Sports Minister," Marshall said.

Sri Lankan players and umpires have been accused of match-fixing in the past.

Jayananda Warnaweera, a former curator at Galle, was suspended by the ICC for refusing to cooperate with a corruption inquiry. His three-year ban ends in January.

No big-name Sri Lankan player has ever been convicted of corruption but several stars have alleged match-fixing and spot-fixing.

Sports Minister Faiszer Musthapha promised tougher laws and a special police unit to deal with match-fixing after the Al Jazeera documentary made sweeping allegations of corruption.

He said existing laws were inadequate to deal with match-fixing and other forms of cheating.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Lamontville Golden Arrows 1
Royal AM 0
loading... Live
Benetton 7
Dragons 0
loading... Live
Lions 22
Leinster 0
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1818 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1781 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1084 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 461 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 187 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 254 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE