Australian captain Steve Smith and England's Joe Root at the Gabba in November. Photo / Photosport
Australian captain Steve Smith and England's Joe Root at the Gabba in November. Photo / Photosport
There is no evidence to suggest the third Ashes test has been corrupted, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said, following allegations published in The Sun newspaper.
The paper alleged on Wednesday night, ahead of play starting in the third Ashes Test in Perth, that two Indian bookmakers had asked undercover reporters for up to £140,000 ($268,000) to fix passages of play, such as the number of runs scored in a given over.
Alex Marshall, general manager of the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit, said it had received materials relating to the newspaper's investigation and found there was no indication any players in the test had been in contact with the alleged fixers.
He added: "From my initial assessment of the material, there is no evidence, either from The Sun or via our own intelligence, to suggest the current test match has been corrupted.
"At this stage of the investigation, there is no indication that any players in this test have been in contact with the alleged fixers.
"The allegations are wide-ranging and relate to various forms of cricket in several countries, including T20 tournaments. We will look closely at all the information as part of our investigation."
During a video secretly recorded by The Sun, information on fixes is heard to be worth around $A200,000.
"Before match, I will tell you this over, this runs and then you have to put all the bets on that over," a man, who the newspaper claims is a bookmaker, says in purportedly undercover video footage.
There is also mention of fixing "four to five" Big Bash League matches.
The ICC's initial assessment has found no evidence of fixing. Photo / Photosport
Cricket Australia had previously said the allegations were "of serious concern" and that it would co-operate fully with any ICC Anti-Corruption Unit investigation.
A spokesman said: "Australian cricket has a long-standing, proactive approach to sports integrity management and Cricket Australia has a dedicated Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) to prevent corruption within Australian domestic competitions, including the BBL.
"In addition to this, all players participating in CA-sanctioned competitions, including the BBL, are required to complete an anti-corruption education session before they can compete.
"CA works closely with the ICC ACU on all international fixtures played in Australia. Players are able to report any suspicions they have on a confidential basis and in the past there has been a strong Australian player culture to do so."
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said it was aware of the allegations and that "there is no suggestion that any of the England team is involved in any way".
A spokesman added: "ECB work closely with the ICC and their Anti-Corruption unit to protect the integrity of the international game."
