Cricket: Corruption report taints Black Caps' wins

By PATRICK GOWER and NZPA

The two recent triumphs by New Zealand cricket teams have been tarnished by allegations of match fixing.

The International Cricket Commission report on corruption, containing allegations of murder, kidnap and threats to key witnesses, says match-fixing remains a problem in the game, with players acting "to the orders of bookmakers."

The author, Sir Paul Condon, said allegations had been made over the recent New Zealand-Pakistan series and the Black Caps' upset victory over India in the final of the ICC mini-World Cup in Kenya last year.

"These allegations are being reviewed and full investigations will take place if justified," the report says.

Though the most blatant match-fixing had ended since he began investigating, Sir Paul accused some senior cricket figures of withholding information from the inquiry.

He concluded that match fixing was more widespread than previously thought, and "allegations in the public domain were only the tip of the iceberg."

New Zealand won the close-fought, limited-over series against Pakistan this year 3-2, beating them in the final game.

The series had already been tainted when ousted Pakistan coach Javed Miandad accused his players of throwing the series.

Pakistan were dismissed in the Dunedin game for 285 in 49.3 overs. New Zealand replied with 290 for six in 48.1 overs.

The Black Caps beat India in Kenya last October by overhauling India's 264 for six. New Zealand scored 265 for seven in 49.4 overs. An area of possible concern was India's failure to score heavily in the last 11 overs, slipping from 202 for one in the 39th over.

New Zealand Cricket operations manager John Reid, in London for an ICC meeting, said he was "disappointed to hear those things."

"I don't think there is a suggestion that New Zealand has been involved with it.

"We've gone to great lengths to talk to our players and explain ... the consequence of any shoddy dealing.

"We're as confident as we can be that our players are not involved and will not be involved in the future."

David Trist, New Zealand's coach at the time, said it would be unfortunate if New Zealand's first major cricket title success was tainted by suspicions of corruption.

"It was a tremendous effort by our side and it will be very disappointing if some of the gloss is taken away from a wonderful win."

Trist said it was sad it was getting to the stage where every time New Zealand won overseas against a team from the subcontinent "someone finds something suspicious about it."

The 80-page Condon Report also says investigations into allegations against former New Zealand skipper Martin Crowe are continuing.

It says Crowe will soon be interviewed in New Zealand by members of the anti-corruption unit and a New Zealand Cricket commission of inquiry headed by Sir Ian Barker, a former High Court judge.

They will be examining allegations that, in the early 1990s, bookmaker M. K. Gupta paid Crowe to provide information whenever the New Zealand team played.

Crowe's lawyer, David Howman, said last night that the former New Zealand captain had not yet been invited to an interview, but would cooperate when the time came.

"We're happy with the process that the board is following so we are given fair treatment," he said.

"We want closure, I think everyone does."

The police at New Scotland Yard are investigating allegations made by Stephen Fleming and England's Chris Lewis that attempts were made by a bookmaker to involve them in cricket corruption.

Sir Paul, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, was appointed by the ICC last year after the "Cronjegate" match-fixing scandal.

World cricket was rocked after New Delhi police accidentally intercepted a mobile phone call in which then-South African captain Hansie Cronje discussed taking bribes to throw a game.

Cronje, then-Pakistan captain Salim Malik and Indian cricketing legend Mohammad Azharuddin were subsequently banned for life over the scandal.

Sir Paul's report said the seeds of corruption in cricket were sown in the 1970s "when county and club games ... in England and other countries were allegedly fixed by teams to secure points and league positions."

Sir Paul said that since the 70s, a "more insidious and corrosive form of fixing" had taken hold of the game.

Sir Paul Condon's report