Cricket: ICC wants code to fight corruption in cricket

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan. Photo / Getty Images

The days of relative player informality in domestic cricket might be coming to an end.

The International Cricket Council wants all major nations to introduce a code of behaviour into their domestic game in their fight against corruption in the sport.

"All member boards have agreed unanimously that they should introduce an anti-corruption code for their domestic cricket which mirrors that of the ICC by April 1, 2011," the ICC statement read.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan confirmed last night that it is coming. The precise form is yet to be finalised.

"It is something we're looking to put into place," he said from Nagpur, where he is watching the third test against India before heading to an ICC meeting in Dubai.

The relaxed nature of New Zealand first-class cricket could be tightened if it goes ahead.

"We're yet to see exactly what the ICC code says, but one thing that is quite special in domestic cricket is its informality: players interacting with spectators," Vaughan said.

He doesn't want that to disappear but knows some education is required in terms of what traps players need to avoid.

"There's absolutely no belief that anything untowards has gone on," he added.

That said, Vaughan pointed to the popularity of T20 cricket, and New Zealand's HRV Cup is starting next week. That meant the shortest game was probably the most susceptible to corruption.

As ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said yesterday: "All members have a responsibility to demonstrate leadership and good practice in protecting the integrity of the sport at domestic and international level."

Pakistan's three suspended players, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, are due to appear before a three-man tribunal in Qatar next month.

If found guilty they will face several penalties, possibly life bans.