Chris Rogers was ‘naive’ and deceived in $40,000 Ashes scam

IN ONE of the stranger scandals to hit cricket, Australian opener Chris Rogers has been forced to apologise over an illegal Ashes ticket rort.

CANTERBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 24: Australia's Chris Rogers in action during the Australia Nets Session at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on June 24, 2015 in Canterbury, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)

IT began as a simple idea to earn a quick payday, but Australian Test opener Chris Rogers has now been forced to apologise over his $40,000 failed Ashes tickets scam.

The 37-year-old batsman found himself in hot water with Middlesex and the England Cricket Board (ECB) after trying to on-sell tickets to the Lord’s Test as part of an unauthorised package.

UK ticket scalping laws prohibit the on-sell of sporting event tickets, but there has been no suggestion of law enforcement officials looking to lay criminal charges or take any action against Rogers or the company he co-founded with Australian-born former Middlesex teammate Tom Scollay — Inside Edge Experience.

The company advertised tickets and hospitality packages for all five days of the Ashes Test at Lord’s, beginning July 16.

The Australian opener and business partner Scollay were able to secure an allotment of extra tickets from Middlesex because both played for the club.

However, those tickets were cancelled after the county realised they were being re-sold.

“I was open and honest in everything I did,” Rogers said.

Chris Rogers regrets his Ashes ticket scandal.

“There was no intent to deceive, or anything like that. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong.

“We were trying to do the right thing — apologies if it’s come out badly.”

The three packages advertised by Inside Edge Experience were priced at $5,916, $4,120 and

$3,590.

It has been reported by England media, Rogers and Scollay purchased 10 Ashes tickets valued at $224 and were looking to on-sell them at a huge mark-up with the promises of catered ticketing options and appearances by Australian and England players, including Rogers.

The total value of the packages is estimated to be around $40,000.

Rogers suggested he checked with both Middlesex and Cricket Australia (CA) about the personal venture.

He hinted he may have been deceived by Middlesex.

“Everybody I spoke to — and I spoke to everyone and told them what I was doing — nobody suggested to me that I do it any other way,” he said.

“I think I was supposed to go through the ECB, but I went through Middlesex who are the people I know.”

Chris Rogers has hinted he may have been deceived by Middlesex.

CA is not sanctioning Rogers, noting it was an honest mistake.

“That’s probably why they’ve been so supportive of me, because I didn’t deceive anyone,” the 37-year-old said.

“They knew everything.”

Rogers admitted the saga had been somewhat of a distraction prior to the side’s opening tour match, which begins tonight in Canterbury.

“It’s been frustrating. It’s been a bit of a distraction, but cricket starts tomorrow really and I’m pretty good at just getting on with it,” he said.

“So I’m not too worried.”

The five-test Ashes series starts on July 8 in Cardiff.

— with AAP