Ashes match fixing: ICC investigation clears players, says Sutherland

Cricket Australia boss said that an ICC investigation has completely dismissed claims that a fix would be in place in Perth.

The fourth Ashes Test has been rocked by claims of spot fixing.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said that a preliminary ICC investigation has completely dismissed claims in The Sun newspaper that a fix would be in place for the Perth Ashes Test or that any players were involved.

LIVE BLOG: coverage of the third Test from the WACA

“I’ve been on a number of phone calls this morning including a conference call where I was briefed by the head of the ICC anti corruption unit Alex Marshall, on that call was chief executive of the ICC David Richardson and ECB chief executive Tom Harrison among others were also in attendance,” he said.

“What we heard from Alex Marshall the head of the ICC anti corruption unit is there’s no evidence, substance or justification based on the dossier of information the ICC has received from the news outlet based on ICC intelligence from previous investigations, there’s no substance to these allegations or justification to suspect that this Test match or indeed the Ashes series as a whole is subject to corrupt activities.

“He also went on to say that there’s no evidence, substance or justification to suggest that any player from either side or match official from the ICC or cricket Australia or the ECB are any way under suspicion or been contacted by alleged fixers.”

The story seemed to imply that Australian players and an administrator were involved with the Indian betting syndicate, but there were no names and specifics were vague.

The paper identified to two fixers as ex-Indian state cricketer Sobers Joban, who claimed to have played cricket with Virat Kohli and partner Priyank Saxena, a tobacco businessman and bookmaker, who the newspaper secretly filmed at hotels in Dubai and Delhi in our four-month investigation.

Sutherland stood by his players.

“We have absolute confidence in our players and our team officials and others involved in the game to say there is nothing to suggest based on what we’ve heard from Alex Marshall and other understandings we have or other intelligence we have, to have any suspicions about our players,” he said.

“We have full confidence in them. The ICC anti corruption head Alex Marshall will with his team continue to investigate this matter. Obviously if there’s anything credible it will be a deep and forensic investigation. He will make his own comments in time, perhaps later today. We will continue to work with him and the ICC as appropriate with this but in the meantime we look forward to a Test match and the understanding that we have full confidence in our players and everyone involved in this Test match and the Ashes series.”

Sutherland was asked about the decision to release the four month long investigation on the morning of the third Test.

“The timing is a bit strange, obviously,” he said. “But I guess I’ll leave that to Alex to make judgments on what the reason behind this might be and the timing of it.”

The fixers claimed they had corrupted many IPL matches and offered to do the same in the BBL. Sutherland said he was “not aware of any” attempts to fix matches in the Australian competition.

“I think it’s worth nothing that our players as well as being educated on the risks of corruption and their obligations under contract and under the ICC code, they’ve got a really strong record of reporting any approaches or suspicious activity or information that they may have and those behaviours in the past are a good indicator of our confidence in our players understanding how the system works and the importance of this matter,” he said.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland, left, arrives at the WACA. Picture: Getty Images.

ICC answers ‘serious’ fix claims

The ICC says there is no evidence that the Perth Test has been fixed, or any players contacted in relation to a fix, after UK newspaper The Sun published these claims overnight.

The Sun reports two Indian men claimed they could arrange spot fixing in the third Ashes Test, which starts today.

The ICC’s General Manager Anti-Corruption, Alex Marshall, said it had made an initial assessment of the claims and believed there was “no evidence that the (third Ashes Test) had been corrupted.”

Cricket Australia today said the allegations were a “serious concern”.

The Sun newspaper has handed to authorities details of two Indian men who claim to have been able to “spot fix” periods of the game through an Australian based fixer known as “the Silent Man”.

The pair boasted connections to current and former international players and a track record of corrupting Twenty20 matches in the India Premier League and offered to arrange spot fixes in the Big Bash League.

The men said they work with former and current internationals, including a World Cup-winning all-rounder.

The Sun claimed no English players were named by the pair.

The paper identified to two fixers as ex-Indian state cricketer Sobers Joban, and partner Priyank Saxena, a tobacco businessman and bookmaker, who the newspaper secretly filmed at hotels in Dubai and Delhi in a four-month investigation.

The paper filmed interactions with the two.

‘No evidence of fixing’

Alex Marshall, the ICC General Manager Anti-Corruption said his organisation had investigated the claims.

“We have now received all materials relating to The Sun investigation. We take the allegations extremely seriously and they will be investigated by the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit working with anti-corruption colleagues from Member countries,” Marshall said.

“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 cricket in several countries, including T20 tournaments. We will look closely at all the information as part of our investigation.

“We ask anyone with information about these allegations to get in touch with the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit via [e-mail].”

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland will speak at a press conference ahead of the match.

Today’s The Sun front page.

Fixer boasts of player contacts

Over ten years the fixer claimed to have made “a lot of contacts” with South African, Australian and Pakistani players.

The International Cricket Council told the paper the revelations were of “grave concern”, adding: “We take all allegations of corruption seriously and welcome The Sun’s offer to share this information.”

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland is in Perth for the third Test and the organisation released a statement this morning in relation to the claims.

“The allegations raised by media outlets are of serious concern. Cricket Australia takes a zero-tolerance approach against anybody trying to bring the game into disrepute,” a spokesman said.

“Cricket Australia will co-operate fully with any ICC Anti-Corruption Unit investigation.

“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 comptetitons, 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.”

An ECB spokesman added: “The ECB will work closely with the ICC and their Anti-Corruption unit to protect the integrity of the international game.

“We are aware of these allegations and there is no suggestion that any of the England team is involved in any way.”

Previous approaches

Four Australian Test players reported an approach from a bookmaker during the 2009 Ashes in England.

Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Brad Haddin and Shane Watson reported an approach by a man in the team hotel who offered to buy them drinks.

It is believed bookmakers have attempted to strike up relationships with young BBL players on social media as part of a grooming process.

The ICC revealed earlier this month that three international captains had reported concerns about approaches from suspicious types.

It is not the first time undercover newspaper reporters have exposed a sting, a News of the World investigation leading to prison sentences for Pakistan captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif.

The two fixers asked The Sun’s undercover agent for amounts up to $245,000 to spot fix markets such as the amount of runs scored in an over or when a wicket would fall.

The pair claimed corrupt players “signal” the fix is on by making a subtle gesture on the field, such as changing their gloves.

Spotters in the crowd relay information to bookies who bet millions into the underground Indian market.

The pair named players they say work as their “puppets” but the paper did not identify the players except to say no England players were involved.

“I will give you work in Ashes Test. Session runs. Maybe day one, two, three. We have two session work, one session costs 60 lakh rupees (£69,000), two sessions 120 lakh rupees (138,000),” Joban claimed to the paper.

“If you are interested Priyank will talk to the Silent Man. If you want to go with him all right, but you will not sit in meeting. I don’t know what he give, script or session.

“Right now if I tell you he want one crore (£116,000), he might want five crores (£580,000).”

Asked if the offer was confirmed, Saxena, replied: “One thousand per cent”.

Saxena claimed to have made contact with “The Silent Man” and was travelling to Australia to see through the arrangements.

“I have sent the email (to Australia) and am waiting for a reply. When I am sure everything is confirmed then I will pass it on,” he said.

“I have to go to Australia with someone. I’ll meet the Man, he will tell me the script and the rate.”

The fixers urged The Sun investigators, who posed as financiers for underworld London bookies, to pour millions into a new Zimbabwean league where matches would be fixed.