CA’s integrity boss shown the door

CA’s head of integrity has left the organisation in the middle of the inquiry into the alleged match-fixing scandal.

Integrity boss Iain Roy has left Cricket Australia in the middle of a match-fixing scandal

Cricket Australia’s head of integrity has left the organisation in the middle of the inquiry into the ­alleged match-fixing scandal, in which two Australian players have been interviewed.

Senior counsel Iain Roy led the investigation in the wake of the ball-tampering incident in South Africa and has been involved in the company’s high-end legal work for more than a decade.

CA yesterday said his sudden departure was not related to match-fixing allegations levelled against two unnamed Test players earlier this week and was by mutual agreement.

The Australian understands Roy had been keen to move on but was surprised when he was told on Tuesday that his time was up.

The lawyer’s position was terminated on the spot and he was given a redundancy payout.

Roy interviewed David Warner, Steve Smith, Darren Lehmann, Cameron Bancroft and Peter Handscomb in South Africa in the wake of the ball-tampering incident.

His investigation led to Warner, Smith and Bancroft’s suspensions soon after.

CA yesterday said anti-corruption officer Sean Carroll was handling the match-fixing allegations, which arose when Roy was on leave.

The organisation is being restructured and is running a cost-cutting drive to find $20 million in savings. A number of staff have been made redundant in recent weeks.

The new player contract deal contained a clause that required CA to find $25m in savings across five years that could be redirected to grassroots cricket.

This sum will be matched with $25m out of the players’ revenue for the same ­purpose.

A spokesman told The Australian: “We are currently reviewing organisational efficiencies within Cricket Australia in order to direct as much funding as possible into community cricket and fan-facing initiatives.

“We have restructured various departments in recent weeks to ensure best possible alignment and delivery on our new strategy.”

The organisation recently promoted Kevin Roberts, who led its failed player contract negotiations. The former cricketer, who has been seen as the next chief executive officer, is now second in charge behind only CEO James Sutherland.

Some critics are surprised the organisation would be making such moves during a full review in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal.

ICC cricket committee chairman Anil Kumble yesterday issued a call for more responsibility to be taken by boards and administrations who drive the “winning at all costs” culture.

“It’s also about greater accountability of the cricket boards,” Kumble said. “It’s not just about the players.

“Invariably, when such issues happen, focus is on the player, but I think greater accountability should be there on the support group around the players and also with the board. That’s something we have emphasised as a group.”

ICC chief executive Dave Richardson, responding to the match-fixing allegations that players from England and Australia were involved in spot fixing along with a Sri Lankan curator, said he would be surprised if criminals had corrupted Test cricket.

“Because we have hardened the target at the top level, they are now going to focus on junior levels of cricket or other avenues such curators and groundsmen,” Richardson said at a 2019 World Cup event in London.

“We know what the problem is. It is going to be a constant battle. We’ll be in it for the long term.

“It (Test cricket) is as high a risk, but we’ve got the mitigating measures in place to make sure that it cannot have any impact.

“And, yes, it would be surprising if international cricketers were able to be got to. And because that target has been hardened, these guys are now trying to create their own leagues, at a lower level, and the danger is they will start going to domestic tournaments and leagues that are televised.”

Richardson said it made him angry to see criminals “swanning around” the game.

“We are aware there are these types of individuals and types of criminal groups around world who are trying to get into cricket, trying to get hold of players, trying to get hold of groundsmen,” he said. “It was reminder these guys are at work and they are not going away and we’ve got our work cut out trying to disrupt them.”