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Waugh denies any involvement with bookmaker

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February 10, 2001 

MELBOURNE, FEB 10 (AP) - Australian cricketer Mark Waugh denied any involvement with an Indian bookmaker when he appeared before anti-corruption investigators Saturday at a Melbourne hotel.

Waugh said after the 2 1-2-hour-long meeting with Australian Cricket Board investigator Greg Melick and International Cricket Council officials that he had never met M.K. Gupta, who was mentioned in an Indian police report as having paid Waugh US dlrs 20,000 for team, pitch and weather information in 1993 during a tournament in Hong Kong.

The star batsman has denied the accusation, having admitted to only receiving US dlrs 4,000 from another bookmaker known only as "John" in 1994 while in Sri Lanka.

Waugh stayed at the Melbourne hotel overnight to ensure his entrance for the meeting was a low-key affair. The hotel is located directly across from the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where on Friday night he scored 173 runs - the highest by any Australian in a one-day match - to lead Australia to victory over the West Indies.

Melick declined to give any details of the meeting with Waugh, saying it was only part of an overall investigation into the case.

Gupta's evidence in India has already been crucial in ending the careers of South African captain Hansie Cronje and Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin.

Both were found guilty of match-fixing after accusations against them by Gupta were proven to be correct.

However, Gupta refused to cooperate with investigators when they flew to India to interview him recently over accusations against other overseas players including Waugh.