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Howard calls for players and officials to unite against betting scams |
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April 14, 2000 CANBERRA, APR 13 (AP) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a self-described cricket fanatic, has backed calls for an international inquiry into illegal betting in cricket. Speaking in the wake of admissions by South African skipper Hansie Cronje that he received U.S. dlrs 15,000 from an Indian bookmaker to supply pitch and team information, Howard said players and officials had to unite to stamp out the type of environment with fosters match-fixing. Cronje was fired without pay Tuesday by South African officials after admitting to receiving the payoff and, although he denied any form of match-fixing, the incident has devastated South African cricket. Howard on Thursday said he backed the Australian Cricket Board's call for a full International Cricket Council inquiry to identify any "international network" responsible or illegal betting and "really root it out." "One incident or even a series of incidents like this don't destroy a marvelous game," he said. "But there in an obligation on cricket administrators and players," to band together to eliminatethe problem. Howard said he knew Cronje and was "very sorry and saddened" by the incident because "he struck me as a very decent and intelligent man - he was a great cricketer. "I feel sorry for him and his family, but you really do have to root out this kind of behavior from the game we all love so much." ACB chairman Denis Rogers said his board would support the banning of any player found guilty of match-fixing. "Australia rejects match-fixing. We find it abhorrent," said Rogers, who was speaking in Durban after Australia's loss to South Africa in a limited-overs international. "I find it difficult to accept this attack on the integrity of the game. "I don't believe any Australian players are involved in this type of activity, but I can't guarantee it." Indian police reportedly uncovered the Cronje scam by accident last week when reviewing surveillance tapes of telephone calls as part of separate investigation. Meanwhile, the match referee of the only test result called into question during Cronje's tenure was in no doubt the actions of the Proteas skipper were in the best interests of the game. Leading a series 2-0 against England and with rain disrupting the fifth and final test at Centurion Park in January, Cronje and English skipper Nasser Hussain struck a highly unusual deal to chase a result. At Cronje's suggestion, both teams forfeited or declared an innings without batting and England was left to chase South Africa's first innings total. England won the match by two wickets with five balls to spare and South Africa took out the series 2-1. But Barry Jarman, the ICC referee, said there was nothing to suggest any wrongdoing during the match and he congratulated both skippers for their actions. "I just said, `it's terrific, cricket's the winner,' and I said `you've been the architect'," Jarman told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. |