ICC pushes Al Jazeera to deliver proof of match-fixing claims as involved teams get enraged
The ICC has urged Al Jazeera to hand over evidence of match-fixing allegations on Monday after a TV documentary claimed to bring to light corruption in the cricket world. England called the allegations as “outrageous” and Australia demanded “credible evidence” of the same.
A new documentary released on Al Jazeera claimed to have evidence of spot-fixing and rigging gameplay for betting purposes in Test matches between India and England at Chennai in December 2016, and India and Australia at Ranchi in March 2017. Cricket has fought past various corruption scandals over the years including a 2010 newspaper sting on a spot-fixing scandal in England which saw three Pakistan players doing jail-time.
In a secretly recorded footage, an alleged underworld figure was heard saying, "I'm telling you, each script I give you will happen, happen and happen."
The same person went on to predict passages of play during the Test matches in Chennai and Ranchi along with the names of England and Australia players he claims were involved. The names, however, were not revealed in the documentary. Alex Marshall, head of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, urged the Qatari news channel to hand over the footage for investigation.
"We have been in ongoing dialogue with the broadcaster which has refused our continual requests to cooperate and share information which has hampered our investigation to date. I would now urge the production team to provide us with all unedited and unseen evidence they are in possession of, to enable us to expedite a thorough investigation," Marshall said.
Naturally, the accused teams were enraged and reacted to the allegations. Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said that there was no “credible evidence” to back the claims but Al Jazeera should share its footage with the ICC.
"We urge Al Jazeera to provide all unedited materials and any other evidence to the ICC investigation team, so, if appropriate, a full and thorough investigation can be conducted," Sutherland said.
A spokesman for the Board of Control for Cricket in India added saying, "The BCCI anti-corruption unit is working closely with the ICC anti-corruption on the alleged claims by a television channel."
England captain Joe Root told the BBC, "It is outrageous that our players have been accused. All the players have been briefed by the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and been told there's absolutely nothing to worry about."
England's coach Trevor Bayliss said, "Having been there (at the Chennai Test, which England lost by an innings and 75 runs) -- outrageous, is all I can say."
Former England captain Michael Atherton also pitched in and speculated that the highly paid Test players had no reason to be tempted by bribes.
"(I) would be astonished if there was any credence to the claims. It makes no sense," Atherton wrote in The Times.
Sri Lanka Cricket seemed pretty convinced with another segment of the documentary as they suspended the curator of the Galle International Stadium as well as a professional player who
The footage showed that the discussion was focused on means to prepare the pitch such that the first Test against England in November doesn’t end as a draw but rather yields favourable results in less than four days.