PCB keen clear players in the match-fixing scandal

His comment came amid reports that Pakistani cricket officials have been asked to submit the report at the ICC meeting next week. A leading Pakistani daily said the instructions in this regard have come from ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya.

The Justice Qayyum inquiry committee probed the question of corruption in the Pakistani game and submitted the report to the government in last October. Its contents have not been made public nor has it been acted upon either by the Government or the PCB.

PCB Chairman Gen Tauqir Zia was supposed to attend the ICC meeting in London along with Saeed but he has since pulled out owing to engagements at home, the Gulf News said.

“I will be meeting Gen Zia for a briefing on Pakistan’s stance in this scandal at the ICC meeting,” Saeed said.

Asked if Justice Qayyum had recommended action against seven cricketers in his report, Saeed said, “eventhough I will be carrying the report to London, I am yet to read it. I am yet to discuss the contents of the report with the PCB chief.”

On South African cricket board Managing Director Ali Bacher’s allegation that the Pakistan-Bangladesh match in the World Cup last year was fixed, he said, “I have alredy rejected his allegation, his charges should have been backed with evidence, we have found that his statement is full of contradictions and lacks credibility.”

Saeed said Bacher had also violated the rules of the code of conduct followed by members of the ICC. “If he knew that this particular match was fixed, why has he remained silent for so long? It is unfortunate that Bacher decided to go public about it instead of informing the PCB first about it.”

Judge to be appointed

JOHANNESBURG: The person to head the judicial probe into the match-fixing scandal involving sacked South African skipper Hansie Cronje will be appointed by this week end.

The judge had not been appointed so far because Justice Minister Penuell Maduna had been abroad and the Easter weekend had interfered with normal work, Justice ministry spokesman Graham Abrahams has said. “The Government has not yet decided what form the inquiry would take and how much authority it would be given to collect evidence,” he said in an interview.

“We know the public wants answers but I am afraid we will all just have to wait. But we are still hoping to have the results of the inquiry by the end of May,” Abrahams has said.

The South African Government and the United Cricket Board (UCB) announced insitution of a judicial probe in the wake of Cronje’s admission that he had accepted between $ 10,000-15,000 from an Indian bookie during the One-day Tri-series at home early this year.

Indian coach Kapil Dev has asked Cronje to make a clean breast of the match-fixing allegations against him, to “clear the air” for the sake of the game. “It’s obvious someone got to Hansie during one of his many trips with the South African side. He has to be honest to tell the authorities: Who got in touch with him? Where and when did the first contact take place? Who were the people involved?” the all-rounder has been quoted by the Johannesburg Star as saying.

Kapil Dev said Cronje’s sacking from the team was a “loss to the game” but the action against him should be an “example for others who may be tempted”.

He said “it shouldn’t be like what happened to the Australians, Shane Warne and Mark Waugh. They admitted accepting money from a bookie and got away with fines from the Australian Cricket Board. They are still playing the game while Hansie is paying the penalty for the same thing.”

“Hansie was such an upright man with high values, and never for a moment did I think he could be the one on the take from the bookmakers. But you know what they say about still waters,” Kapil Dev added.