ICC should thoroughly probe spot-fixing scandal: Ponting

CHANDIGARH - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting wants the International Cricket Council (ICC) to thoroughly investigate the spot-fixing allegations which surfaced during the fourth Test between Pakistan and England at the Lord’s last month.

“We expect ICC to reach at the bottom of it. For the last few weeks, many things have been written on this issue, about allegations and about Pakistan and England cricket. One thing is sure that international cricket cannot afford to have match-fixing,” Ponting told reporters here Tuesday.

“We hope to put behind all these things. We want good things to come out of this game in the coming days.”

Asked whether any Australian player was approached by bookies in the past, Ponting said: “As far as the Australian team is concerned, we are playing cricket in appropriate manner. We were never approached by any bookie.”

“Moreover, the Australian team is very well educated to handle such things in the right manner. Besides, we are also briefed by Cricket Australia at regular intervals to tackle such situations and on what is acceptable and what is not.”

The Australian cricket team reached here Monday to play a three-day warm-up match against the Board President’s XI at the cricket stadium in Sector 16 from Sep 23.

The first Test for the Border-Gavaskar trophy will be played at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium in neighbouring Mohali from Oct 1.

In the wake of match-fixing allegations, many people are also demanding a ban on the Pakistani team from all forms of cricket until the charges against their players are fully investigated.

Ponting disagreed.

“Keeping the Pakistani team away from international tournaments would put an adverse impact on various things. We want Pakistan should play in all international tournaments,” he said.

The British police had arrested London-based Mazhar Majeed who had allegedly offered gifts to Pakistani players, including fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, to bowl deliberate no-balls in the Lord’s Test.