Arthur says ‘Pak match-fixing claim’ comments taken way out of context

JOHANNESBURG - Former South Africa coach Mickey Arthur has denied suggesting that a One-day International against Pakistan in 2007 was fixed, saying his comments were “taken completely out of context”.

“There is absolutely no foundation to this story whatsoever. Quite simply, my comments were taken completely out of context and I have never accused anybody of anything illegal,” The News quoted Arthur, as saying to a news agency on Monday.

“I had absolutely no first hand experience of anything suspicious, let alone match-fixing in my five years of international cricket,” he added.

Last month, Arthur had told South African website News24, “The South African cricket team had a strong suspicion that that there was match-fixing involved in a decisive One-day International against Pakistan three years ago and it took some of the gloss off the series win.”

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board has served a three-page legal notice on Arthur through its lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi for his defamatory allegations against the Pakistan cricket team in his upcoming biography. The PCB claimed in its notice that the statements were made by Arthur to “sell” his biography, and warned him against publishing “similar libels” in his book.

“Give your written undertaking that your biography (Taking the Mickey) will not contain such or similar libels and disparaging statements against Pakistan team or any of its members,” said the legal notice.

Arthur was also asked to give a proposal for the payment of a “substantial sum in damages to compensate them (PCB) for the harm and distress.”

“Allegations leveled by you (Arthur) are whimsical, frivolous, defamatory, disparaging, denigrating, libelous, slanderous and derogatory,” the notice said.

The PCB has given Arthur one week to respond to the legal notice, and has also asked him to unconditionally and publicly retract his defamatory statement.

In the concerned 2007 match, Pakistan looked set to beat South Africa and clinch the series, but slipped from strong positions at 149-2 and 209-6 to 219 all out in pursuit of a 234-run target set by the Proteas. (ANI)