Australians fear Pakistani taint
By AAP Reporters
August 30, 2010 — 6.05am
Australian captain Ricky Ponting fears one of his team's greatest achievements is tainted by Pakistani match rigging.
The alleged match-fixer at the centre of Pakistan's latest betting storm was in Sydney for this year's dubious Test against Ponting's Australians.
The man has claimed he rigged the Test, according to a British newspaper report which prompted his arrest.
The man, Mazhar Majeed, was on bail on Monday after being arrested on suspicion of defrauding bookmakers. He has not been charged.
Pakistan players have been implicated in the scandal, with three, including captain Salman Butt, questioned by police.
The British newspaper, News of the World, said its sting operation revealed Majeed claiming he earned $A1 million from the Sydney Test.
Pakistan folded at the SCG to give Australia a remarkable comeback victory in a Test which Ponting said carried lingering suspicion.
"The way we won was one of the more satisfying moments that I've had on the cricket field," Ponting told ABC Radio on Monday.
"And now when some of these things come to light is when you start to slightly doubt some of the things that have happened.
"The thing that I'm most worried about, if any of this is proven to be true, is some of the individual performances that took place in that game ... will be tainted as well."
Australian stalwart Mike Hussey scored one of his finest Test centuries in the second innings of the Sydney Test - and doesn't want to believe it's a tainted ton.
Hussey was dropped three times by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal on the way to a match-winning 134.
"If the allegations are proved correct then it will definitely take the gloss off," Hussey told reporters in Perth on Monday.
Australian Malcolm Speed, who headed the International Cricket Council from 2001-2008, said it appeared match rigging was "endemic" in Pakistan cricket.
Speed said there was a "compelling" case to suspend Pakistan from world cricket.
"It looks as though it is endemic, that several of the team members are involved and have been for some time," Speed told ABC radio on Monday.
"So perhaps they need a rest."
Speed said corruption still surrounded cricket.
"Corrupt book makers and gamblers are still out there," he said.
"(It's) great that they've been caught in England where there is a very sophisticated legal system that deals with conspiracy and specifically with cheating in sport.
"So I see that as a major positive."
But ex-Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson cautioned against banning Pakistan.
"This thought that the whole team should be thrown out for the sins of a few is a very cynical and wrong view of what happens in Pakistan," he told Sky Sports radio.
The former Australian paceman said he had no inkling of match fixing in his 16-month stint as Pakistan coach from early 2007.
"It's sad, it's despairing in many ways," Lawson said.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the Sydney Test was being investigated in London.
"The reports from the UK are most disturbing," Sutherland said in a statement.
"We have no knowledge of the current allegations but by their very nature, they demonstrate the absolute importance of world cricket maintaining its vigilance in relation to anti-corruption."
Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy welcomed the apparent gambling bust.
"We'd be stupid to think this is new," Healy told reporters in Brisbane.
"How long has this lurk been going on? It's a long time I'm sure, but it's been caught which is awesome."