Pakistan cricket chief fears match-fixing widespread

Mahmood, here for the International Cricket Council's executive board meeting which is grappling with the problem of corruption, hinted match-fixing may not be confined to his own country.

``Match-fixing, betting is an issue we are currently investigating and this can be more widespread than perceived to be,'' he said.

Former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram and Salim Malik, Ejaz Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed and Waqar Younis are all under investigation by a judicial commission.

Malik was accused by Australian Test players Shane Warne, Mark Waugh and Tim May of having offered them 200,000 US dollars to throw a match four years ago, while Warne and Waugh were forced to admit last month they had taken 3,000 US dollars from an Indian bookmaker in 1994.

ICC chairman Sir Clyde Walcott of the West Indies said a draft proposal on match-fixing was being prepared.

``Then we'll take some decisions,'' added Walcott, standing in for India's Jagmohan Dalmiya, who was unable to attend because his mother had died.

The ICC's biggest problem in attempting to root out corruption is that it possesses little genuine power -- its constitution only allows recommendations, not substantial action.

``That's an issue we have to address,'' ICC chief executive David Richards said Saturday.

Richards said the international body must be empowered to make tough decisions, but it raised queries about the jurisdiction of the ICC to act in other countries.

``We have a vital role to play in these bribery issues, but what's up for debate is if the ICC has jurisdiction in sovereign countries if there is criminality involved,'' Richards said Saturday.

None of the nine Test-playing countries were believed to be comfortable with the idea of the ICC intervening in their territory.

Pakistan judge Malik Mohammad Qayyum has adjourned his hearing till January 16 while he hears from his representatives who cross-examined Warne and Mark Waugh in Melbourne on Friday and Saturday.

Waugh, Warne and another Australian player, Tim May, alleged Malik offered them 200,000 dollars to throw a match during Australia's 1995 tour of Pakistan.

But Warne and Waugh blotted their copybook when the Australian Cricket Board was forced to admit last month they had been fined for taking 3,000 dollars from an Indian bookmaker for pitch and weather information five years ago.

Mahmood said Sunday he would have appreciated his board's being informed about the bookmaker's approach when Waugh gave evidence to the judicial commission in Lahore in October.

``There was a certain lack of communication regarding specific problems,'' he said. ``Because of the accusations, I thought we could also have been informed.

``He was advised by the ACB to tell the truuth and it was up to his discretion to say what he felt appropriate,'' Mahmood added.

But he said current ACB chairman Denis Rogers had cleared up the misunderstandings.

Rogers said: ``We are not bitter enemies. We have established a close relationship that's unshakeable.

``There no doubt that as a result of our discussions we have put in place some protocols to make sure this doesn't happen again.''

Mahood said the accusations had been damaging for cricket and he was eager to see the government-appointed commission produce its findings.

``The damage of these allegations has been substantial,'' he said.

``The players can't concentrate on their cricket, they have to face charges and examine each other.''

Mahmood said it was up to the Pakistani government whether it wanted to release the findings in their entirety or if it wanted to ask the PCB to take action.

``We are very keen this inquiry is brought to its legal conclusion and if accusations are proved then action will be taken,'' he said.