According to a report in the Sunday Times today, Sanath Jayasuriya is to be questioned by officers of Sir Paul Condon's Anti-Corruption Unit over a US$500,000 bribe offer when they fly to Sri Lanka in April.

Mukesh Gupta apparently made the lucrative offer to Jayasuriya soon after his heroics in the 1996 World Cup. Gupta informed investigators from the CBI that he had approached the player in Dubai. Sanath Jayasuriya denied that he had been approached when asked by a third party.

A former Sri Lankan board official, however, claims that Jayasuriya told several people about the offer at the time and had been approached by bookmakers on other occasions too. "Several attempts were made to get to Sanath but none of them did," said one former Sri Lankan Cricket Board official.

"One big offer was made to him in Dubai, but Sanath told the bookie in plain terms to get lost. Sanath told several people about it. He told me, he told everybody here. Even Gupta admitted he was unsuccessful."

The Sunday Times source goes on to state: "Most of these guys [in the Sri Lankan team] have been approached directly or indirectly by bookies, just seeing if they can catch them in their net."

The news follows revelations in an Australian newspaper that a woman from Brisbane, who had Aravinda de Silva's love child, is alleged to have been paid over $100,000 dollars by an Indian bookmaker.

The allegations were contained in unpublished sections of the CBI's match-fixing report. The money was allegedly paid to the woman after she apparently threatened to file a paternity suit if and when the star batsman next toured Australia.

Published sections of the CBI report had previously contained a statement from Gupta, which mentions a payment of US$27,000 to de Silva for fixing a Test Match between India and Sri Lanka in 1994. De Silva is also alleged to have introduced Gupta to Martin Crowe, the then New Zealand captain, in 1991.

The Sri Lanka board instigated an internal inquiry when the allegations were first revealed. Desmond Fernando, a human rights lawyer who was been appointed to lead the inquiry, was originally give 30 days to complete his investigations. This was extended to allow co-ordination with officers of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit.

They are scheduled to fly to Sri Lanka in April, where they will interview Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya.

© CricInfo