Players must sign honesty declarations

All international cricketers, umpires and officials are to be asked to complete special questionnaires by November 30 after a two-day meeting of the International Cricket Council in Nairobi, Kenya, vowed to take action following a series of ,a href=../../betting.htm>match-fixing scandals.

Five questions are to be asked, including whether individuals have ever taken part in or been approached to take part in "any arrangement with any other person involved in the playing or administration of the game of cricket which might involve corruption in any form."

Other issues the questions raise include having taken part in, or been approached about - i) the passing on of team selection, weather and details of the toss to any person other than to the media; ii) performing under-par; iii) perverting the normal outcome of a match.

The form also carries a declaration that a player or official will not be involved in the future in any corrupt conduct and will immediately inform the authorities of any approach.

It carries a warning that knowingly answering any of the five questions incorrectly leaves individuals liable to disciplinary action from their home board with "heavy penalties" a possibility.

The ICC also announced that Lord Griffiths, chairman of the code of conduct commission, has been asked to make further recommendations on whether five Pakistan Test players - Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar and Waqar Younis - should face stronger punishments than suggested by the Qayyum report. All are currently available for the three one-day internationals and three-match Test series.

Griffiths is to secure "further confidential information" as a matter of urgency from Pakistan before producing his final report.

The ICC's statement, issued Wednesday morning, said it was encouraged by the conclusion in Lord Griffiths' interim report that the Pakistan Cricket Board "intends to pursue a policy of no tolerance to corruption".

The code of conduct commission had also reviewed the South African report on Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams and confirmed the penalties imposed.

The two men were banned in August until the end of the year for their role in the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal.

The ICC statement said the commission was waiting on a further report on the decision to ban former South Africa captain Cronje for life.

Mail Cricket Editor