$250 million bet on each ODI: Gray

About $250 million are bet on every one-day cricket international, the head of the sport's world governing body Malcolm Gray said on Monday.

International Cricket Council (ICC) president Gray told reporters at the launch of the ICC's new logo at Lord's that the figure had been established after investigations by its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).

The unit was set up last year after former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje admitted to taking money from bookmakers. Cronje and two other former international captains, Salim Malik (Pakistan) and Mohammad Azharuddin (India) were subsequently banned for life.

"The Anti-Corruption Unit estimated $250 million are bet on every one-day international with similar amounts on test matches," Gray said.

Asked if the corruption scandal had affected sponsors' perception of cricket, Gray replied: "Obviously yes. That was a great concern 16 months ago when it broke."

ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said it was realistic to realise that betting on cricket matches would continue.

"With regret we know that the same bookmakers and gamblers who have corrupted cricketers in the past remain operational," he said.

Speed said ACU head Paul Condon had stated that the ICC had successfully suppressed corruption.

"What he is unable to say at present is that we have defeated it," he said. "But we are determined to do so and put in place a system that will ensure that no player, umpire or administrator can be in any doubt about what is expected of him by the game."

ROLLING CHAMPIONSHIP

Gray said he agreed there should be a reduction in the number of one-day cricket matches while Speed said a rolling one-day international championship would be considered at next week's ICC meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

The Condon report into match-fixing said the high number of one-day matches now played with nothing at stake had contributed to corruption.

Speed said a general survey of test captains about corruption had thrown up some interesting remarks on corruption.

He said "one very prominent captain" had advocated lie detector tests for international cricketers every six months.

Another had endorsed all Condon's recommendations for ridding the game of corruption.

"If that's what's needed to get the scum out of the game then let's do it," Speed quoted the unidentified captain as saying.

Asked how the U.S.-led attacks in Afghanistan would affect international cricket, Gray said he hoped the military action would be "short and sharp".

New Zealand withdrew from a tour of Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan, this month after the attacks in New York and Washington on September 11.

"It's extremely important, obviously everyone is shattered," Gray said.

Gray said next week's ICC meeting would examine the situation and agreed there was a possibility Pakistan could play their scheduled home tours at neutral venues if the crisis continued.

Sri Lanka have withdrawn from a one-day series in Pakistan while West Indies have postponed a decision on whether or not they will fulfil their tour obligations early next year.

Mail Cricket Editor