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*Official* Match/Spot Fixing News Thread

BoyBrumby

Englishman
That some English county fixtures are dodgy isn't, sadly, the greatest surprise. As the Indian bookmaker "source" quoted in the article suggests they are much more likely to fly under the anti-corruption bods' radar than higher profile internationals and, if they're televised, there will be a market for them.

The average county pro earns a pittance compared to internationals too (I think I read Westfield was on about £20k PA), so is more likely to have his head turned by the blandishments offered. This doesn't in any way excuse his actions, but it does explain them to some extent.

At some points of our summer Sky broadcast what seems like a game a day, so if these are also carried in India the potential for betting in-play is huge, as it also is for illegal betting's even dodgier brother match/spot fixing to cling onto its coattails.
 

Biryani Pillow

U19 Vice-Captain
I read the report in today's Sunday Times.

Struck me as very vague aand, wiithout names, nothing new - and nothing the ICC weren't alert to (the 'Bollywood Star' for example).
 

VCC44

School Boy/Girl Captain
That some English county fixtures are dodgy isn't, sadly, the greatest surprise. As the Indian bookmaker "source" quoted in the article suggests they are much more likely to fly under the anti-corruption bods' radar than higher profile internationals and, if they're televised, there will be a market for them.

The average county pro earns a pittance compared to internationals too (I think I read Westfield was on about £20k PA), so is more likely to have his head turned by the blandishments offered. This doesn't in any way excuse his actions, but it does explain them to some extent.

At some points of our summer Sky broadcast what seems like a game a day, so if these are also carried in India the potential for betting in-play is huge, as it also is for illegal betting's even dodgier brother match/spot fixing to cling onto its coattails.
I think as part of the Sky contract the ECB have to schedule the county season so there is always a game on a day.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
India is the problem here. Until their gambling industry is legitimate and above board then this sort of **** will always be in the news.

What cricket can do about an Indian problem is beyond me.
 

Cruxdude

International Debutant
A genuine question here. How would legitimizing betting on cricket remove match-fixing? Don't we have similar troubles with other sports where illegal betting is not a problem?
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
A genuine question here. How would legitimizing betting on cricket remove match-fixing? Don't we have similar troubles with other sports where illegal betting is not a problem?
At the simplest level it would make potentially nefarious betting activity easier to spot.

In the UK at least quite often one sees reports of betting being suspended on a particular match or race because of "unusual" betting patterns. Wayne Rooney's father was famously arrested on suspicion of being part of a betting scam, detected in part because of the irregular betting patterns on the fixture concerned.

One imagines illegal bookmakers are pretty reluctant to share their betting patterns with their competitors or the authorities, so in the unregulated wildwest of illegal bookmaking match/spot fixing is less likely to be scrunitised because of the money changing hands.
 

Cabinet96

Global Moderator
Brumby makes a good point. If I was a bookie and I had someone splashing big cash on unusual things, such as no balls, extras etc...I'd report it. Wouldn't be so keen if I was owner of an illegal company though.
 

G.I.Joe

International Coach
The owner of the illegal company would probably be inclined to just break the client's kneecaps, though.
 

Fusion

Global Moderator
I decided to merge some threads that were discussing various match/spot fixing news. What a sad development that there's even a need to create an Official thread for such news. :(
 

Fusion

Global Moderator
India is the problem here. Until their gambling industry is legitimate and above board then this sort of **** will always be in the news.

What cricket can do about an Indian problem is beyond me.
I don't think it's as simple as that. Gambling is legal in the US and there have still been plenty of scandals. Legendary baseball player Pete Rose was banned for life for betting on games that he managed (he of course denies that). NBA referee Tim Donaghy was jailed for participating in illegal betting on games that he refereed (his officiating was influenced by the bets he had on the game). In the 1990's, both the New York Times and Sports Illustrated published reports that college sports was rampant with illegal gambling, including players being involved in spot/match fixing.

Like I said, it's too simplistic to say that regulating the Indian gambling industry will fix this. As long as there is sports, there will be people gambling on matches. As long as there is gambling, there will be match fixing. There's no easy solution to this problem.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
I don't think it's as simple as that. Gambling is legal in the US and there have still been plenty of scandals. Legendary baseball player Pete Rose was banned for life for betting on games that he managed (he of course denies that). NBA referee Tim Donaghy was jailed for participating in illegal betting on games that he refereed (his officiating was influenced by the bets he had on the game). In the 1990's, both the New York Times and Sports Illustrated published reports that college sports was rampant with illegal gambling, including players being involved in spot/match fixing.

Like I said, it's too simplistic to say that regulating the Indian gambling industry will fix this. As long as there is sports, there will be people gambling on matches. As long as there is gambling, there will be match fixing. There's no easy solution to this problem.
Simplistic yes, but I don't think you can seriously argue that India's illicit gambling industry is anything but the huge elephant in the room.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Like I said, it's too simplistic to say that regulating the Indian gambling industry will fix this. As long as there is sports, there will be people gambling on matches. As long as there is gambling, there will be match fixing. There's no easy solution to this problem.
If it's legal, it can be taxed which in turn can pay for anti-corruption systems. It's pretty simple stuff really. Prohibition doesn't work in general and if it's above board it can be regulated, controlled and earn the government of the time money to ensure ethical behaviour. In such circumstances, the lunatic fringe are marginalised - but obviously not eradicated. There's a world-wide system of interaction between legal bookmakers that helps identify irregular patterns of betting. For example, the supposed rigging of first stoppage in an NRL game was traced in NZ as well as Australia as it's in the bookie's best interests to stop such shenanigans - obviously.

Whilst I agree, this is not a solution - it significantly reduces illegal betting and thus match fixing.
 

Cevno

Hall of Fame Member
Former South Africa pacer Henry Williams dropped a bombshell on Saturday when he admitted that Herschelle Gibbs and he gave false testimonies to the Kings Commission against disgraced Hansie Cronje, which were a part of conspiracy involving their lawyers, to make a stronger case against the late South African captain.

"When we testified to our lawyers what the story really was, they came up with a threat that we could be prosecuted for doing something like this," Williams told the Sunday Times. Williams claimed that he was pressure to 'nail' Cronje and added that Cronje never mentioned the amount involved.

Williams had earlier told the Kings Commission that Cronje had offered him $15,000 to perform poorly in a One-Day International match against India at Nagpur.

Williams and Gibbs were both banned for six months while Cronje was banned for life after admitting his involvement and died in a plane crash in 2002.

Gibbs, who is playing Big Bash League In Australia, distanced himself from his former team-mates' comments.

Meanwhile, pair's then-lawyers, Mike Fitzgerald and Peter Whelan, denied that they persuaded Williams to give incorrect testimony to the Commission. Whelan asserted they had known that Gibbs was lying, and had put pressure on him to tell the truth. "Henry certainly came along for the ride. I didn't think he was lying initially, but he came out when Herschelle did."
I lied to 'nail' Cronje in match-fixing saga: Henry Williams : Cricketnext
 

Spikey

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you know, the payment amount not being mentioned might explain why gibbs forgot to play his role.
 

NasserFan207

International Vice-Captain
Lol, surely the more important issue is why were lawyers trying to force their clients into this?

Things must've been SO corrupt
 

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