Test Cricket is at High Risk of Corruption, Says ICC Chief Executive David Richardson

ICC Chief Executive, David Richardson, on Wednesday (May 30), admitted Test cricket remains under constant threat of corruption.

Richardson also insisted the apex body of the game is working overtime to ensure the game does not get affected by such corruptions.

Al Jazeera’s sting operation has rocked the cricketing fraternity. In the investigative documentary, “Cricket’s match-fixers,” the news outlet showed former players and ground-staff promising undercover reporters of rigging matches.

Former Pakistan international, Hasan Raza was one of those individuals caught on the camera alongside Robin Morris. Raza could be seen explaining few other men about facilitating spot-fixing in Twenty20 tournaments.

In the video, the Pakistani cricketer could be seen seated next to Morris, a former professional cricketer from Mumbai. Both Raza and Morris had played together for Mumbai Champs in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) between 2007-08.

Morris then explained how they are planning to set up a corrupt tournament in Dubai. He said no A-grade players would play, but he can bring in B, C, and D grade players.

Another individual also claimed the outcome of England’s Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, starting in November, can get influenced. It alleged the pitch could get doctored so that a draw is impossible. Al Jazeera also revealed the name of two Sri Lankan involved – Tharindu Mendis (former first-class player) and Tharanga Indika (Assistant manager of Galle cricket stadium).

The duo promised to prepare the pitch according to the needs of an undercover journalist posing as a businessman. During the conversation, Indika also claimed to have doctored the Test pitches in the past. He claimed he had altered the surface for India and Australian Test in 2017. Richardson admitted the threat to the game, saying:

“It [Test] is as high a risk, but we’ve got the mitigating measures in place to make sure that it cannot have any impact.”

“And, yes, it would be very surprising if international cricketers were able to be got to. And because that target has been hardened, these guys are now trying to create their own leagues. At a much lower level, and the danger is they will start going to domestic tournaments and leagues that are televised,” he added.

The documentary also claimed three England cricketers were involved in match-fixing in the Chennai Test in India in 2016-17.

“We are obviously very much aware there are these types of individuals and types of criminal groups around the world who are trying to get into cricket. Trying to get hold of players. Trying to get hold of groundsmen. But it was a reminder that these guys are at work and they are not going away. And we’ve got our work cut out trying to disrupt them,” Richardson said.

The ICC has already started its investigation. However, lack of support from Al Jazeera has not helped their cause. Richardson insisted that Al Jazeera haven’t provided the Anti-Corruption Unit with the unedited footage for the investigation.

“At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest that is the case, but one of the allegations that has been made and we will look at it,” he said. ” If your own officials, hired to do the job of protecting the integrity of cricket are compromised in any way, obviously that is a concern. There is no evidence to suggest at this stage that is the case.

“I think it’s too early to come to that kind of conclusion. Let’s investigate, let’s see what they’ve got, what kind of evidence there is, we don’t know, so I think let’s leave it to the investigators to get stuck in with Al Jazeera, get to the bottom of it, and then we can decide at the end whose judgement was right, and whether Al Jazeera’s judgement was right,” he added.