/ 1 May 2000

ICC PROMISES AMNESTY FOR MATCH-FIXING INFORMATION

THE International Cricket Council will invite players and officials to Lords to hand over any information they have on match-fixing and corruption in the game – with the promise of an amnesty for anyone coming forward. The emergency meeting on Tuesday follows an appeal by Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, that the leading cricket nations should assemble for a world summit to discuss the crisis. The sport has been rocked in recent weeks by allegations aimed at former South Africa skipper Hansie Cronje and claims made by Chris Lewis over information that he had received. Initially, the meeting was called following the admission by Cronje that he had accepted cash from an Indian businessman for ‘providing information’ on matches involving his country. However, Cronje’s revelations have been followed by a string of accusations against big-name players, most notably in India. Leicestershire all-rounder Lewis then went public in revealing he had been told that three England internationals had received money for fixing the outcome of matches.