OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Tuesday 12.30pm.
PAKISTANI umpire Javed Akhtar, who was on Monday implicated in match-fixing by United Cricket Board of South Africa chief Dr Ali Bacher, on Tuesday strongly denied the accusations, calling Bacher’s statements “a load of rubbish”
Akhtar has also indicated that he plans to take legal action against Bacher, who told the King Commission of inquity that he was told by a bookmaker — called Mr R — that Akhtar was on the payroll of one of the biggest bookmakers in Karachi when he gave nine leg before wicket decisions against South Africa in a vital Test match against England at Leeds in 1998.
Seven of the decisions were considered “dubious” by observers.
Akhtar told DPA that he is “ready to swear on oath that no bookmaker has ever approached me. I am willing to face any inquiry if the need arises.”
Akhtar also claimed that Bacher had previously accused him of “wrong-doing” but then backed down.