The devil may have made Hansie do it — but the International Cricket Council (ICC) is making damn sure he doesn’t lead others astray.
Closed-circuit television, controlled access to change-rooms, cellphone restrictions and scrutiny of players for “unusual or suspicious” behaviour are among the steps being taken by the ICC to make the 2003 World Cup corruption-free.
The director of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, former London police chief Paul Condon, believes graft involving players has been cut to an “irreducible minimum” by security measures first encountered by South African players at last year’s one-day tournament in Morocco.
Condon has his work cut out, as “spread-betting” on World Cup games potentially involves wagers on a limitless range of variables, including how often a wicket-keeper breaks the stumps and whether a certain player wears sunglasses.
According to the ICC’s communications manager, Mark Harrison, Condon’s unit has been part of the World Cup’s security directorate for the past 18 months and has worked closely with agencies in South Africa on an anti-corruption strategy.
Formed in September 2000, after the Cronje scandal burst, the unit had recruited five regional security managers and built a “comprehensive network of intelligence-gatherers throughout the cricketing world”. This included law-enforcement agencies like Cronje’s Indian nemesis, the Central Bureau of Investigation; journalists; administrators; and “people close to bookmaking”.
It had also drawn up a dossier of known and potential corrupters. It has been reported that the National Intelligence Agency is to monitor visitors using a “watch-list” over the tournament period.
Harrison, said the principal security focus would be on the players, who had been educated about the dangers and faced a life ban if they transgressed.
As “free and easy” access to players had been a major vector of corruption, non-players would only be given access to changing-rooms if their photographs were displayed on a board outside. Exceptions could only be made by the team manager.
Where possible, movement in and out of changing-rooms would be monitored by means of closed-circuit television.
To prevent information being fed to bookmakers, no player would be allowed to bring a cellphone to matches, and any emergency calls would be made on request, using a phone held by the manager.
The security protocol would be overseen at each match by one of the ICC’s regional security officials, who would also keep “their eyes and ears open for unusual patterns of behaviour” by players.
Harrison declined to elaborate. However, the ICC recognised that the unpredictable did happen and was part of the game’s fascination — it did not want a hue and cry after every shock result.
Asked how the ICC could prevent contact between players and the illegal gambling trade in their spare time, Harrison said: “The regime has to be sensible; we can’t monitor players 24 hours a day. They have been educated and informed of the standards expected of them.”
An advertisement in last week’s Sporting Post gives some indication of the frenzy of legal betting that can be expected during the tournament.
Offering “lots of TVs, airconditioning, bar facilities, food and snacks”, Durban’s Hollywood Park invites punters to bet “at any time on any of the 34 800 balls to be bowled in the 2003 ICC World Cup Cricket”.
A bookmaker at Hollywood Park explained: “For example, South Africa are 3/10 to win the first match, with the West Indies at 22/10. But if, with the first ball, for example, Gibbs is bowled, the odds might change to South Africa 4/10 to win and West Indies 18/10.
“No, we won’t be betting on what happens off every delivery, but if I am approached for odds on a six being scored off a particular ball I will certainly quote a price.”
Hollywood Park is offering 18/10 on Australia to take the cup, with South Africa second favourites at 5/2, India and Pakistan 10/1, New Zealand 14/1, West Indies and Sri Lanka 16/1, England 20/1 and Zimbabwe 100/1.
The rank outsiders are Kenya (1 000/1), Holland and Namibia (2 000/1) and Canada (5 000/1).
A bookmaker disclosed that, by Wednesday this week, more than R1-million in bets had been placed at the six leading betting outlets in South Africa.
“Business is cooking. The smart money is on the West Indies and New Zealand. Big bets were taken early on those two to win the World Cup. That’s why we call it smart money. Australia? Never! If that’s what you think, bring your money down here,” he said.
Bets are also being offered on the top batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders in the tournament.