King report handed over

Sports minister Ngconde Balfour formally handed the interim report of the King commission of inquiry into match-fixing over to the United Cricket Board on Thursday.

The 66-page report, compiled by Judge Edwin King after his initial hearings into the Hansiegate affair, was accepted by UCB managing director Ali Bacher with ICC chief executive David Richards in attendance.

The report will be made public on Friday, but Bacher said that no comment will be made by the UCB until Monday after its contents have been studied by the UCB general council on Sunday. Sentences for Herschelle Gibbs, Henry Williams and Pieter Strydom for their roles in the scandal, will also be given on Monday.

Although the contents of the interim report are officially confidential until Friday, it is understood that Justice King made no reccomendations in the report.

The commission hearings are scheduled to resume in October with disgraced former captain Hansie Cronje almost certain to be recalled to give further evidence. Balfour said on Thursday that it was hoped Justice King's final report would be ready in mid-November.