Tim Nielsen reveals suspicious approaches

Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, has joined four of his players in revealing he reported suspicious approaches while on tour to the team's manager. Last week Shane Watson and Brad Haddin confirmed they had told of invitations from an illegal bookmaker while Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson were also targeted in England last year.

Nielsen said that being a coach he received lots of innocent requests, but some people were asking for information for "sinister reasons". ''I've spoken to our manager once or twice about things that have happened, but nothing has ever come of them,'' Nielsen told the Sun-Herald.

''You meet so many people, go to so many functions and events on the road and it's hard to differentiate between what's good and what's a potential problem. People love the idea of talking to a player or the coach and getting information behind the scenes."

The incidents were highlighted following the events involving Pakistan at Lord's in the fourth Test against England last week. Suspicion has also fallen on Australia's win at the SCG in January and Nielsen has spent time looking back at the game.

''It's almost like we've been naive to it,'' he said. ''I'm wondering now about a whole lot of things - why do people do it? How will the game survive? How can we ensure that people feel they still have a great team to follow? People are going to question results in all games, but especially against Pakistan.

"In the Sydney Test no one had given a moment's thought about it being given up or fixed. The guys felt it was some of the hardest Test cricket they'd ever played."

Lee's manager Neil Maxwell was unhappy the bowler's name was revealed last week. "I don't think there is an immediate concern [for their safety] but I do believe if I was a player I'd be reluctant to report these things if my name is going to be thrust forward whenever an incident rears its head," Maxwell said. "They have to have the protective process as well."