Decision on Odumbe likely soon

Maurice Odumbe's future as an international cricketer is likely to be decided within a few days, as the judicial hearing into his alleged involvement with match-fixing begins in Nairobi today (July 27).

Jon Long, the ICC project officer in charge of corporate affairs, said that Ahmed Ebrahim, the Zimbabwean judge presiding over the hearing, would conduct full-day sessions over the duration of the trial. "The hearing will hopefully last for five days, after which Justice Ebrahim will fly to Zimbabwe to prepare his report, which he will submit to the ICC Code of Conduct Commission," he told AFP. "The news of a verdict will take days and not weeks."

Once approved by the ICC's executive board, the report would then be sent to the Kenyan authorities, who would then take appropiate action against Odumbe.

Odumbe came under the scanner after allegations of his involvement with a bookmaker in 2002, charges that he has vehemently denied. Odumbe's defence has been that while he had dealings with an Indian, he was unaware that the person concerned was a bookmaker.

Despite the controversy, the Kenyan selectors have gone ahead and named Odumbe in a provisional 30-man squad for the Champions Trophy. If found guilty, the penalty on Odumbe could range from a two-year suspension to a life ban.