Former NZC chief feared corruption in ICL

Following Lou Vincent's revelations of fixing in several games around the world, the former New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan has said there was suspicion of corrupt activities in the rebel Indian Cricket League. Vincent, the former New Zealand batsman, joined the unsanctioned T20 league, where he was part of Chandigarh Lions.

Vaughan was the chief executive of NZC when the ICL was launched in 2007 and several New Zealand players put their international careers at risk by signing up for it. The league lasted two seasons, but Vincent never played again for New Zealand even after the banned players were welcomed back into the fold.

"There was a general bad smell coming from that competition," Vaughan was quoted in Sunday Star Times. "None of the players were contracted to New Zealand Cricket or actively playing for any of our domestic teams. It was a rebel league. It was unsanctioned. We felt that competition was totally in another orbit. It was ring fenced so it almost wasn't our problem.

"I guess we always hoped that New Zealand players weren't going to get caught up in wrongdoings that were going on in that competition but it was out of our mindset because we were dealing with the Black Caps and all the competitions they were playing in and all the ICC sanctioned competitions and they were quite separate."

Vincent has reportedly given information to the ICC's anti-corruption unit on approaches made to him during his time with Sussex and Lancashire and of fixing when he played for the Auckland Aces in New Zealand and during the Champions League in 2012. In December 2013, Vincent confirmed that he was involved in an ongoing ICC anti-corruption investigation and in February this year he admitted being approached by an illegal bookmaker during the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League season.

Vaughan, who stood down as CEO in 2011, said he was saddened by the fact that the allegations have damaged the reputation of the game in New Zealand and has also made the county game vulnerable.

"Whenever one of your own gets involved in these activities, even if it wasn't when he was representing New Zealand, it undoubtedly stains the reputation. It's unfortunate but it's inevitable," Vaughan said.

"I am very disappointed. It was no surprise perhaps that there was involvement in the ICL but it's surprising to see that it was able to then spread into the likes of domestic cricket in England."

David White, NZC's current CEO, stated that none of the current international New Zealand players were being investigated by the ACSU.