Further denials as extra inquiries established

The Australian Cricket Board confirmed this afternoon Australian time that it has asked ICC Anti-Corruption Unit boss Sir Paul Condon to investigate claims made in the CBI report surrounding Australian batsman Mark Waugh. The ACB has also asked its own special investigator, Greg Mellick, to examine the matter.

Waugh was disciplined by the Australian Cricket Board in 1995 after admitting that he had taken $US 4000 from a person called "John" in Sri Lanka in September 1994 for giving pitch and weather information. In the CBI report, testimony from former bookmaker MK Gupta, who says that he was the "John" in question, claims that Waugh was paid $US 20,000 for giving information, beginning after Gupta was introduced to Waugh at a Hong Kong Sixes tournament.

While the date of the Hong Kong tournament is not specified in the report, Waugh was a member of the Australian team in the now-defunct annual six-aside event in October 1993 and September 1997.

This afternoon, at a press conference at the Australian team's training camp at Mooloolaba, Queensland, Waugh said that the allegations in the CBI report were "totally untrue".

"I've been through two inquiries - the Pakistan [Qayyum Commission] and the O'Regan. All my evidence is there but of course I'm willing to co-operate if there are any further investigations with the ACB or the ICC", Waugh said.

Shane Warne, who was fined along with Waugh in 1995 for accepting money from "John" in return for giving information, is not mentioned in the CBI report at all. The report also contains no allegations of wrong-doing against Dean Jones, although an unsuccessful attempt to bribe him in 1992 is described in detail.

Other players implicated by the testimony of MK Gupta and other people in the CBI report have given their reactions in the past 24 hours.

Former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga issued a brief statement on Wednesday, saying the following: "The reference to me in the Indian newspaper articles is entirely false. I have had no dealings what so ever with any bookmaker for been offered or accepted any bribe from any bookmaker or any other person at any time. Had any offer of a bribe been made to me at anytime I would have promptly reported the matter to the appropriate authorities."

Ranatunga is alleged to have helped fix the outcome of a Test match between Sri Lanka and India at Lucknow in 1994, which India won by an innings. His Sri Lankan team-mate Aravinda de Silva (spelt "Arvinda d'Silva" throughout the report) is alleged to have accepted $US15,000 for that purpose. Gupta's testimony makes no mention of whether Ranatunga received, or was offered, money. De Silva has yet to make any public comment.

Brian Lara, alleged by Gupta to have taken $US 40,000 to underperform in two one-day matches against India in 1994, issued a statement through the West Indies Cricket Board last night while in London en route to Australia, where he will commence a three-month tour with the West Indian team next week. The brief statement from Lara reads: "I categorically deny taking money from a bookmaker or anyone else to under-perform. I have passed this matter to my lawyers to take appropriate action and I will be making no further comment."

One other West Indian player was mentioned in the CBI report. According to testimony from MK Gupta, now-retired batsman Gus Logie refused to cooperate with Manoj Prabhakar when the Indian all-rounder attempted to introduce Logie over the telephone to Gupta. There are no allegations of wrong-doing against Logie in the report.

The England & Wales Cricket Board issued a statement on Alec Stewart's behalf on Wednesday, stating that the England wicketkeeper has fully co-operated with the ECB on this matter, and "has categorically denied to Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the ECB, and Tim Lamb, chief executive, that he has ever taken money from Mr Gupta or anyone else, for providing information related to a cricket match."

According to the ECB statement, Stewart has denied ever knowingly met MK Gupta, who alleged to have paid Stewart 5000 pounds to provide pitch, team and related match information during England's tour of India in 1992-93. The ECB also stated that it will not suspend Stewart from playing cricket while Sir Paul Condon's investigations are in progress, and that he will continue to take part in the Pakistan tour.

The ICC issued a very brief statement this morning London time, welcoming the official publication of the the CBI report.

"Until we have been able to study the contents in detail it would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this point in time," ICC president Malcolm Gray said in Melbourne today.