ICC's anti-corruption unit arrives in Nagpur

A four-member anti-corruption unit of the ICC arrived in Nagpur today to conduct a probe into the allegations of match-fixing involving Marlon Samuels, the West Indian allrounder, and bookie Mukesh Kochar.

The Nagpur Police revealed last week that they had taped four telephone conversations between Samuels and Kochar on the eve of the first ODI between India and West Indies in Nagpur on January 21.

The team, headed by N S Virk, regional security manager of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit, met SPS Yadav, Nagpur's Police Commissioner, who contacted the Indian board (BCCI) with the initial details.

Brian Murgatroyd, an ICC spokesman, told reporters in Nagpur that the ICC's anti-corruption unit was speaking to the police and cricket officials in Nagpur after being given the details by the Indian board: "The unit will extract more details and all possible angles from the police. We will leave no stone unturned in the investigation". He said no timeframe had been fixed by the ICC in which to complete the probe.

Later, Yadav told reporters he'd passed on to the ICC officials the information that, because of a delayed flight, the West Indies team received their playing kit after the toss for the match in question had taken place. This, he said, could have been the reason why Brian Lara, who had won the toss, decided to field first.