ICC To Make No Comments On Malik Issue (01 Nov 1995)

LONDON (Oct 30, 1995 - 14:12 EST) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) will not comment for a week on criticism from Australia over the Salim Malik affair.

The ICC said on Monday that only chief executive David Richards, currently in America, was authorized to speak to the media and he would not be in his London office until next Monday.

He was said to be "very busy" and not making any comments this week.

On Sunday, Australian officials criticized the ICC for failing to probe the bribery charges made by three Australian players against Malik.

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) said the ICC, rather than the Pakistan authorities, was the proper body to carry out an investigation.

"In the ACB`s view, not only did the ICC have power but it was clearly appropriate for it to conduct an inquiry," ACB chief executive officer Graham Halbish argued.

"The allegations of bribery had the potential from the outset to be extraordinarily damaging to world cricket."

The ICC has previously stated it does not have the power to investigate the matter.

Last February, after the announcement of a Pakistani inquiry, Richards said: "We have got confidence in their (Pakistan`s) ability to go and deal with it."

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Sunday it was not necessary for the ICC to launch a new inquiry.

"Pakistan has done everything possible to meet the ends of justice," PCB chief executive Arif Abbasi told reporters. "How could one investigate a matter twice?"

A PCB inquiry, carried out by former Supreme Court judge Fakhruddin Ebrahim, cleared Malik nine days ago and said the charges against him appeared to have been "concocted."

Ebrahim said he exonerated Malik partly because the ACB did did not allow Mark Waugh, Shane Warne and Tim May to go to Pakistan to be cross-examined on allegations that Malik tried to bribe them to lose matches during Australia`s 1994 tour of Pakistan.

Malik was flying on Monday with to join the Pakistani touring side, currently in Perth.

Ebrahim`s findings have led to a deterioration in relations between the two cricket rivals.

But Abbasi said he hoped the two sides could concentrate on cricket rather than prolong the controversy.

Waugh said he was prepared to give evidence if a second inquiry was conducted at a neutral venue.

"It`s a pretty serious allegation we`ve made and it has got to be thoroughly investigated," he said. "It`s the sort of thing you can`t just brush under the carpet."