Indian news round-up

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appealed to one and all concerned with the game, inclusive of its own personnel, to actively co-operate with the CBI in the investigation into the allegations of match-fixing by cricketers.

In an advertisement placed in newspapers on Sunday, the BCCI secretary JY Lele requested ``all persons concerned with cricket including office-bearers, players, officials, coaches and managers of cricketing bodies and organisations including all personnel of the BCCI to actively co-operate with the CBI in their investigation into the allegations of betting and fixing of matches.''

Seeking co-operation from all concerned, Lele asked for help ``in ultimately arriving at some firm conclusion in the matters now under investigation which have justifiably aroused concern of the lovers of the game of cricket in India and around the world.'' He also appealed to all those journalists and mediapersons having knowledge of the matter or even connected with the investigations now under investigation by CBI to pass on all relevant information to the investigating authorities.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, while speaking to former England captain and Lancashire team mate Mike Atherton has called for harsh punishment for those found guilty of match fixing and betting. Ganguly said "of course, I am aware of the rumours surrounding the Indian team and the whole of cricket in Asia. All I can say is that if anyone is proven guilty, and it must be proven, they deserve harsh punishment, because no individual is bigger than the game."

Ganguly said "in the five years I have been playing international cricket I have never been approached by, or spoken to a bookmaker about our matches. Therefore I have to believe people are innocent."

Ganguly said he never felt anything suspicious during the recently concluded one-day series against South Africa. "All the games, apart from one, were really close and tight matches," he said. Commenting on Hansie Cronje's decision of opening the bowling with spinner Derek Crookes in the final game of the series at Nagpur, Ganguly said "To be honest, the wicket was turning and if I had been captain and bowling second I would have done exactly the same thing."