Match fixing charges may affect benefit series

The recent match fixing allegations against the South African team by the Delhi police is sure to affect a proposed series of matches between an Indian XI and a South African XI to be played in India between April 24 and May 3.

The matches are scheduled to be played in Mohali (April 24 and 25), Hyderabad (April 27), Bangalore (April 30), Ahmedabad (May 2) and Mumbai (May 3) and are meant to be a benefit series for former Indian cricketers Chandu Patankar, KS Indrajitsinhji, Sadanand Vishwanath, Gursharan Singh and MV Narasimha Rao.

Cronje was slated to lead a South African team that included the three of his co-accused colleagues, Gibbs, Boje and Strydom, apart from Klusener, Boucher, Elworthy, Louis Koen, Justin Kemp, Denis Carlstein, Hayward and Benkenstein. The Indian team was to include Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Kambli, Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, MSK Prasad, S Ramesh, Mongia, Kanitkar and Harbhajan.

The series was being promoted by Theo Manuel, a Hyderabad based event manager, and Sony Set Max. It was said to provide a guarantee amount of 10 lakh each for the beneficiaries.

The matches were to be played on the basis of four innings of 20 five ball overs. There were to be no extra balls in the overs for wides and no-balls but only an addition of three runs to the opponents total for every violation. Another innovation was that the spectators were to be privy to the on line communication between the captains and the coaches concerning the strategies.