One-days 'to blame'

The Large number of One-Day International cricket matches being played has once again taken a knocking amidst the matchfixing scandal that has rocked international cricket.

England middle-order batsman Mark Ramprakash told NATIONSPORT that the number of One-Day Internationals should be reduced, especially in Asia.

'There seems to be so many international One-Day games around the world, particularly in Asia where they play so many, that they actually lose their significance. It's just another One-Day International, and that's the worry,' said Ramprakash, who last played for England in the second Test at Lord's this year.

In Barbados for this week's Pro-Am Cricket Festival, Ramprakash said he hoped that the shameful actions of a few cricketers would not keep the fans away from the game.

However, while he pointed his finger at incessant One-Day cricket, the Middlesex batsman confessed that this did not mean that Test cricket was exempt.

Ramprakash said players had to take a long look at themselves.

'We are talking about high-profile players who are not short of money and there is no need for them to be doing this really,' he said.

'It is obviously a big concern to hear that the biggest names in cricket are implicated in match-fixing. High-profile players have a duty to the game and I would like to think that because of what is happening now, that in the future cricketers will not be involved in this at all,' said Ramprakash, who said he had never been approached by anyone.

He said that since England had not toured the sub-continent in eight or nine years, he would like to hope that the English game had 'stayed relatively free of match-fixing'.

In addition, Ramprakash said he would like to think that Test cricket was also free of match-fixing 'because I feel that you are judged, as a professional cricketer, on first class cricket, which is Test matches.

Ramprakash, who has played 42 Test matches, said he was shocked when the story first broke.

'When Hansie Cronje was accused, I said there was no way that Hansie Cronje would be involved, and Hansie was proven guilty. So if he is involved, then anybody could be involved. So that's the worrying thing,' he said.