Statement from Mark Waugh (8 January 1999)

8 January 1999

Statement from Mark Waugh

CricInfo365

The following are excerpts of the statement read in court by Mark Waugh today:

"I was in Colombo, Sri Lanka as a member of the Australian Cricket Team competing in the Singer Trophy matches in September 1994.

One evening during that period I was with some teammates at the Taj Hotel, where the team was staying, when a man who introduced himself to me as John, said that he had met me in Hong Kong at a six-a-side tournament, and that he loved the way that Australia played cricket. During cricket tours I meet many people, and I had no recollection of having met him. We had a brief conversation during which he said he was from Delhi. He told me that he had a business proposition to put to me and invited me to have a discussion with him. He invited me to have a drink and a chat with him after dinner.

Later that evening, I visited him. In substance, he told me that he was involved in bookmaking. He told me he wanted to obtain information about Australia's cricket matches for the purpose of betting on cricket. He said he wanted information on weather and pitch conditions from time to time. He said he wanted to get information with respect to games in which Australia was playing and that he would like to contact me from time to time both during the Singer Trophy tournament, and the Australian summer, for such information. I believe he may have asked me whether or not I could also provide information with respect to the general feeling of the team or team selection for the games in which Australia was playing. He offered $ US 4,000 for providing such information. I told him that I was prepared to talk to him about pitch and weather conditions, but not individuals, team tactics, or team selection. He agreed to deal with me on that basis.

John also told me, that Shane Warne was his favourite player and would like to meet him. The following day, after dinner, Shane Warne and I and some other players were at a casino which is near the hotel where we were staying. John came up to me and asked to be introduced to Shane Warne, and I introduced them. We all mixed socially. The next day Shane Warne told me that John had given him some money to bet with at the Casino.

During the Singer Trophy tournament I believe John contacted me once, or possibly twice about the pitch conditions. During the 1994-95 Australian cricket season (when England was on tour) and, after when Australia toured New Zealand in early 1995 for a one day series, John telephoned me on a number of occasions and we discussed weather and pitch conditions. On occasions he asked me about the team's confidence as to winning. I always responded by saying that we expected to win. I cannot recall the exact number of occasions on which we talked. During the press conference in Adelaide I estimated the number of occasions as a "handful". However, after giving this more thought I now believe that I spoke to John on approximately 10 occasions. The information I gave him was no more than anyone could receive by listening to expert commentators on radio or television or to pre-match interviews with cricketers.

The fine was imposed by the ACB a day or so before I went with the Australian team to the West Indies in 1995. During the early part of that tour, prior to the first Test in Jamaica, John telephoned me at my hotel, and I told him that I would not talk with him again, and since then I have not done so."

Source :: CricInfo365