Statement from Shane Warne (8 January 1999)

8 January 1999

Statement from Shane Warne

CricInfo365

The following are excerpts from the statement read in court by Shane Warne today:

"In early September, 1994, I went on a tour to Sri Lanka with the Australian cricket team. On a date in early September, 1994, I was at a casino in Colombo. I was there for a couple of hours when Mark Waugh introduced me to a person he identified as "John who bets on the cricket". Mark, myself and John had a general chat about cricket for about half an hour.

The next day after I returned to the hotel from training. I had a phone call from John, who was staying in the same hotel. I then went to see him in his room. He said: "It was an honour to meet you last night. I'm a bookmaker from India. I bet on the cricket. I've won lots of money on Australia. They are winning all the time. You have won plenty of Tests for Australia. I saw you lose some money at the casino last night. Here's a token of my appreciation. You're my favourite player". He then handed me an envelope. I looked in the envelope and saw that there was money in it. I said: "What's this?" He said: "Please accept it as a token of my appreciation for you to take the time to meet me." I said: "Thanks very much but I've got my own money, I'm fine thanks." He said: "Its a pleasure to meet you, please take it, there's no strings attached. I don't want anything in return." I said again that I didn't want the money. He replied that he had "plenty of money, I'm a very wealthy man. Please accept the money." He said that he would be very offended if I didn't take the money. I then said: "Okay, thanks very much" and took the envelope containing the money. He said: "Good luck, see you later."

I went to the casino later that day. I put the money on the table, they laid it out and they gave me chips to the value of $ US 5,000.

John did not contact me on the tour after that. Indeed, I have never seen him since then. I do not know his last name nor how to contact him. The next time I heard from John was in early December just before the one day game in Sydney against England. He telephoned me in the hotel. He asked the make up of the team. I said: "I don't know. That's up to the selectors and the captain but in Sydney we always play two spinners." He asked me what the pitch was like and I said "I hadn't seen it." He said: "Good luck, do you think you'll win?" I said: "Bloody oath we will."

I next heard from John in Melbourne just before the Boxing Day Test later that year. He telephoned me in the hotel at Melbourne. He said: "G'day, it's John. I met you in Sri Lanka. I'm just wishing you a Merry Christmas." I said: "Thanks, what's happening?" He said: "Not much, just watching the cricket. Congratulations on your form. What's the MCG pitch like." I said: "Mate, it's a typical MCG pitch. It should be a good batting wicket. It should turn a bit and keep a bit low towards the end of the game." He said: "Is it going to rain?" I said: "I don't know, you can never tell in Melbourne, but I don't think so." He said: "Well okay, have a good Christmas."

The last time I heard from John was in Perth in February, 1995. John again telephoned me at the hotel. He said: "G'day, it's John again. What's it like there in Perth." I said: "It's very hot." He said: "What's the pitch like?" I said: "Normal WACA pitch, fast and bouncy." He said: "Is it going to rain?" I said: "No, it hardly ever rains here." He said: "With the hot weather, is the pitch going to crack up?" I said: "No, it's got a good coverage of grass. It should hold together." He said: "Okay, no worries, good luck."

I have not spoken to John since February, 1995.

In February, 1995, the team flew to New Zealand. When in New Zealand, our team manager, Ian McDonald, asked me to come to his room to talk to me about something. In his company was Mark Taylor. Ian McDonald asked me about the bookmaker in Sri Lanka. I told him everything that had happened. After the tour finished in New Zealand and whilst on our way to the West Indies, we had one night transit in Sydney. When in Sydney I was asked by Alan Crompton, the Chairman, Graham Halbish, the Chief Executive Officer, and Ian McDonald to speak to them about the bookmaker in Sri Lanka. I repeated what I had told Ian McDonald. Later that day I was informed by Alan Crompton and Graham Halbish that I had been fined $ 8,000. I paid the money to the Australian Cricket Board. That, in my view, was the end of the matter.

I understood that it is ACB policy that the matter was confidential and that I was not to make any comment about it.

I appreciate now that I made a mistake. At the time I was 24. I was naive and stupid. I regret my actions. However I never gave any information that was not generally available to the public and indeed, as the captain of Victoria and a senior Australian cricketer, I regularly provide a lot more detailed information about playing conditions to the media.

After the tour of Sri Lanka we went to Pakistan on 18th September, 1994. On the night before the last day of the first Test in Pakistan I was in my hotel room with Tim May when at about 10.30pm I was telephoned by Salim Malik. Salim said he needed to talk to me. I was surprised and asked him what he wanted to speak to me about. He said it was private and confidential, and asked me to come up to his room. He insisted that I come up to his room.

Salim Malik was staying in the same hotel. I went up to his room. He was by himself. He said: "How are you Shane? Are you enjoying the tour? I've got something very important to talk to you about." I said: "Oh yeah, what's that?" He said: "Look we cannot lose tomorrow." I said: "What do you mean, you cannot lose tomorrow?" He said: "I don't think you understand. Our pride is at stake. Everything is at stake. We can't lose this first Test." I said: "Well mate, our pride is at stake too. I'm sorry to tell you this but we are going to whip you blokes tomorrow." He said: "I don't think you understand what I am asking of you. What I want is for you and Tim May to bowl wide of the off stump and bowl poorly, so that the match is a draw, and for that I will give you and Tim May $ US 200,000." He said: "I can have it in your room in half an hour." I said: "What the hell is going on here? What do you mean? What are you talking about? I don't understand." I thought he must be joking. I said to him: "You've got to be kidding." I asked him if he was serious. He said: "I am serious. You must get back to me." I told him to get lost in the strongest possible fashion.

I ran back to my room straight away. Tim May asked me: "What did the Rat (which was the nickname given to Salim Malik by our team) want?" I told him of the conversation I had just had. Tim May said: "Is he joking or what?" he said words to the effect: "Did you tell him to get lost?" I said: "Yes." I was shocked, I couldn't believe what was happening.

That night I rang Salim Malik and told him that Maysie also told him to get lost. I told him: "That is not the way we play in Australia, I am looking forward to winning the Test match and we are going to thrash your team."

The next day I reported the matter to the captain, Mark Taylor and coach, Bob Simpson. As far as I was concerned, it was then a matter for the Australian Cricket Board.

Later on in the tour, towards the end of October I attended a team function. This was a day or so before a one-day international in Rawalpindi. Salim Malik approached Mark Waugh with whom I was talking and offered $ US 200,000 for four or five Australian players not to play well the next day. He said that we could bat slowly and not bowl well. He suggested a few full tosses and long hops. Salim Malik said to Mark Waugh that he would: "Catch up with Mark later." I had no further discussions with Salim Malik or Mark Waugh about the offer being made.

In early February 1995 I was asked by Graham Halbish to prepare a short report regarding the approach by Salim Malik. I prepared that report and gave it to Graham Halbish.

In early April 1995 I was asked to make a statutory declaration regarding the approach by Salim Malik. That statutory declaration was then prepared and given to the ACB.

The whole incident involing Salim Malik was all a bit of a shock to me. It has always been a pleasure to play for Australia. I've never given anything than my absolute best every time I've played cricket."

Source :: CricInfo365