Statement on the CBI Match-fixing report in India

I have seen and had a chance to read Section III of the report entitled Player/Betting Syndicate Linkages extracted from the Indian CBI document.

Since then I have spoken to Gus Logie who denies ever meeting anyone from any gambling syndicate or bookmaker in India in 1990. Logie further states he does not know Mukesh Kumar Gupta.

Similarly, Brian Lara says he does not know M.K. Gupta and that he has never intentionally under-performed in any match in India or elsewhere. M.K.Gupta is clearly a poor witness and his vague statement of paying "around $40,000 to Brian Lara for his information" lacks credence. M.K.Gupta by admission is a gambler and bookmaker but seems to have trouble remembering detail.

We deny any involvement by Messrs. Logie and Lara with M.K.Gupta. Furthermore they, Logie and Lara, deny that there were any approaches to them by gamblers at any time during their visits to India.

We do not propose to take any action on this report and will leave it to the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the matter.

Contact: Saunders-Franklyn Associates Inc (246) 437-5588/ Fax 437-5593