Tauqir terms charge as 'rubbish'

Karachi, June 12: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) described Ali Bacher's allegations as "rubbish" and "far from truth". Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, chairman of the PCB, said from Mangla that it was Bacher's attempt to on fuse the issue. He questioned that if Bacher knew that match-fixing had been taking place for a long time, why he chose to reveal the details now.

"Has Bacher ever told any PCB official? Bob Woolmer is on record to have said that he informed Bacher about his suspicion of match-fixing in South African team but he turned a blind eye to the issue. Now how can he be believed," the general said.

The PCB chief said That Bacher did not make any revelations about the fixed matches at at the ICC meeting at Lord's last month which was specifically called to consider the crisis having emerged after Cronje's confession.

Zia said the board will not initiate any inquiry to investigate the claims of Bacher. "The onus is now on Bacher. If he comes up with evidence, I will be the first one to support him and reopen the investigations.

"But until he substantiates the allegations, against whom would I conduct an inquiry.

"We will consult our legal advisors and seek advice how to go about this issue," the PCB boss said.

He, however, revealed that Ali Bacher formally informed Ehsan Mani, PCB's representative in International Cricket Council (ICC), on Sunday that he would be informing Justice Edwin King about information that Pakistan played two fixed matches in the World Cup.

"Our reaction was very straight and clear: `go ahead but provide the evidence also'. I know that He said Yawar Saeed called Majid and inquired whether he had tipped Bacher off.

Zia said Majid claimed that since he was a former cricketer, he could figure it out what was wrong, and was it being done deliberately or unintentionally. "This is insufficient evidence.

"Besides, why Majid didn't inform the present PCB.

He didn't talk to us. Had he passed on some information to us, we might have considered our options because he is such a great statured cricketer whose credibility can not be doubted."

Zia said there seems to be no end to the issue because any cricket board official can stand up and accuse two teams of being involved in fixing a match.

"If accusations are to be levelled without any evidence, I can stand up and say South Africa fixed a match with Zimbabwe in the World Cup or South Africa allowed England to win the Test by two wickets after both the sides had forfeited their innings."