Warne and Waugh are let off hook (12 January 1999)

12 January 1999

Warne and Waugh are let off hook

By D J Rutnagur in Christchurch

SHANE WARNE and Mark Waugh will be spared investigation by the International Cricket Council commission looking into match-fixing as their case has already been settled.

"There is a basic principle in life that you can't be tried twice for the same crime," said David Richards, the ICC's chief executive, after a meeting of the executive board here.

Warne and Waugh were fined by the Australian Cricket Board in 1995 after they admitted taking money from an illegal Indian bookmaker in return for information on weather and pitch conditions. Their punishment was only revealed recently.

The issue of whether or not the duo could be investigated again arose yesterday after the ICC announced they would set up an independent commission to investigate allegations of corruption in the game.

The ACB, though, said the case was closed and their chairman, Denis Rogers, said: "You can't go back and re-sentence people with penalties that didn't even exist in those days."

The incident happened during Australia's 1994 tour of Pakistan shortly before Warne, Waugh and former Test spinner Tim May accused Pakistan captain Salim Malik of offering them a bribe to play poorly.

The ACB were criticised after they admitted covering up the story while Pakistan were investigating Malik. They responded by appointing an independent inquiry to investigate the wider issue of match-fixing and bribery.

The ICC also announced that Darrell Hair, Australia's top umpire, is to be charged with bringing the game into disrepute. Richards said Hair would have the chance to defend himself at an independent hearing to be convened by the Australian board.

World Cup holders Sri Lanka asked for Hair to be disciplined for reopening the controversy surrounding their star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. Sri Lanka view Hair's autobiography, in which he described Muralitharan's action as "diabolical", as a breach of conduct.

Richards said Hair would face the same penalty as players, who can be suspended for three Tests or six one-day matches if found guilty. He said umpires were barred from making comments detrimental to the game.

Hair no-balled Muralitharan seven times in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 1995 and said in his book he could have called him another 27 times.

The Sri Lankan was found not to have violated the throwing law and Sri Lanka, who beat Australia in the World Cup final in 1995, have demanded that Hair, who stood down for the current one-day series involving Australia, Sri Lanka and England in Australia, be punished.

Meanwhile, England's right to play a full series of five Tests against Australia or any other opponent will not be under threat when a world championship of Test cricket is established.

Though not a thing of the near future, a progress report on establishing a championship will be submitted to the ICC's AGM at Lord's in June.

One aim in instituting a formal championship is to satisfy New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, who feel they do not get enough home Tests. Richards said it was important to meet their needs.

Turning to the Commonwealth Games, Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said England would field a side if cricket was included in the 2002 Games in Manchester after missing last year's event in Malaysia. The ICC are looking for an eight-a-side competition next time.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)