ICC team arrives at Nagpur, starts probe

Nagpur, Feb 12 (UNI) The four-member investigation team of Anti-Corruption and Security Unit of International Cricket Council (ICC) began its probe into the match-fixing allegations, following the controversial conversations between West Indian cricketer Marlon Samuels and alleged bookie Mukesh Kochar.

The investigating team arrived here late last night.

According to Brian Murgatroyd, ICC Media Manager, the team would investigate into the tapes of the conversations between the cricketer in question and Kochar.

Dubbing the turn of events over the West Indies-India ODI played at Nagpur on January 21 as an interesting development at a time 'just ahead of Cricket World Cup-2007', Murgatroyd said the investigating team was in Nagpur to get a better picture of the issue.

The ICC team includes Jeff Rees, Chief Investigator of Anti-Corruption and Security Unit of ICC, Alan Peacock, Investigator, Niranjan Singh Virk, Regional Security Manager and Brian Murgatroyd himself.

The team met Dr Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) and Amitesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-II).

Mr Brian Murgatroyd informed the media that the ICC team will stay in the city for two days during which period it would visit Hotel Pride where the West Indian team stayed prior to January 21 ODI.

''After completing the investigation, we would fly back to Dubai and report to ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed,'' Mr Murgatroyd said.

He called everybody, including players and the officials, to be vigilant as the match-fixing and betting allegations have resurfaced at Nagpur after the 1999-2000 controversy involving South African cricketer late Hansie Cronje.

On whether Mr Virk, who was present during the first ODI in Nagpur, had failed to report to the ICC, Mr Murgatroyd said he (Virk) had been very helpful.

''One should not connect Virk's presence at Nagpur with the flaws in the system.'' Commenting on the media reports that Mukesh Kochar was ready to cooperate with ICC, Mr Murgatroyd said the ICC would welcome the opportunity offered by 'the gentleman'.

Regarding the nature of the investigation, the ICC Media Manager said it would be inappropriate to discuss it at this stage. Calling it premature to 'guess' about procuring voice samples and call details of Marlon Samuels, Mr Murgatroyd said the investigators would do everything possible to conduct proper probe into the matter.

Replying to a question whether there was a nexus between the underworld and cricket world, Mr Brian Murgatroyd said that it was a wider issue and ICC had jurisdiction over cricket and the cricket players only.

He also heaped praise on Nagpur Police for the good job of bringing to fore the conversation between Samuels and Kochar.

UNI