Thaindian News

London, June 6 (IANS) Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has claimed cricket to be an easy target for match-fixers.

Even though Gilchrist denied coming across such an incident in his career, he said it would be “naive” to assume that match-fixing is not taking place in cricket.

The Australian is in England to play for Middlesex in the Friends Provident Twenty20.

“It’s been discussed among players in the IPL (Indian Premier League) - more wondering whether it goes on,” Gilchrist, who is the skipper of Deccan Chargers in IPL, was quoted as saying in Daily Telegraph. “There’s a strong thought that we’d be naive to think it’s not happening, because it’s a pretty easy target. There’s a lot of accessibility to players and it’s early in its governance.

“We all hope that it’s not there, but there’s a wide range of players who are exposed to those games. We’ve got to try and police it.”

Gilchrist, however, said there is no evidence that match-fixing or spot-fixing, where players are paid to influence a small aspect of the game, takes place. Last month Essex’s bowlers Danish Kaneria and Mervyn Westfield were arrested over alleged irregularities during a Pro40 game last season, and have been bailed out until September.

“I’d be concerned if it was happening, but I haven’t seen anything concrete to say it is,” he said.

“You need evidence, and I’ve not seen any. I hear suggestions and whispers, and this stuff that’s come out - police coming and arresting players - is pretty hardcore. But unless you get evidence and have something to back it up, it all means nothing. So all the speculation is not good for the game, either.”