Hashan should work with ACSU to unearth the truth: Sangakkara

Chennai: Reacting to former Sri Lanka captain Hashan Tillakaratne’s comments that match fixing has existed in Sri Lankan cricket since 1992, Kumar Sangakkara on Sunday said the former should work with the ACSU unit of the ICC and the home authorities in Sri Lanka if he has “anything more than allegations, as it’s dangerous to throw names around.”

Speaking in the post-match media conference after his side’s 19 run loss to Chennai Super Kings, the Deccan Chargers captain said, “Hashan made those comments in a TV show. It was then taken up by the press. Hashan has played the game for years and he’s captained Sri Lanka as well. So it’s interesting to see what he has to say and if he has anything more than allegations.”

“It’s dangerous to throw names around, he should work very closely with the ACSU of the ICC and the home authorities to ensure that something’s done about it if there is any foundation to those claims but beyond that I don’t think it makes any big sense to the players playing now.”

About Sunday’s defeat, Sangakkara said, “We had a few opportunities today that went a begging, which was unfortunate. The guys tried their best to take those chances, but unfortunately we couldn’t take some of the catches that came to us. But that’s the way the game goes, may be 10 to 15 runs too many but we were in the chase right up to the 15th, 16th over, when we fell away.”

Asked about the nature of the strip, Sangakkara said, “I think the wicket in the second half didn’t turn as much as we thought it would. It was a bit on the slower side. It played much better than we thought it would.”

About the next few matches, his answer was “Pretty simple. We have six games, we have to win about five of them to stay alive in this competition. It’s a great challenge. We’re playing well, but we have to convert that extra 10 or five percent to try and win a game.”

Man of the match Albie Morkel said he was “very surprised” not to see compatriot Dale Steyn among his opposition. Steyn was one of the four players rested on Sunday.

“I think Dale and Ishant, in the last couple of games formed a formidable bowling pair and them not playing one of the world’s best Test and One-day bowlers. But they have a couple of back-to-back games in Hyderabad, so may be they’re saving him for that.”

Morkel was a bit cross when a scribe asked him as to whether he had been able to snap his “mediocre run with the bat.”

“I think to use the word ‘mediocre’ is unfair. If you look at the position I bat in, I only get (about) four balls to face anyway, so for me it’s not about only myself. It’s also about whether I can do one or two good things for the team and help them win.” (PTI)

Imran calls on ICC to step up corruption fight

Reuters) - Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has called on the Interntional Cricket Council (ICC) to intensify efforts to stamp out corruption in the sport.

The cricketer turned politician told reporters during a visit to the Moin Khan cricket academy the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit needed to be more productive.

“I think specal measures are required like keeping a constant check on assets and accounts of players and giving the ACSU more authority to curb corruption,” Imran said.

Imran’s comments on corruption in cricket come a few days after former Sri Lankan captain Hashan Tillakaratne claimed in a television interview that match-fixing had been going on in his country since 1992.

The Sri Lankan cricket authorities have asked Tillakaratne to produce evidence to back up his claims.

Imran said it was very difficult to detect spot-fixing instances in matches, insisting other steps were required to meet the challenge of fighting corruption.

“It is very hard to detect such things and than find evidence to prove spot fixing has happened in a match,” he said.

“But the more these instances are spoken about the more damaging it is to the sport’s credibility.”

Three of Pakistan’s top players -- Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir -- were were banned for a minimum of five years last February by the ICC anti-corruption tribunal after being found guilty of spot-fixing during a test match on the England tour last year.