Bacher makes more claims

SYDNEY, APRIL 20. The chairman of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), Dr. Ali Bacher, has claimed that two matches during last year's World Cup were fixed, one international team was throwing and manipulating matches and an umpire was under suspicion.

Speaking to three Sydney newspapers today from his Johannesburg home, Dr. Bacher said his information came from current and former international players and administrators. ``I am as confident as I can be without having all available evidence for you that it has been a common practice in world cricket.''

All details would be supplied to the South African judicial inquiry into the Hansie Cronje scandal, he said. The UCBSA chief said the World Cup match between Bangladesh and Pakistan when the former were bowled out for 161 while chasing 223 raised the most concern.

The top five Pakistani batsmen failed to reach double figures. Pakistani umpire Javed Akhtar was also under suspicion for the way he handled the last Test during South Africa's 1998 tour of England.

Dr. Bacher said, ``I don't have bank accounts or anything like that to prove it, but match-fixing has been the scourge of the game.'' His claims support the allegations made by the former Indian cricket board chief, Mr. I. S. Bindra, in New Delhi on Wednesday.

- AFP

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