ACB dismisses Malik's allegation

SYDNEY, AUG. 9. The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today dismissed an allegation by former Pakistan captain Salim Malik that Australians were involved in match-fixing during a 1994 tour of Pakistan.

ACB investigations officer Greg Melick looked into the claim made by Malik as told to undercover reporters of British Sunday newspaper News of the World. In a secretly- taped video, Malik said that during one game on the 1994 tour, Pakistan and Australia were both trying to lose.

ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed said in a statement today ``Mr. Melick has conducted a comprehensive and thorough investigation into the Salim Malik claims and established that there is no evidence to support such suggestions.''

Malik denies it was him on the video, and yesterday challenged the authority of the Pakistan Cricket Board which banned him for life in May, acting on the recommendations of a judicial inquiry report which was investigating accusations of match-fixing. He said he was innocent of match-fixing charges and had been treated differently to other Pakistani players simply because he was no longer good enough to play for the national team.

During the course of his investigation Melick viewed transcripts of the newspaper tapes which contain the allegations. He also contacted all Australian players involved at the time and sought any additional information they may have that had not previously been given to the O'Regan enquiry which also investigated this match.

Melick, a 50-year-old Sydney lawyer, also reviewed the O'Regan report, including the confidential chapter of the report and reviewed all transcripts of evidence given to the O'Regan enquiry. He also analysed voluminous material available from the internet and interviewed players who played in the game to see if they had any additional information to provide. As part of his investigation, Melick looked into the contents of Pakistan's Qayyum report, which investigated the match.

The ACB will send the Melick report to the International Cricket Council's Code of Conduct Commission for consideration. In the event the commission considers that it is necessary for Salim Malik to be interviewed, this will be done by Sir Paul Condon and the ICC's anti-corruption unit.

- Reuters

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Section  : Sport
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