ICC target Sharjah in battle against match-fixing

Officials from the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit will meet organisers of the Sharjah tournament to combat potential match-fixing at this year's tournament.

The ICC said they would hold talks with officials from the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series, which organises the one-day event, this week.

They will discuss how to improve security and protect players and umpires from illegal bookmakers trying to rig results.

"This visit will be followed by another, timed to coincide with the next Sharjah tournament in October and November," Paul Condon, director of the unit, said.

"This will provide the opportunity for my team to assess the implementation of the additional security measures that need to be put in place to deter improper approaches."

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe are due to play in a triangular event in Sharjah starting in October.

Condon, a former head of London police, produced an ICC report into cricket corruption in May following former South African Hansie Cronje's admission that he had accepted money from bookmakers trying to fix games.

The report said certain one-day venues like Sharjah were particularly vulnerable to match-fixing.

Mail Cricket Editor