rediff.com: ICC calls for Malik tapes

The International Cricket Council is to investigate newspaper claims that former Pakistan captain Salim Malik was the central figure in a match-fixing controversy.

The News of the World said on Sunday that its reporters had infiltrated an international match-fixing ring. It said that Malik told the reporters that he could fix any match for the right sum of money and that his side and Australia had taken bribes to lose an unspecified match in 1994.

The newspaper also said its tapes had Malik implicating a leading ICC official in match-fixing and that the batsman was willing to arrange for matches on England's tour of Pakistan this winter to be fixed.

The ICC said in a statement it has asked its lawyers to contact the News of the World and accept the paper's offer to provide copies of videotapes allegedly implicating Malik.

"When the tapes are made available to ICC, they will be passed to the chairman of the Code of Conduct Commission, Lord Griffiths, pending the appointment of the anti-corruption investigation," the ICC statement said.

The 37-year-old Malik has rejected the allegations as baseless and pledged to tell his side of the story soon.

The match-fixing charges against Malik are the latest in a list of sensational accusations that have rocked the cricket world this year and brought calls for the ICC to take tough action against any proven offenders.

In the past the ICC has been criticised for its failure to respond quickly to reports of match-fixing. But this latest move is an indication that the organisation wants to rid itself of its 'toothlees tiger' image.

Initially officials in England seemed to suggest that the ICC should refrain from taking action because it has yet to appoint its anti-corruption officer.

"You cannot have a trial without a judge," said Tim Lamb, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

But the ICC are determined to press ahead. They will be holding a meeting here at Lord's on June 20, by which time Lord Griffiths is expected to have drafted a report of his findings.

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