ICC begins Samuels bookie probe

Anti-corruption officials at the International Cricket Council are to investigate claims that West Indies’ Marlon Samuels contacted an Indian bookmaker.

Three ICC officials have met senior police officers in Nagpur where police claim they have taped conversations of Samuels passing on team information.{{more}}

“We are trying to establish what information they (the police) have,” said ICC spokesman Brian Murgatroyd.

All-rounder Samuels, who has played 23 Tests and 83 one-day internationals, has denied any wrongdoing.

Police claim Samuels spoke to the bookmaker on the eve of the first one-day international, which India won by 14 runs. The home team won the series 3-1.

Although Nagpur police chief S.P.S.Yadav said they had no proof of any illegal monetary transaction between Samuels and the bookie, Mukesh Kochchar, the issue has led to concerns of match-fixing.

Corruption rocked the game in 2000 after several top players were named in an Indian federal police investigation.

Early that year, Delhi police broke a match-fixing scandal that led to a life ban from cricket for the late Hansie Cronje, then South Africa skipper.

The West Indian board have said they will investigate the issue once they receive details from the ICC.

The ICC team is headed by Jeffrey Rees, chief investigator of the unit.