Indian news round-up

Former Indian allrounder Manoj Prabhakar who was banned for five years for his alleged links with bookies, said in New Delhi on Friday that he informed the BCCI's anti-corruption commissioner K Madhavan that a board official introduced him to bookies. In an interview to Eenaadu TV, Prabhakar said "I told Madhavan everything about the officials," adding "He listened to me but where is the action," he asked.

Prabhakar said that he also wanted to inform the BCCI president AC Muthiah on the issue but he did not give him time. Prabhakar said "Muthiah is a busy man. He has no time." Prabhakar who blew the whistle first on the scandal also said that some board officials with dubious connections wanted to take on him. Coming down heavily on the BCCI, the Delhi player said "the board is of full of corrupt people and I have been punished for speaking the truth." When asked whether he would move the court on the board decision, Prabhakar said "I have achieved what I wanted. Cricket is cleaner today and that was my main objective."

A senior investigator who is looking into the betting and match-fixing scandal of the ICC Allan Peacock visited the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Friday and met the BCCI executive secretary Sharad Diwadkar. The secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Ratnakar Shetty, said Peacock visited the stadium along with Diwadkar. Shetty added that "However, none of the MCA officials were interrogated or asked questions."

Shetty also said "Peacock wanted to know what preventive measures would be taken in future to curb betting and match-fixing among players and he inspected the players' enclosure and the dressing rooms." Peacock also gave certain suggestions on the players' enclosure. Shetty said Peacock also suggested that the players' enclosure be secluded when the games were on and he added that strict vigilance should be maintained. Diwadkar said "Peacock was not interested in the past but wanted to know what kind of measures have been taken to stop such incidents occurring in future." Peacoch added that he would be visiting all major centres around the world.

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly on Friday blamed "poor bowling" for the team's defeat against Zimbabwe in the third one-day international at Jodhpur. He praised the Flower brothers Andy and Grant saying "they took the match away from us." Asked for his comments at the post match conference, Ganguly said "After putting up a fairly big total, we thought we had them on the backfoot. But we bowled pretty badly to hand over the initiative." He added "Having reduced them to 52 for three, we thought it was our match but the bowlers let us down." Ganguly also had a word of praise for Mluleki Nkala who made 36 vital runs saying the knock "shifted the balance towards the Zimbabweans."

Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak said "the Flower Brothers' partnership provided anchorage to the innings and it was opener Alistair Campbell (24) who got us off to a flying start". He added "After we were three wickets down, Andy and Grant built up the innings and at the end everyone chipped in." Streak also said that it was the allround performance of Grant Flower, who claimed three wickets in the Indian innings which also weighed in. "Despite a poor start, Grant put us back in the game. I hope we all keep going in the same vein in the remaining games." On their first victory over India in India, he said "It's been quite a while." He added that the boys showed spirit and stamina in overhauling the big Indian total.

Former Indian physio Ali Irani who has been banned for five years for his alleged role in the match-fixing scandal finally broke his silence on Friday. Saying that he fixed muscles and joints and not matches Irani said, "this ban does not concern me as I left the team in 1997 and I am through with cricket for now." He also said that if the CBI further pursued its investigation, it would be able to nail more people as guilty, quotes PTI. Irani said "The more the CBI investigates the scandal, the more dirt they will find."

Saying that he was unhappy over the Madhavan report, Irani said there was nothing new in it and just acknowledged what the CBI said. "If it (report) is right and if they have a conscience, then many more will be found guilty and for that to happen they should continue investigating," he said. Saying that he had no intention of going to the court to challenge the verdict, Irani remarked "I prefer going to `Janata' (people's) court."

Irani added "Let me place the facts before the people and let them judge my case because now the people are under the impression that each time a match was fixed, Dr Ali Irani was the go between which is not true. I will definitely appeal to the board as the board is still the parent body."