Match fixing claim rejected
Nothing to worry us, says Paine
CRICKET: New captain Tim Paine is confident no Australian player has anything to worry about despite two being named in the latest match-fixing drama.
Controversy continues to shadow Australian cricket with an Al Jazeera investigation into match fixing containing footage of a criminal claiming two Australian batsmen were paid off to bat slowly during a period of play in last year’s Test against India in Ranchi.
The strong suspicion from investigators is this may be a case of a criminal big-noting himself with false claims to hook a potential “client” but the matter is being thoroughly investigated.
“As far as I am aware the claims are unsubstantiated,” Paine said in Brisbane at Australia’s final training session before leaving for England for a five-match 50-overs series against the host nation.
“As far as I am concerned our players have nothing to worry about. I have never seen anything like it to be honest. I cannot speak on behalf of all our guys. I certainly know it has never been spoken about in Australian dressing rooms I have been involved in.’’
The Al Jazeera report also contains far more plausible claims that the deck used in Galle in the Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in 2016 was doctored mid-match with photos revealing scuff marks from the metal strands of a wire brush.
Speaking generically about the challenges of playing overseas, Paine said testing away decks were part of the challenge of offshore cricket.
“The thing with playing international cricket away at times is that you are going to get conditions that favour home teams. I have always been OK with that. It is something we have always expected,” he said.
“The greatest challenge of playing international cricket is going over and trying to find ways to win in their conditions. There are times when it goes too far, no doubt, but both teams have to play on that wicket.”
Paine must find the balance of trying to hoist the team to a fresh level of competitiveness which also adhering to upgraded expectations of player behaviour in the wake of the ball tampering scandal.
He is expecting English crowds to be heavily on Australia’s case.