Vincent plans appeal to ECB
Banned cricketer hoping to pass on harsh lessons
Former Black Caps star Lou Vincent will approach the English Cricket Board to plea for “leniency” over his life bans received for 11 counts of match-fixing. Speaking to the podcast Giving the Game Away, Vincent said he was ready to ask for his life bans to be reduced because he feels he can make a contribution to the game in an educational role, by talking about his experience of being groomed for matchfixing.
“I will be approaching the ECB at some point and saying, ‘Hey, this is what I’m doing. I want to be respectful’,” Vincent said. “I accept my punishment but I think I have got a part to play, and if there’s going to be any leniency in the future, possibly sort of downgrading the 11 life bans, it will be something I am going to try for, absolutely.”
Vincent, working as a builder in Raglan, said he’s using his story to help others avoid being groomed for corruption, saying he’s worked with a number of sports in New Zealand, including hockey and football, and even worked with the New Zealand Police during an anti-fraud and money laundering seminar.
“They used my story to help educate real estate agents, lawyers, politicians about the grooming and honey-traps.”
He hoped his work would help him get his ban reduced.
“I think I’m making an impact — hopefully I’m winning a few brownie points in the cricketing world.”
Vincent explained to the podcast how he fixed games for betting syndicates in T20 matches.
“They would choose three-over blocks — for example, overs 8-9-10 — and they’d only want to see 12 to 14 runs scored. It was about controlling the runs, being on strike, playing and missing, finding the fielders and then getting out.
“The hardest thing was to control a game when you’re on the take and the other person isn’t.”
Vincent also said that during his dealings with match-fixers, he encountered “gangsters” who threatened his family.
“Once you are there, you’re always living with a noose around your neck, waiting to be bribed. There’s always subtle conversations about your children and where you lived.”
More than a decade since he gave the game away and seven years after his bans were handed down, he’s finally feeling good about his life.
“It’s lovely to use what I’ve gone through to build my inner happiness, my self-esteem and my confidence, and turning a disastrous 10 years in my life into an amazing positive for growth.” — NZ Herald