"Australia's slow start in game one scrutinised"

[AlanJLegend]

A FURIOUS Australian camp has slammed rumours they dabbled in spot-fixing as "ludicrous" amid fears the defending champions are being subjected to a malicious World Cup smear campaign.

The Australians were rocked by damaging allegations today that the International Cricket Council had begun a secret probe into possible match irregularities arising from Australia's World Cup opening victory over Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad.

The report, on an Indian newspaper website, claimed the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) is privately investigating the match after questions were raised over the slow start by Australian openers Brad Haddin and Shane Watson.

The opening pair scored just 28 in 11 overs and 53 in 15 overs in a match that Australia eventually won by 91 runs. The report said a slow scoring rate in the first two overs, when Australia had been 0-5, had been of particular concern to the ICC's corruption watchdog.

Slow start in game one scutinised | Herald Sun

Can't see anybody taking this seriously, thought it would be worth sharing though.

 

[TumTum]

The report said a slow scoring rate in the first two overs, when Australia had been 0-5, had been of particular concern to the ICC's corruption watchdog.

 

[Burgey]

Too busy investigating the tv thing to worry about something that's actually important, surely?

I'd have thought India's bowling vs England was a lot more suspicious as an alarming example of under performing!

 

[Noble One]

No respect for Ray Price.

 

[Spark]

How the **** is 0/5 unusually slow?

 

[Burgey]

How the **** is 0/5 unusually slow?

It's Australia at the WC mate. We are always meant to be 0/34 through three overs.

 

[four_or_six]

A sad consequence of other stuff that's happened.

 

[Burgey]

I'd rather they pour resources into investigating this than the idiotic dressing room thing.

 

[Howe_zat]

Herald Sun in hysterical tabloid overreaction shocker.

 

[Teja.]

If the ICC has seriously done this,

 

[andyc]

No issue with them having a look at the game. Just hoping they're launching the investigation with more evidence than the fact that Australia were 0/5 after 3.

Edit: Lol, just realised it was 0/5 after two overs. Rolleyes.

 

[biased indian]

the thread title is confusing

 

[_Ed_]

No maidens may be bowled at this tournament from this point on.

 

[Jono]

I don't really mind that they're looking at this game. I very much doubt they'll find anything. I just hope they look at many games.

I also wish it wasn't leaked to the media until there were real concerns, rather than minor suspicions.

 

[GotSpin]

Would be bloody ropeable if I was in the Australian camp and getting investigated for being 0/5 after two overs.

 

[Furball]

In light of such convincing evidence, I pronounce Australia guilty and will be calling for life bans for all concerned (Ponting's to be served concurrently with the life ban he should be getting for touching a TV.)

 

[Jono]

Yeah, would have thought 28 after 11 overs was more of a concern than 5 after 2 overs. Weird ****. Unless they have proof that there was a crap load of bets for the first over score or whatever. Very odd.

 

[benchmark00]

While they're investigating slow things, they may as well look into Craigos' brain activity.

 

[pup11]

No issue with them having a look at the game. Just hoping they're launching the investigation with more evidence than the fact that Australia were 0/5 after 3.

Edit: Lol, just realised it was 0/5 after two overs. Rolleyes.

The ICC anti-corruption unit hasn't done absolutely nothing to crub corruption in the game and anytime players have been caught its only been due to the work of the police or media of a particular country.

Australia have had their struggles against spin and 39 out of 50 overs in that game were bowled by the Zimbabwean spinners, I think unless they have solid proof of any wrong doing its highly irresponsible of the ICC to go around shooting their mouths off.

Similarly eyebrows are being raised at Warne's tweet about him predicting that the India-England game would be a tie, now surely if someone needs to pull off a result like that then they would obviously need to ensure that players from both sides are involved in spot-fixing which is something I find very hard to digest especially in the aftermath of what happened with the Pakistani trio.

 

[nick-o]

It seems everything can be construed as match-fixing now.

"Sri Lanka vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene is considering legal action in response to commentary that implied he was guilty of match-fixing."

BBC Sport - Cricket - Cricket World Cup: Jayawardene outraged by TV remark

I guess once the genie is out of the bottle, everyone wants to get their accusations in.