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A report prepared by the Mumbai Cricket Association shows that 405 tickets for the 2011 World Cup final remained unsold

Tariq Engineer28-Mar-2012

The Wankhede Stadium appeared packed for the World Cup final, but a report says some tickets went unsold•AFP

The 2011 World Cup final in Mumbai may have been the hottest ticket in town, with reports of individual tickets selling for as much as $10,000 on the black market, but according to the Mumbai Cricket Association, the final was not actually sold out. A report prepared by the association shows that 405 tickets remained unsold, ESPNcricinfo understands. These include 96 tickets in the Sunil Gavaskar stand (lower) at a cost of Rs 1,500 ($30) each. The total value of the unsold tickets was Rs 73.4 lakhs (approx $144,000).The news that the association was not able to sell all its tickets comes as a surprise given prior reports of the match being sold out and the thriving black market that arose around the game. A day before the final, even RR Patil, the home minister for Maharashtra state, said “all the tickets have been sold”.When contacted by ESPNcricinfo, Ratnakar Shetty, the tournament director for the event and a current vice-president of the MCA, said “this is not something we need to discuss” with the media and that the issue would be dealt with by the association’s managing committee, which is scheduled to meet on March 31. He added that the members of the association were responsible people and that they would deal with the situation.The MCA’s report shows that a total of 31,118 tickets were up for sale, though only about 4000 of those were available to the general public because the association was contractually obligated to offer tickets to the ICC and its member clubs. In all, the sale of tickets realised Rs 22.89 crores (approx $4.5 million). The game, which India won in spectacular fashion when captain MS Dhoni hit Nuwan Kulasekara for six, was also watched on television by 134.5 million Indians, according to TAM Sports, a television ratings agency.Ticketing was a controversial issue throughout the World Cup. Police in Bangalore conducted a baton-charge on fans queuing up for tickets for the India-England group game. The 7000 tickets were sold out within three hours, officials said, leaving hundreds of fans – many of whom had queued up overnight – angry and disappointed.Demand for tickets for the final soared to the point that the official ticketing website – Kyazoonga.com – crashed amid a scramble for the 1,000 tickets that were offered online. At one stage, the website had 500,000 concurrent users trying to buy tickets to the World Cup final.Many fans also complained about not receiving tickets they had bought online and the ICC was eventually moved to ask its president Sharad Pawar to intervene. A letter written to Pawar by David Becker, the ICC’s legal head, and published by the Indian channel NDTV, warned of the growing discontent among the ICC’s commercial partners over tournament tickets due to them and the possible financial fallout.An ICC spokesperson did not want to comment on the matter of unsold tickets, however, saying that it would not be “appropriate for us to comment on the ticket allocation of MCA or BCCI”. However, following the World Cup the ICC did appoint consultancy firm KPMG to conduct “an independent review of the ticketing process in order to determine whether proper controls existed for the allocation, distribution and accounting for all tickets so as to avoid in future the allegations of ‘black market’ selling of tickets”.According to an executive summary of KPMG’s report, the scope of the review covered the ticketing operations of the ICC, official tour operators and Kyazoonga. It did not, therefore, cover distribution of tickets through local cricket associations.While the report did not unearth evidence suggesting that the ICC, official tour operators or Kyazoonga were responsible for black marketing of tickets, it did state that the ICC needed to make sure that sufficient tickets were available to the public in the future and that there should be “central control and management of tickets [and] better record keeping.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco fechou na manhã deste sábado acordo pontual para exibir a marca da Volkswagem Caminhões Ônibus nos próximos três jogos da equipe no Campeonato Brasileiro – diante de Corinthians, neste domingo, São Paulo e Palmeiras. A logo da empresa estará estampada na barra traseira do uniforme cruz-maltino. Vice-presidente de marketing do clube de São Januário, Bruno Maia celebrou o acordo fechado com a Volkswagem.

– A Volkswagem Caminhões Ônibus é uma parceira de muitos anos do Club e demostrou estar junto com o Vasco em diversas oportunidades. Eles perceberam que estamos em um momento positivo de imagem e fico feliz que venham aproveitá-lo conosco. O Vasco tem que estar sempre perto das grandes marcas e vai ser uma alegria tê-los nos nossos uniformes nesses três jogos – comemorou o dirigente do Cruz-Maltino.

A mecânica do acordo fechado foi semelhante ao do Grupo GPI (omoplata do uniforme), só que pontual, ao contrário do sistema de ensino que não tem prazo determinado. Em troca neste acordo com a Volkswagem, os ônibus do Vasco serão trocados, substituindo os que já não se encontram em boas condições. Os valores da permuta não foram divulgados – os com o GPI, vale lembrar, giram em R$ 4 milhões em economia do clube no colégio da Colina.

Além desta negociação, o Vasco segue em busca de patrocínios para o uniforme, principalmente para as áreas da manga e master. Para o principal espaço da camisa cruz-maltina, a negociação avançada é com o Banco Inter, em valores superiores a R$ 10 milhões anuais, mas a partir de janeiro de 2019. Para este segundo semestre, a expectativa é a de que novos acordos pontuais sejam celebrados, mas com condições de patrocínio.

RelacionadasCorinthiansJogadores não gostam, mas Timão aprovou jogo às 11h; veja os motivosCorinthians27/07/2018SantosSantos mira Osorio e definição de técnico fica para semana que vemSantos28/07/2018VaivémGolovin, Castán e Vitinho… Veja o que rolou no vaivém desta sextaVaivém27/07/2018

Sri Lanka Women’s new-ball pair of Eshani Kaushalya and Nisansala Prabodani tore through the Bangladesh Women line-up, setting up a comfortable six-wicket win as the hosts swept the one-day series 3-0

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2011
ScorecardSri Lanka Women’s new-ball pair of Eshani Kaushalya and Nisansala Prabodani tore through the Bangladesh Women line-up, setting up a comfortable six-wicket win in Kurunegala as the hosts swept the one-day series 3-0. The top five Bangladesh batsmen fell early, all of them bowled, three falling to Kaushalya and two to 15-year old Prabodani.At 24 for 5, the Bangladesh lower order did well to eventually get them to 148 as they batted out their 50 overs. Suktara Rehman and Chamely Khatun were chiefly responsible for getting Bangladesh as far as they did.Sri Lanka lost a couple of early wickets and were 34 for 2 at one stage. Prasadani Weerakkody and Sandamali Dolawatta steered them to 80 before Shashikala Siriwardene settled matters with a quick 40.

MatériaMais Notícias

Passou-se mais uma partida do Ceará na Série A do Brasileirão e o martírio da equipe nordestina não conseguir vencer continua. Mesmo com a evolução do time diante do Botafogo na noite dessa quarta-feira (6) que culminou no 0 a 0 ocorrido no Nilton Santos.

O atacante Arthur foi, inclusive, bastante incisivo na sua reação balançando a cabeça logo depois do apito final da partida. Na entrevista a beira do gramado, ele deixou claro que viu o Vozão superior ao seu oponente nessa noite:

RelacionadasBrasileirãoNúmeros da Bola: Estatísticas de Botafogo 0x0 CearáBrasileirão06/06/2018Futebol NacionalBota fica no empate com o lanterna Ceará e frustra noite de JeffersonFutebol Nacional06/06/2018Futebol NacionalBotafogo x Ceará: prováveis times, onde ver, desfalques e palpitesFutebol Nacional05/06/2018

– Tivemos boas chances que poderíamos ter aproveitado melhor principalmente no segundo tempo. O time deles ficou aberto no fim do jogo e poderíamos ter arrancado os três pontos daqui, mas não conseguimos.

Aos 20 anos de idade, o avante revelado nas categorias de base do Alvinegro cearense marcou 17 gols em 29 partidas até aqui na temporada de 2018. Números esses que fizeram o Palmeiras não só se interessar como motivar a assinatura de um acordo com o clube paulista onde o jogador irá integrar o plantel Alviverde à partir de 2019.

علق سيد معوض مدرب الأهلي السابق، على تعادل الزمالك أمام الداخلية في بطولة الدوري المصري، مشيرًا إلى أن الأبيض فقد فرصة كبيرة للتساوي مع غريمه التقليدي الأهلي.

وتعادل الزمالك مع الداخلية في المباراة التي أقيمت أمس الخميس، في الجولة الثانية عشر من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقال معوض في تصريحات عبر فضائية “etc”: “الزمالك كان يعود سريعًا في بعض المباريات حال دخول أهداف في مرماه، ولكن في مباراتي أسوان والداخلية لم يستطع العودة وظهرت أخطاء دفاعية كثيرة”.

وتابع: “أحمد سيد زيزو لاعب جيد وقادر على التكيف في أي مركز، ومصطفى شلبي لاعب مميز أيضًا، وظهر بشكل جيد بعد مشاركته في المباراة”.

وأكمل: “الزمالك فقد فرصة كبيرة في التساوي مع الأهلي حتى الآن، وخسر 5 نقاط في مباراتين من المفترض أنهما ليستا مواجهات صعبة بالنسبة للفارس الأبيض”.

وأردف: “هناك لاعبين يكون لها أدوارًا في الملعب، والصفقات تحتاج لوقت حتى تظهر بشكل أفضل في الزمالك، ومشكلة الأبيض هجومية، وسامسون من العناصر التي لن تستطيع الحكم عليه بأنه لاعب جيد”.

وأضاف: “متي سيتم التعاقد مع لاعب يتألق؟، في أول مباراة، بدلًا من الصبر عليه لمدة سنة، كان يجب على سامسون التألق في لقاء الداخلية، لانه حصل على فرصة اللعب منذ بداية المباراة، ولكنه لم يظهر بالمستوى المراد”.

وتطرق للحديث عن أحمد فتوح قائلًا: “حتى لو لاعب صغير السن، وليس أحمد فتوح كان من الطبيعي مساندته، هذا الحديث الذي تم التصريح به يكون داخل غرفة الملابس”.

طالع أيضًا.. مرتضى منصور يهدد بالرحيل عن الزمالك: هناك لاعب أبلغني برغبته في الانضمام لـ الأهلي

واختتم: “كيف سيذهب فتوح للنادي مجددًا بعد تلك التصريحات، هذه الأمور لا تُنسي مطلقا، ولا يجب الخروج عن النص بهذه الطريقة”.

The see-sawing battle at Mutare Sports Club continued into the second day, an imperious century from Hamilton Masakadza matching Keegan Meth’s six-wicket haul

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2011Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Hamilton Masakadza brought Mountaineers back into the game with a dominant century•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe see-sawing battle at Mutare Sports Club continued into the second day, an imperious century from Hamilton Masakadza matching Keegan Meth’s six-wicket haul as Mountaineers secured a 44-run first-innings lead over Matabeleland Tuskers. Masakadza, the man the selectors rejected for the World Cup, dominated the day and fought a lone battle against the hungry Matabele attack, led by Meth who had already shattered Mountaineers’ top order. By the close, however, Tuskers had fought back with the bat to leave the match well balanced and were 72 runs ahead in their second innings with eight wickets in hand.Mountaineers started the day at 56 for 4 wickets, with all four dismissals having been effected by Meth. With Timycen Maruma as his partner, Masakadza held firm against the seam and swing of Meth, who bowled a further eight overs in the morning, conceding very few runs but failing to break through. Amid a tense atmosphere, with both sides vying for supremacy at a crucial stage of the match, the batsmen cautiously added 20 runs in 40 minutes before Maruma unwisely padded up to a ball from Njabulo Ncube and was adjudged lbw for 7.Then came the largest partnership of the innings, as Prosper Utseya proved a positive and reliable partner for Masakadza, who was now opening up with some impressive pulls and drives. By lunch the score was a much more healthy 149 for 6, but after the interval Utseya paid the price for his aggression when, after hiting a six over long-on off John Nyumbu, he tried to sweep a straight ball from the same bowler and was clean bowled for 39. The pair had added 84 in exactly 20 overs.Benjamin Katsande made 11 before skying a hook to deep fine leg, and then Shingi Masakadza joined his brother. Mountaineers took the lead on first innings with seven wickets down. With Hamilton now into the nineties, Meth came on again, but he had to be satisfied with the wicket of the younger brother, who edged to the keeper for 15. At the other end Hamilton reached three figures in grand fashion, hitting Chris Mpofu, one of Zimbabwe’s fastest bowlers, right over the scoreboard at long-on for a huge six.When Meth did get to bowl at Masakadza, he seemed to concede defeat immediately, putting his field back, dispensing with slips and bowling well outside off stump. The ploy did him little good, as Masakadza hammered him for two fours and a six over long-on from successive deliveries. But at the other end Tendai Chatara gave his wicket away very weakly, and with the last man in Masakadza went for broke in Keegan’s next over. He drove at a full-length delivery and was bowled for 119, one of his greatest first-class innings, given the circumstances. He faced 206 deliveries and hit 16 fours and 4 sixes. His score was almost half of the total of 239, which gave his team a lead of 44.Tuskers began their second innings quietly, but then Brad Staddon began to score freely off Chatara. The arrears were cleared off in the 15th over without the loss of a wicket, and it appeared Mountaineers had lost their advantage. Staddon reached an enterprising 50 off 56 balls, but then tried to swung across the line at Utseya and was out lbw to break an opening partnership with the dogged Mbekezeli Mabuza that had reached 65. Charles Coventry came in and made a confident start, but Shingi Masakadza was then brought back on and yorked Mabuza for 17 off 94 balls to reduce Tuskers to 81 for 2. After that Coventry and Steve Trenchard played safely for the close, leaving the match intriguingly poised.”I think it was a pretty good one,” Masakadza told after his century. “Especially as the wicket wasn’t playing so well, especially in the morning, and also because we were a little bit on the back foot, because we kept losing wickets throughout the whole innings.”The pitch looks a little bit soft on the surface, it’s crumbling a bit, and it’s worse in the morning just after they’ve cut it, so some balls were gripping and doing a bit more than they were supposed to, and it was leaving a few dents when the ball bounced, that you could actually see on the pitch. That was the main thing.”My game plan was just to see off the rest of the day, because there were 20 overs to bat and I went in in the second over, so my plan was just to make sure I played out the day and came back the next morning to continue. This morning I was always in to bat for as long as possible, to try to build partnerships with the guys and just get as close to the target as we could, because at one stage it looked as if we wouldn’t reach it. So being 44 ahead was a major plus.”I thought they bowled very well, especially Keegan Meth, not only because of the fact that he got six wickets, but he hit very good areas and swung the ball both ways. I think he was the most difficult to face, and obviously very well supported by the other seamers, like Christopher Mpofu and Tawanda Mupariwa. The spinner John Nyumbu didn’t bowl too much, but he got a little from the wicket as well. But Keegan was definitely the best. I had one or two half-chances, but not really – I think it was pretty much a chanceless innings today.”Masakadza reached the landmark with his third six in the 65th over of the innings. “We had eight down at that stage, so I was really looking to push it on a little bit, batting with the tail, so I was looking to play a few more shots. It was a slower ball from Chris Mpofu, right in the arc. Now I’m just looking forward to coming back tomorrow and putting some pressure on them, and hopefully we can bowl them out and chase 50 or 60 in the fourth innings.”

Wolves are reportedly interested in making a move for Rangers winger Ryan Kent this summer as Bruno Lage looks to strengthen his squad.

The Lowdown: Kent shines for Rangers

The 25-year-old has been one of the Gers’ star players in recent years, providing endless quality from what is invariably a left-sided attacking role.

Kent has scored 30 goals and registered 47 assists in 171 appearances for the Scottish Premiership giants, once being hailed as a ‘constant threat’ by Steven Gerrard.

It may be that the former Liverpool winger feels that a new challenge is required this summer, and a return to England could be on the cards.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-from-wolves-5/” title=”All the latest from Wolves!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Wolves eye up move

According to 90min, Wolves have expressed an interest in snapping up Kent in the summer transfer window, with his current deal expiring in 2023.

Leeds United are seen as the front-runners to sign him, though, with Everton and Fulham also mentioned in the report.

[freshpress-poll id=“388780″]

The Verdict: Is he good enough?

While Kent has clearly shone in Scotland, the one concern over Wolves signing him is whether or not the step up to the Premier League is too great for him.

He probably wouldn’t come in as a regular starter if he joined the Old Gold, with Pedro Neto arguably a higher calibre of player, but he could be a strong squad option off the substitutes’ bench.

Kent’s direct running and end product could be a nightmare for tiring legs in games and it is this depth that Wolves need if they are to go up another gear this season. Signing him would therefore be shrewd business, as long as Wanderers don’t pay over the odds.

In other news, Wolves are the front-runners to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Round-up of the fourth day of the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy Super League

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2010Group BAbhimanyu Mithun took his fourth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket to help Karnataka to a win over Himachal Pradesh•Cameraworx/Live Images

Karnataka’s seamers overcame a display of spirited defiance from Himachal Pradesh’s Paras Dogra and Manvinder Bisla in Dharmasala to surge to their third win in four games, keeping them on top of Group B. Resuming his overnight 101-run stand with Dogra, Bisla could not last long on the final morning and was trapped in front by Sreenath Arvind for 58. Rishi Dhawan gave Himachal some hope, striking four fours in his 20 that raised hopes of an upset, but Aravind accounted for him with Himachal still 87 shy of the target. Dogra’s dismissal, giving Abhimanyu Mithun his fourth first-class five-for, was the last nail in the coffin, as Karnataka completed a 67-run win.Punjab pushed for an outright victory against Orissa at the East Coast Railway Sports Association in Bhubaneswar, but Natraj Behera and Niranjan Behera held on to ensure that the visitors got only three points. Resuming their first innings at 216 for 7, Orissa folded up for 264, with Manpreet Gony and Sarabjit Ladda finished with four-wicket hauls. With a first-innings lead of 286, Punjab enforced the follow-on but were stone-walled for 58 overs by the determined Orissa top-order. Paresh Patel departed for 27 before the Beheras added 67 off 31 overs to blunt Punjab’s attack. Natraj was fluent in his 81 that came off 129 balls, while Niranjan consumed 133 balls for his 50. He held fort after Nartaj’s exit and saw Orissa through to stumps for a creditable draw, but they still remained bottom of Group B.Group APawan Suyal was once again Assam’s bugbear, adding six wickets to his four in the first innings to climb to second in the tournament’s highest wicket-takers’ list and give Delhi their first win of the season, at the Roshanara Club Ground. Dheeraj Jadhav, who had blunted the home attack in a stubborn 42 on the third day, continued his effort into the final day to give the visitors hopes of a draw. He extended his overnight partnership with Gokul Sharma to 129, before Suyal began to take control of the match. Sumit Narwal added to Orissa’s woes at the other end as their lower order collapsed in a heap, losing 7 for 22. Suyal finished with 6 for 71, giving him his first first-class ten-for, while Narwal picked up three. Chasing 59 for the win, Delhi cantered home despite losing three cheap wickets, putting them behind Mumbai in Group A.Railways picked up first-innings points after bowling Saurashtra out for 338, despite stumbling to 107 for 6 in their second innings before stumps were drawn at the Khandheri Cricket Stadium in Rajkot. Overnight batsmen Pratik Mehta and Kamlesh Makvana carried Saurashrtra’s hopes of wiping out the deficit, but neither could press on after lengthy and cautious vigils at the crease. Jai Prakash Yadav was the hero for Railways, finishing with 6 for 96 after 47 overs of medium-pace. Faiz Fazal scored an unbeaten 43, but wickets fell all around him in Railways’ second innings, which had no bearing on the result or the points scored – both sides remain winless and at the bottom of Group A after five rounds.Only seven minutes and two overs of play were possible on the final day between Bengal and Tamil Nadu at the India Cement Limited Guru Nanak College Ground in Chennai, as Sourav Ganguly’s eagerly anticipated comeback to first-class cricket ended in a rain-induced stalemate. S Badrinath moved on to an unbeaten 37 and K Vasudevadas ensured he survived the brief action before the heavens opened once again. It was Bengal’s fifth draw in five matches, keeping themat No. 5 in Group A, while Tamil Nadu slipped to third, below Delhi who won against Assam. Meanwhile, the Cricket Association of Bengal announced that Ganguly will not play their next match, against Saurashtra.

Group A

Teams Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts Quotient For Against

Mumbai 5 2 0 0 3 0 20 2.319 3027/51 1868/73 Delhi 5 1 0 0 4 0 13 1.503 2150/49 2160/74 Tamil Nadu 5 1 0 0 4 0 11 1.505 1899/38 1627/49 Gujarat 5 1 1 0 3 0 10 0.573 1776/77 2174/54 Bengal 5 0 0 0 5 0 9 0.810 1763/36 2359/39 Assam 5 0 2 0 3 0 7 0.709 2291/79 2085/51 Railways 5 0 1 0 4 0 6 0.916 1805/65 1880/62 Saurashtra 5 0 1 0 4 0 4 0.685 1944/59 2502/52

Group B

Teams Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts Quotient For Against

Karnataka 4 3 0 0 1 0 17 1.439 2184/60 1771/70 Uttar Pradesh 5 1 1 0 3 0 14 0.980 1925/77 1938/76 Baroda 4 2 1 0 1 0 13 1.453 1900/56 1634/70 Haryana 4 1 1 0 2 0 11 0.966 1665/56 1816/59 Himachal Pradesh 4 0 1 0 3 0 5 0.915 1348/52 1898/67 Punjab 5 0 2 0 3 0 5 0.833 2632/77 2258/55 Orissa 4 0 1 0 3 0 5 0.577 1679/62 2018/43

انتصر منتخب السنغال على نظيره قطر بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي أقميت اليوم الجمعة ضمن منافسات كأس العالم 2022، وأصبح العنابي رسميًا أول الفرق المودعة للمونديال.

وتلاقى منتخبا قطر والسنغال على ملعب استاد الثمامة في إطار الجولة الثانية لمواجهات المجموعة الأولى بالمونديال.

وبهذا حقق منتخب السنغال أول ثلاث نقاط له في المجموعة الأولى بكأس العالم، إذ خسر المباراة الأولى أمام هولندا بهدفين دون رد.

بينما نالت قطر الهزيمة الثانية لها في المونديال، بعدما خسرت المباراة الافتتاحية أمام الإكوادور بثنائية نظيفة.

طالع أيضًا.. ترتيب المجموعة الأولى في كأس العالم 2022.. تأهل السنغال وهولندا

وخيم التعادل الإيجابي على نتيجة مباراة هولندا والإكوادور التي انتهت بهدف لكل فريق، ليواصلا المنافسة على صراع صدارة المجموعة قبل الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي هولندا أمام قطر بينما تلتقي الإكوادور ضد السنغال مساء الثلاثاء المقبل 29 نوفمبر الجاري في إطار لقاءات الجولة الثالثة والأخير بالمجموعة الأولى. ترتيب المجموعة الأولى بعد انتهاء الجولة الثانية 

1- هولندا – المركز الأول – 4 نقاط.

2- الإكوادور – المركز الثاني – 4 نقاط.

3- السنغال – المركز الثالث – 3 نقاط.

4- قطر – المركز الرابع – بدون نقاط. يمكنكم مطالعة جدول ترتيب مجموعات كأس العالم قطر 2022 محدث باستمرار من هنا

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has said he is concerned about the long-term repercussions the match-fixing crisis could have on the country’s cricketing establishment but feels it is a chance for the authorities to act in a manner that would discourage future cricketers from considering such activities.”If they are proved, not just in terms of the best players in the team being implicated but from the public point of view, they would not understand the finer points of the game and each time they lose they will think it’s a fixed match,” Imran told Britain’s channel.”Why should Pakistan cricket suffer if some players have indulged in a crime? Why should Pakistani supporters suffer because of that? The people who are found guilty should be removed from the team and replaced and should be punished as an example for future generations to realise that crime does not pay.”Reactions to the issue have come in thick and fast, especially from former cricketers. Matthew Hayden, the former Australia opener, said it was “not in Australia’s DNA to accept any kind of skullduggery”, and felt the scandal highlighted the different cultures that exist in the game. “You have a look at Pakistan which has been wiped out by the recent floods and you put yourself in the position that maybe you can try and get what’s left of your family and salvage the situation,” Hayden told . “We wouldn’t ever dare get involved in corruption but that’s in our country.”Hayden’s one-time Australia team-mate Ian Healy, felt that players involved in fixing did not care enough for their country, and was pleased that they may have been caught in the act. “We’d be stupid to think this is new,” he said. “How long has this lurk been going on? It’s a long time I’m sure, but it’s been caught which is awesome,” said Healy, who also recalled a dodgy victory against Pakistan in the 90s which later came under the match-fixing scanner.”This game in Sri Lanka we thought we were heroes – we were high-fiving fools. It came out a year later that that game was brought into question,” Healy said.Healy, however, said that he felt Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal did not deliberately drop catches during the Sydney Test, which Mahzar Majeed, the man at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy, claimed was also fixed to . Healy said Akmal came to him for advice because he was struggling with his keeping.”He was stiff as a board and extremely tense. You couldn’t drop those on purpose they way he was doing it,” Healy told the . “His technique had gone off, which he told me about two weeks before – the ball wasn’t going into his glove that well for the spinners. I said to him, ‘look, we’ll work on that in Hobart’. I wasn’t going to the Sydney Test. And then he did that. It didn’t look to me as if they were on purpose at all.”Michael Hussey, the Australian batsman who was let off by Akmal in Sydney, also said he felt the mistakes were genuine. “It all happens in a split second,” he said. “Especially the catches off me … they were all up to the stumps. With those sort of catches they either go in or they don’t. I don’t think you can try to drop those.”Former ICC chief Malcolm Speed said there was a “fairly compelling case” for suspending Pakistan from the ICC. “It looks as though it is endemic that several of the team members are involved and have been for some time,” Speed told . “So perhaps they need a rest.”Speed echoed Healy’s views that the unearthing of the scandal was a step forward for the game. “[It’s] great that they’ve been caught in England where there is a very sophisticated legal system that deals with conspiracy and specifically with cheating in sport. So I see that as a major positive,” he said. “I would have liked it to have happened when I was involved with ICC but it didn’t happen at that time.”Ehsan Mani, a former ICC president, called for the PCB to act swiftly. “The allegations have painted Pakistan cricket in a bad light and we need to take swift action to clear the situation, but I don’t think there’s any fear that teams will boycott us [Pakistan],” Mani told AFP. “Lack of action or any cover up will damage Pakistan cricket badly. Match-fixing allegations have been hurting Pakistan cricket and the latest saga is a poor reflection on the board, which has failed to deal with the matter as they have failed to control the players.”