ICC to probe ‘fixed’ India-SL Galle Test

Melbourne: The International Cricket Council has launched an investigation into corruption allegations in the sport made in a documentary to be aired by news organisation Al Jazeera on Sunday. The documentary allegedly uncovers a groundsman agreeing to doctor pitches for Test matches involving some of the world's top teams.

"The ICC is aware of an investigation into corruption in cricket by a news organisation and as you would expect we will take the contents of the programme and any allegations it may make very seriously," the governing body said in a statement on its website. “We have already launched an investigation working with anti-corruption colleagues from Member countries based on the limited information we have received.

"We have made repeated requests that all evidence and supporting materials relating to corruption in cricket is released immediately to enable us to undertake a full and comprehensive investigation." A Test match between India and Sri Lanka last year might have been played on a pitch doctored at the behest of match-fixers, according to the sting operation.

The Al Jazeera television network claims that a well-known former Mumbai first-class cricketer Robin Morris, who is now allegedly a match-fixer, admitted to his involvement in bribing a groundsman at Galle last year to alter the pitch. The sting operation is to be aired on Sunday but snippets of it have been posted online by the Qatar-based channel.

The Australian newspaper reported on Saturday the documentary will allege spot-fixers bribed the groundsman at Galle to doctor the pitch used for the 2016 second Test between hosts Sri Lanka and Australia. The touring side were bowled out for 106 and 183 in the match and lost by 229 runs in less than three days.

Last year's Test between Sri Lanka and India at Galle was also under suspicion, while match-fixers have also targeted England's Test at the same venue in November, according to The Australian.  The match in question was the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at Galle from July 26-29.

"The groundsman, Tharanga Indika, assistant manager at the Galle stadium, says he can make pitches to favour either bowlers or batsmen. If you want a pitch for spin bowling or pace bowling or batting, it can be done," the channel claimed on its website.

In the clipping, the 41-year-old Morris, who played 42 first-class matches but never competed for India, gestures towards Indika, and says: "What happens is he -- we -- can make a pitch to do whatever we want it to do." "Because he's the main curator. He is the assistant manager and curator of the Galle stadium," the website quotes Morris.

The track in that match was a belter on which India won by 304 runs. India scored 600 in the first innings with Shikhar Dhawan plundering 190 and Cheteshwar Pujara 153.  In the second innings, India managed 240 for three declared with skipper Virat Kohli scoring an unbeaten hundred. Sri Lanka could only muster 291 and 245 in their two innings and were beaten comprehensively within four days. Indika allegedly claimed that he prepared the pitch for the batsmen.

"India was set for a batting wicket. We pressed the wicket thoroughly with a roller and then we put water on it to make it even harder," he has been quoted as saying in the video of the sting.

Morris, who had also played in the controversy-mired and now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL), allegedly told the undercover reporter that he will provide him with leads to place bets. In fact, the former India U-19 seamer-all-rounder also claimed that the next "pitch fix" will happen during England's tour of Sri Lanka in November, this year at the same venue.