In the wake of the spot-fixing scandal surrounding the Indian Premier League and Bangladesh Premier League, the Int'l Cricket Council "is doing whatever it can to minimise the risk of corruption during the Champions Trophy," which starts in the U.K. on Thursday, according to the PTI. Players "will have to surrender their mobile phones when they board the team coach to travel to matches," and ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit officials will monitor behavior around the hotels. Six of the eight teams taking part, including their support staff, "have been given an hour long presentation by ACSU officials on how to spot danger signs and raise concerns" (PTI, 6/5). The PTI also reported Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered an issue of notice to the state government and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association office-bearers, including TNCA President N. Srinivasan, "on a petition which alleged irregularities in TNCA and sought appropriate action." Special Pleader I. S. Inbadurai alleged that while the rules of the Board of Control for Cricket in India did not permit its office-bearers to have any stake in cricket playing institutions, they were "amended" and "tailor made" to suit the needs of the TNCA chief, who is also the BCCI president (PTI, 6/5).
WANTED FOR QUESTIONING: The AFP reported police in New Delhi on Wednesday questioned the owner of an IPL cricket team "as part of a widening investigation into fixing in the domestic tournament." Investigators summoned Rajasthan Royals Owner Raj Kundra to seek information on three players from his team "who have been arrested over allegations of spot-fixing during the Twenty20 tournament" (AFP, 6/5).
