One of the world's preeminent match-fixing experts said New Zealand cricketers are the "perfect target" for corruption, according to Andrew Alderson of the NEW ZEALAND HERALD. Ed Hawkins wrote "Bookie Gambler Fixer Spy: A Journey to the Heart of Cricket's Underworld." He "went undercover in several Indian cities and spent time with bookmakers and alleged match-fixers as part of his research." Hawkins spoke following news former national representatives Chris Cairns, Daryl Tuffey and Lou Vincent "are being investigated by the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit over match-fixing allegations." He said, "New Zealanders are more vulnerable than most. They're the perfect target for match-fixers because they don't earn a lot of money by international standards. There's a gulf between what most New Zealand players would earn compared to English players." Captains, opening batsmen or opening bowlers "are seen as ideal targets for match-fixers." Hawkins said that "tracking the flow of money through illegal betting markets is also difficult" (NZ HERALD, 12/8).
EVIDENCE: The PTI reported the Mumbai Crime Branch chief on Saturday "shared evidence against former Chennai Super Kings Owner Gurunath Meiyappan, among others, with the Supreme Court-appointed panel probing the betting and spot-fixing case of this year's T20 League." A crime branch officer said, "Whatever information we had with us in the case has been shared with the committee which is expected to submit its report before the Supreme Court soon." This "was Mumbai crime branch's second round of meeting with the committee" (PTI, 12/7).
