The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Saturday stopped short of confirming if cricketer Morne Morkel was approached by a suspicious element in the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League "and remained confident that the current edition of the T20 league will not be hit by any off-field controversy," according to the DECCAN HERALD. There were reports that after being approached by a suspicious person, Kolkata Knight Riders’ South African pacer Morkel "had alerted the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit of the IPL." BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel said that it is "awaiting a detailed report." Patel said, "We are awaiting their detailed report, if there is anything. They are independent to work, ICC and BCCI anti-corruption unit" (DECCAN HERALD, 5/3).
DELHI ARREST: The IANS reported Police said that "four people were arrested for running an IPL betting syndicate from a Delhi house." Police said that Rakesh Sethi, a mechanical engineer and kingpin of the syndicate, disclosed that "he along with three others put bets on IPL cricket matches." They "were also providing lines to several other bookies" (GULF NEWS, 5/4).
'CEMENT CRICKET': The PTI reported Cricket Association of Bihar Secretary Aditya Verma has written a letter to Int'l Cricket Council President Alan Isaac urging the parent body to stop former BCCI President N. Srinivasan "from attending the ICC Executive Board meeting as its first chairman, next month." In his letter, Verma has alleged that ICC has kept its “mouth shut” on IPL “scams” and should prevent the Tamil Nadu strongman from attending its meetings till the final verdict is announced by the Supreme Court. Verma also "sarcastically commented that ICC has now become 'India Cement Cricket.'" Verma: "Has the ICC become India Cement Cricket?" (PTI, 5/4).
