Former Kiwi skipper Martin Crowe cleared

Former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe has been cleared of all match fixing allegations after an inquiry found no evidence to support them, New Zealand Cricket said on Tuesday.

The investigation, carried out independently by a former High Court judge and a senior lawyer on behalf of New Zealand Cricket, looked into allegations that Crowe had received money from an Indian bookmaker for match information during the 1992 World Cup.

"Based on the evidence before this inquiry, Martin Crowe's name has been most unfairly sullied...Martin Crowe is cleared of any wrongful practice. His reputation should stand untarnished," the inquiry report said.

Crowe was named in an Indian police report last November into the activities of Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta.

Other players, including former test captains Brian Lara of West Indies and England's Alec Stewart, and Australian batsman Mark Waugh, were named in the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation report as having connections with bookmakers.

Gupta alleged he had paid Crowe $20,000 in cash for information about weather conditions, state of the pitch, and team composition, and suggested Crowe knew from the outset that he was a bookmaker.

Crowe had always denied the claims, but admitted agreeing to supply information to a man he believed was a journalist for a series of articles for a fee of $3,000.

Crowe said he had broken all contact with the man when he found he was a bookmaker.

ATTEMPTS FRUSTRATED

Attempts to talk to Gupta directly, or through third parties, or to substantiate the claims in writing had been frustrated by his refusal to cooperate, the inquiry said in a statement.

It also said it had looked into some of Gupta's allegations, such as a claim he had visited Crowe in New Zealand in 1991, and that he had been introduced to Crowe by former Sri Lankan captain Aravinda De Silva.

No evidence of a visit to New Zealand could be found, and De Silva denied Gupta's claim.

Crowe's willingness to tell his story to the inquiry and have his credibility assessed was to his credit, the report said.

"The team concluded Crowe is an honest man and has told the truth, publicly and before the inquiry. Crowe is entitled now to move on without the cloud of corrupt practice over him."

It said a check of Crowe's bank account showed no evidence of him receiving money for the information for the articles.

However, the report said Crowe "as a matter of prudence" should have told New Zealand Cricket of his agreement to provide the articles, and said he was also "incautious" in dealing with a "journalist" he did not know.

NZ Cricket chairman Sir John Anderson said Crowe had been exonerated by the inquiry and the 'name and shame' approach of the Indian police report had offended natural justice.

"The Board accepts the allegations of corruption...were without substance and considers the matter now closed."

Mail Cricket Editor