'Cricket is not different from any other business'

Pakistan's former foreign coach, Richard Pybus has criticised the ICC's anti corruption unit over its inability to act against match-fixers and blamed it for the spot-fixing scandal in England that led to the suspension of three Pakistani players.

"I am not sure about it (match-fixing) being wide-spread. I mean this story by the News of the World in England has brought to light the laxity in the way ICC is administrating security and corruption unit around cricket," Pybus told a TV Channel in Karachi.

The Pakistan team is in the midst of a betting scam, where fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were alleged to have bowled pre-arranged no-balls in the Lord's Test against England. Pybus who was coach of the national team in 2003 World Cup and also worked as a consultant with them in the 1999 edition said there was a need for the cricket boards and the ICC to work in close coordination and impose tight watchfulness over the players.

"The ICC and local cricket board around the world should have the same type of vigilance as it was in the early 2000 where it was impossible for the bookies to approach players.

"Like the ICC, every cricket board should also form a separate committee to keep an eye on the players and on those they come in contact with," he said. Pybus hoped that the Pakistani players would be eventually cleared of any wrong doing.

"Pakistan cricket really does not need such scandals particularly after they played good cricket against Australia and England and I was very exited about the progress the side was making.

"Initially when I heard, I got disappointed really. I am hoping that the stories come out unfounded and that these guys have been set up in some sort of a video fix," he said.

The former coach said that the ICC should adopt a "zero-tolerance" approach towards such activities and firm punishment should be handed out to those found guilty.

"I think the ICC needs to move away from an approach which is being prevalent and create an environment to make it difficult as possible for match fixing."

"I don't think cricket is different from any other business, if an accountant commits fraud he ends up in jail therefore if someone found guilty of match fixing he should be dealt with severely," Pybus said.