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ICC is probing Samuel allegations

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NEW DELHI, India -- International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption officials began investigations on Monday after a police report said that West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels contacted a bookmaker during a recent series in India.

Three ICC anti-corruption officials met senior police officials in the central city of Nagpur, where police said they had taped telephone conversations of Samuel allegedly passing confidential team information to the bookmaker.

"We are trying to establish what information they (police) have," ICC spokesman Brian Murgatroyd said by telephone from Nagpur. "They have been very helpful."

The ICC team headed by Jeffrey Rees, chief investigator of the anti-corruption unit, would end their work in Nagpur in two days, he said.

Police had said Samuels spoke to the bookmaker on the eve of the first one-day international, which India won by 14 runs. The home team won the series 3-1.

Although Nagpur police chief S.P.S.Yadav said they had no proof of any illegal monetary transaction between Samuels and the bookie, Mukesh Kochchar, the issue has led to concerns of match-fixing.

Corruption rocked the game in 2000 after several top players were named in an Indian federal police investigation.

Match-fixing

Early that year, Delhi police broke a match-fixing scandal that led to a life ban from cricket for the late Hansie Cronje, then South Africa skipper.

The West Indian board have said they will investigate the issue once they receive details from the ICC.

ICC officials say the latest incident showed the need to be on guard about corruption, particularly in the build-up to the World Cup to be played in the West Indies in March and April.

The investigation report would go to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed and its anti-corruption unit head Paul Condon. If action was required, it would then be referred to the national board.

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