Umpire threatens to sue Bacher

Akhtar gives Andy Flintoff out caught behind

Furious former umpire Javed Akhtar has threatened to take legal action against South African cricket chief Ali Bacher after Bacher claimed Akhtar had taken money from bookmakers to help fix an England versus South Africa Test match.

Akhtar also described Bacher's allegations about match-fixing as baseless.

Akhtar said: "I am sure that he is biased against Pakistan and that's why he is making such baseless allegations, all are figments of his mind."

The 49-year-old was reacting to Bacher's sensational testimony at a match-fixing inquiry in South Africa on Monday.

Bacher told the King's commission that Pakistan played two fixed games in the 1999 World Cup.

I curse such filthy money. No one dared to contact me with such intentions like match fixing or any other malpractice

Javed Akhtar

He also said an Indian bookmaker identified as Mr R had told him Akhtar was receiving money from other bookies when he made eight crucial decisions against South Africa in their decisive Test against England at Leeds in 1998.

"It's insinuating. He must say who is Mr R," said Akhtar, who officiated in 49 one-day matches and 17 Tests before retiring last year.

"The fact of the matter is that they (South Africa) were beaten by England in that Leeds Test and that's hard to swallow for them."

Akhtar gave nine of 10 leg before wicket decisions awarded during the Leeds match, eight of them against South Africa, of which seven were "dubious".

But he said the South Africans should have objected at that time if they were concerned.

"The match referee, Justice Ahmed Ibrahim of Zimbabwe, should have been told if there were any dubious decisions. They are wailing over it now," Akhtar said.

Allegations

He said Bacher had retracted similar allegations made in an interview with The Australian newspaper in April.

"He said this before and retracted but now I would definitely talk to the Pakistan cricket board and then take legal action," he said.

"Dubiously, Bacher never said anything in the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting on match fixing."

Akhtar said he had never been approached by a bookie.

"I curse such filthy money. No one dared to contact me with such intentions like match fixing or any other malpractice.

"Whatever I have earned is through umpiring and now from the income of my whole life I will try to make my own house."