Police probe cricket fix claims

Lewis: Police are investigating his claims

The England and Wales Cricket Board is to pass the information provided by Chris Lewis about match-fixing allegations to the police as well as continue its own investigations.

The ECB gave very few details of its two-and-a-half hour discussion with Lewis.

But said Lewis had broken his vow of silence on the three England players he claims have been implicated in match-fixing.

He has passed all the information in his possession to the ECB.

Mr Lewis indicated his desire to continue to cooperate fully with the board and has put all information in his possession into the hands of the board

ECB statement

A statement issued by the ECB after the meeting said Lewis had been accompanied by his solicitor and indicated his desire to cooperate fully with the board.

Lewis claimed in a Sunday newspaper that sports promoter Ashim Kheterpal told him three well known English cricketers had taken money for fixing the results of matches, although Lewis did not reveal their identities.

The ECB statement read: "Gerard Elias, QC, chairman of the discipline committee, and Simon Pack, international teams director, on behalf of the ECB, today interviewed Chris Lewis in the company of his solicitor regarding the comments attributed to him in Sunday's News of the World.

"Mr Lewis indicated his desire to continue to cooperate fully with the board and has put all information in his possession into the hands of the board.

Cronje: Denies match-fixing

"As a result the board is passing this information to the police.

"At the same time the board will continue its investigations with a view to determining whether evidence exists in relation to betting and match-fixing which might justify disciplinary action under the board's regulations.

"The Board will issue further statements as and when it has more information."

The Lewis controversy comes a week after South African captain Hansie Cronje was sacked.

Cronje was recently accused of throwing games, a charge he denies.

Cricket's world governing body, the International Cricket Council, has also arranged an emergency meeting at Lord's, in response to the game's growing match-fixing crisis.

Crisis meeting

The meeting, of the council's executive board, will take place on 2-3 May.

On Tuesday, Australian spinner and Hampshire new boy Shane Warne urged Cronje to "be honest with everyone".

Warne said: "I don't know what happened with Hansie Cronje but the best thing is for him to come out, be honest with everyone and say what happened so we can all get on with playing some cricket."

Asked what he thought of the spate of match-fixing allegations which have rocked cricket, Warne replied: "I think that if anyone is found guilty of match-fixing they shouldn't be playing. That's my stance."

Warne and Australian team-mate Mark Waugh were fined in 1995 by the Australian Cricket Board after they admitted accepting money from an Indian bookmaker for providing pitch and weather information during a limited overs tour of Sri Lanka a year earlier.