MacLaurin regrets Azharuddin downfall

Azharuddin: The end of a magnificent Test career

The chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board has described the downfall of former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin as a "tragedy".

Azharuddin is facing the prospect of a life ban after being found guilty of match-fixing by an internal inquiry ordered by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

"It's very sad that a player of that calibre, and what's he's done for the game and for Indian cricket, has succumbed.

"But if people have transgressed, then they will be banned for life. All players now know that quite clearly," MacLaurin told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

The ECB has taken a tough line on corruption in cricket since the scandal first broke.

But MacLaurin recently gave his full backing to England wicket-keeper Alec Stewart after he was named by a bookmaker being questioned by India's Central Bureau of Investigation.

Stewart has denied allegations that he accepted money from a bookmaker and was allowed to stay with the England tour party in Pakistan.

MacLaurin: Players know they can expect a life ban

"We don't know yet the extent of it all. We have set up, through the ICC and our own ECB, our disciplinary boards and we'll just have to live through all this.

"I would have thought that any player who is now playing would certainly never get involved with any match-fixing or taking money from bookmakers because to see your colleagues banned for life, and with that on their characters for the rest of their lives, is pretty horrific," said MacLaurin.

He took a diplomatic view over the continued inclusion of all-rounder Wasim Akram in the Pakistan team despite lingering suspicions about his behaviour.

Justice Qayyum recommended that Wasim be fined earlier this year for refusing to co-operate with his official inquiry into match-fixing.

"What I said was that if any England player or any England administrator was alleged to have match-fixed and he or she had refused to come tot the Board, or the police or a judge, then we would suspend them.

"The Pakistan Board take their own view about these things and one has to respect that and I hope Wasim, when he plays tomorrow, enjoys his 100th Test match."