The International Cricket Council (ICC) insists that there is ‘no evidence’ that the third Ashes test has been fixed, after being provided with the details of a four month investigation by The Sun, in which bookmakers offered to fix aspects of the Ashes series. ‘From my initial assessment of the material, there is no evidence, either from The Sun or via our own intelligence, to suggest the current Test Match has been corrupted’, read a statement from Alex Marshall, the ICC’s General Manager, Anti-Corruption. ‘The allegations are wide ranging and relate to various forms cricket in several countries, including T20 tournaments. We will look closely at all the information as part of our investigation.’

In a further statement, Marshall said that the ICC would be ‘working through the rest of the information from The Sun as part of what will be a wide ranging investigation and we will map this against our own existing intelligence and live investigations to look for any corroboration or cross over. We are taking these allegations very seriously and will follow the correct processes of a thorough investigation. We will look for clear and usable evidence that proves or disproves the allegations made. This will include looking for corroboration, speaking to key witnesses and securing all relevant evidential material. This will not be concluded overnight and we will be working with ACU colleagues from Member countries to investigate every single allegation in full.’

In The Sun’s investigation, bookmakers offer to fix aspects of the Third Ashes Test in Perth, which is currently taking place. In a video, bookmakers offer to go to Australia and talk to an Australian contact named as ‘The Silent Man’ if they are interested in fixing aspects of the Third Ashes Test. They say they are not sure what aspects of the Third Ashes Test The Silent Man will be able to fix, whether it will be “script or session”.

‘Script’ is understood to involve fixing how a session will play out – i.e. when wickets will fall and how many runs will be scored per over. ‘Session’ is understood to involve fixing the result of a session. Bookmakers offer to fix two sessions in the Third Ashes Test in return for money.

“I will give you work in Ashes Test”, they told undercover journalists from The Sun. “Session runs. Maybe day one, two, three. We have two session work, one session costs 60 lakh rupees (£69,000), two sessions 120 lakh rupees (£138,000).” The bookmakers also alleged that they are able to arrange for Australia’s Big Bash and Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 competitions to be fixed, as well as Zimbabwean cricket. Investigators also alleged that there are mafia links to the payment network used to remunerate players involved in fixing games.

In 2013 at a Sports & Betting conference organised by World Sports Law Report, one of the largest UK bookmakers, Ladbrokes, pointed out that it is one tenth the size of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), and the HKJC is one tenth the size of the illegal Chinese gambling market. Delegates heard how through the illegal market, between US$250 million and $1 billion is staked on the outcome of every IPL cricket match, and $2 billion on every India v. Pakistan cricket international.

Professor Laurent Vidal, the author of a December 2014 report, ‘Fighting Against the Manipulation of Sports Competitions’ compiled by the Intentional Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and the University of Sorbonne, estimated the size of the illegal industry at between $750 billion and $1 trillion. The gross gaming revenue (GGR) of the regulated sports betting market was estimated at $58 billion in 2012 and was forecast to reach $70 billion in 2016.

The two figures are not comparable, as GGR refers to the amount wagered minus the winnings returned to players, whereas Vidal was talking about the overall scale of the illegal market. Also, because of its unregulated nature, any figures regarding the illegal market are little more than an estimate. However the amounts shown above do provide an indication as to how a player’s head could be turned.