CRICKET chiefs launched a probe today after The Sun handed over a bombshell dossier on attempts to fix the Third Ashes Test.
Two bookies offered to sell us details of rigged periods of play which could be bet on to win millions of pounds.
They asked for up to £140,000 to “spot fix” markets such as the exact amount of runs scored in an over.
The Indian Mr Big said: “Before match. I will tell you this over, this runs and then you have to put all the bets on that over.”
Asked if it was a good source he said: “Absolutely correct information.”
The pair said corrupt players “signal” the fix is on by making a subtle gesture on the field, such as changing their gloves.
Spotters in the crowd then tell bookies who quickly bet millions into the underground Indian market.
The pair reeled off players they say work as their “puppets”.
They also claimed to be working with a fixer in Australian cricket known as The Silent Man.
He is said to work with former and current internationals including a World Cup-winning all-rounder.
No current England stars were named as involved.
The International Cricket Council said our revelations were of “grave concern”, adding: “We take all allegations of corruption seriously and welcome The Sun’s offer to share this information.”
Cricket corruption expert Ed Hawkins added: “This is potentially disastrous for the game. The Ashes is one of the pillars of cricket.”
The Mr Big, ex-state cricketer Sobers Joban, and partner Priyank Saxena, a tobacco businessman and bookmaker, were secretly filmed at hotels in Dubai and Delhi in our four-month investigation.
The Third Ashes Test started overnight in Perth, Australia, and is due to last five days.
Joban said he could get players to follow “scripts” — such how many runs would be scored in a session, or an innings, when a wicket will fall and what a team would do if it won the toss.
He said: “I will give you work in Ashes Test. 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).
“If you are interested Priyank will talk to the Silent Man. If you want to go with him alright, but you will not sit in meeting. I don’t know what he give, script or session.
“Right now if I tell you he want one crore (£116,000), he might want five crores (£580,000).”
Asked if the offer was confirmed, Saxena, replied: “One thousand per cent”.
Later in two recorded calls, Saxena said he had spoken to The Silent Man and a fix attempt was due in the middle of the Ashes.
He said: “I have sent the email (to Australia) and am waiting for a reply. When I am sure everything is confirmed then I will pass it on.
“I have to go to Australia with someone. I’ll meet the Man, he will tell me the script and the rate.”
Last week in another call, Joban confirmed the fix attempt was on.
He said: “You have to give advance money in India. ***** will tell you each and everything, how to put on bet. I will give you exact figure, like 10 overs, 35 runs.”
In a call this week Joban said details would be passed on after the toss “maybe on day one or two”.
He added: “The Australian bookmakers will buy this match so it will be perfect, perfect news.”
Experts believe the Perth Test is a target for Indian fixers as the time difference to Delhi is 2½ hours — making high speed telephone betting trades easier.
The bookies also bragged they can corrupt games in lucrative Twenty20 leagues such as Australia’s Big Bash and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
They urged our investigators, who posed as financiers for underworld London bookies, to pour millions into a new Zimbabwean league where matches would be fixed.
Joban said his gang often don’t arrange fixes on the first and last matches of series to avoid suspicion.
He boasted he had carried out 17 to 18 fixes with two IPL teams.
He said the tournament, and India’s illegal betting market — valued at £1billion, had opened up the possibility of corrupting stars.
He said: “The players have their own bookies and agents, this IPL teach the world about fixing and money.”
Over ten years he claimed to have made “a lot of contacts” with South African, Australian and Pakistani players, who wanted “money guaranteed” and “security”.
Joban alleged one Test player had been paid £175,000 to bowl a wide to manipulate the run rate in a Twenty20 game.
Another batsman was said to have earned bookies a fortune by losing his wicket on the sixth ball of an over.
Speaking of the players’ gestures Joban said: “They are well signalled in advance. In every IPL match the signals are purposely not shown on the live broadcasts.
“I give you a red watch, you wear a red watch.
“In the IPL five t-shirts will be the full size, five will be half sleeves. A player bowls the over in full t-shirt, that is the signal.
“A wide, running in and stopping without bowling, so many signals.”
Once a signal is called in by a spotter, Joban said bookies have two to three minutes to get bets on.
He said: “Phone line is connected and you just call the bets. You sit in twos and threes and fours.”
Crooked players are paid by hawala, a system which operates outside of regular banking.
Our reporters were told hawala agents in South Africa received funds on behalf of players there.
Mafia syndicate D Company is one of the biggest controllers of such transfers and has been linked to corruption in cricket.
Cricket expert Mr Hawkins said of our investigation: “It’s absolutely bombshell stuff that we are talking about The Ashes in this context. People didn’t think series as big as that would be affected by bookies.”
An ICC spokesman said: “These are serious allegations and of grave concern. Our anti-corruption unit will continue working to uphold integrity in cricket focusing on education, prevention and disruption of any attempts to corrupt, including in relation to the third Test in Australia.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/51339...i-million-pound-plot-to-rig-third-ashes-test/
Two bookies offered to sell us details of rigged periods of play which could be bet on to win millions of pounds.
Fixers Sobers Joban, left, and Priyank Saxena asked for up to £140,000 to “spot fix” markets
They asked for up to £140,000 to “spot fix” markets such as the exact amount of runs scored in an over.
The Indian Mr Big said: “Before match. I will tell you this over, this runs and then you have to put all the bets on that over.”
Asked if it was a good source he said: “Absolutely correct information.”
The pair said corrupt players “signal” the fix is on by making a subtle gesture on the field, such as changing their gloves.
Spotters in the crowd then tell bookies who quickly bet millions into the underground Indian market.
The pair reeled off players they say work as their “puppets”.
They also claimed to be working with a fixer in Australian cricket known as The Silent Man.
He is said to work with former and current internationals including a World Cup-winning all-rounder.
Fixer A - SOBERS JOBAN
Joban is a former Indian state cricketer who boasted how he is the man tasked as the go-between to crooked players.
Joban, 31, told how he once played alongside current Indian skipper Virat Kohli for Delhi’s team.
He said he had been involved in arranging fixes for 10 years with bookmaker Priyank Saxena.
He boasted of connections to top players and told how he had to look “clean” to protect himself.
Joban has a house in Vasant Vihar – the swanky, diplomatic area of Delhi – and is engaged to a Russian martial arts specialist.
His social media profiles show off a lavish lifestyle in which he is often travelling around the globe on expensive holidays.
No current England stars were named as involved.
The International Cricket Council said our revelations were of “grave concern”, adding: “We take all allegations of corruption seriously and welcome The Sun’s offer to share this information.”
Cricket corruption expert Ed Hawkins added: “This is potentially disastrous for the game. The Ashes is one of the pillars of cricket.”
The Mr Big, ex-state cricketer Sobers Joban, and partner Priyank Saxena, a tobacco businessman and bookmaker, were secretly filmed at hotels in Dubai and Delhi in our four-month investigation.
Fixer B - PRIYANK SAXENA
BOOKMAKER and businessman Priyank Saxena was described by his partner Sobers as a tobacco and spice tycoon with business interests in South Africa.
The low-key bookmaker from Delhi is said to be the leading mind behind the operation working hand-in-hand with corrupt cricketers.
His partner Sobers Joban told our reporters he was an illegal bookmaker running an operation in south Delhi.
The Third Ashes Test started overnight in Perth, Australia, and is due to last five days.
Joban said he could get players to follow “scripts” — such how many runs would be scored in a session, or an innings, when a wicket will fall and what a team would do if it won the toss.
He said: “I will give you work in Ashes Test. 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).
“If you are interested Priyank will talk to the Silent Man. If you want to go with him alright, but you will not sit in meeting. I don’t know what he give, script or session.
“Right now if I tell you he want one crore (£116,000), he might want five crores (£580,000).”
Asked if the offer was confirmed, Saxena, replied: “One thousand per cent”.
Later in two recorded calls, Saxena said he had spoken to The Silent Man and a fix attempt was due in the middle of the Ashes.
He said: “I have sent the email (to Australia) and am waiting for a reply. When I am sure everything is confirmed then I will pass it on.
“I have to go to Australia with someone. I’ll meet the Man, he will tell me the script and the rate.”
Last week in another call, Joban confirmed the fix attempt was on.
He said: “You have to give advance money in India. ***** will tell you each and everything, how to put on bet. I will give you exact figure, like 10 overs, 35 runs.”
In a call this week Joban said details would be passed on after the toss “maybe on day one or two”.
He added: “The Australian bookmakers will buy this match so it will be perfect, perfect news.”
Experts believe the Perth Test is a target for Indian fixers as the time difference to Delhi is 2½ hours — making high speed telephone betting trades easier.
The bookies also bragged they can corrupt games in lucrative Twenty20 leagues such as Australia’s Big Bash and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
They urged our investigators, who posed as financiers for underworld London bookies, to pour millions into a new Zimbabwean league where matches would be fixed.
Joban said his gang often don’t arrange fixes on the first and last matches of series to avoid suspicion.
He boasted he had carried out 17 to 18 fixes with two IPL teams.
He said the tournament, and India’s illegal betting market — valued at £1billion, had opened up the possibility of corrupting stars.
He said: “The players have their own bookies and agents, this IPL teach the world about fixing and money.”
Over ten years he claimed to have made “a lot of contacts” with South African, Australian and Pakistani players, who wanted “money guaranteed” and “security”.
Joban alleged one Test player had been paid £175,000 to bowl a wide to manipulate the run rate in a Twenty20 game.
Another batsman was said to have earned bookies a fortune by losing his wicket on the sixth ball of an over.
Speaking of the players’ gestures Joban said: “They are well signalled in advance. In every IPL match the signals are purposely not shown on the live broadcasts.
“I give you a red watch, you wear a red watch.
“In the IPL five t-shirts will be the full size, five will be half sleeves. A player bowls the over in full t-shirt, that is the signal.
“A wide, running in and stopping without bowling, so many signals.”
Once a signal is called in by a spotter, Joban said bookies have two to three minutes to get bets on.
He said: “Phone line is connected and you just call the bets. You sit in twos and threes and fours.”
Crooked players are paid by hawala, a system which operates outside of regular banking.
Our reporters were told hawala agents in South Africa received funds on behalf of players there.
Mafia syndicate D Company is one of the biggest controllers of such transfers and has been linked to corruption in cricket.
Cricket expert Mr Hawkins said of our investigation: “It’s absolutely bombshell stuff that we are talking about The Ashes in this context. People didn’t think series as big as that would be affected by bookies.”
An ICC spokesman said: “These are serious allegations and of grave concern. Our anti-corruption unit will continue working to uphold integrity in cricket focusing on education, prevention and disruption of any attempts to corrupt, including in relation to the third Test in Australia.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/51339...i-million-pound-plot-to-rig-third-ashes-test/
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