Warne says public behind him in scandal
Posted: Wednesday December 30, 1998 06:48 PM
| |
Warne said the controversy had taken its toll but praised a "fully supportive" public AP |
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Legspinner Shane Warne said Wednesday he had the support of the Australian public as he prepared to testify before a Pakistan judicial inquiry into match fixing in cricket.
Warne will give evidence to the Pakistan commission in Melbourne on January 8 along with teammate Mark Waugh and former Australian team manager Alan Crompton.
The inquiry wants to interview Waugh and Warne after revelations of their involvement with an illegal Indian bookmaker during Australia's tour of Sri Lanka in 1994.
The pair were fined for providing pitch and weather information to the bookmaker by the Australian Cricket Board in February 1995 in action kept secret until three weeks ago.
Waugh and Warne then alleged they were offered bribes by former Pakistan captain Salim Malik during Australia's tour of Pakistan that followed Sri Lanka.
Warne said Wednesday the controversy had taken its toll but praised a "fully supportive" public.
"The last two or three weeks have been tough," he said after being recalled to the Australian side after an eight-month absence through shoulder injury.
"The public in Melbourne have been fantastic, when we [Victoria] went to the Sheffield Shield game in Sydney they were sensational."
The champion legspinner said he was happy to give evidence in public to the Pakistan inquiry.
"I'm happy to do whatever is required," he said. "When it actually happened in Pakistan we went straight to the people [team management] and told them what happened and that was four years ago.
"Nothing has changed since then, I'll be giving the same evidence as what I did four years ago. Let's just wait and see what the outcome is."
Warne was uncertain whether he and Waugh's involvement with the Indian bookmaker led to the alleged approach from Malik to throw a game.
"Hopefully that's something that can be worked out," Warne said.
He said he was surprised to learn a bloc of subcontinent cricket nations -- Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka -- want he and Waugh banned for life.
The nations will lobby to that effect at an International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in New Zealand on January 10-11.
"That was a bit out of leftfield," he said of reports detailing the call for life bans. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, people can say whatever they want. But I don't think that [life bans] will be happening."
Warne and Waugh will also be interviewed by an independent Australian inquiry about the bookmaker controversy.
The inquiry, headed by Rob O'Regan, was established by the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) and wants to interview all Australian players since 1992 and any former players with relevant information.
The O'Regan inquiry starts on January 12.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
