Players better educated against corruption: ICC

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC's chief executive, has questioned what evidence Steve Waugh has for his assertion that 56 players reported illegal approaches from bookmakers to the ICC in 2010.

"I'm not sure where Steve Waugh gets that figure from because we do not publish any such information," Lorgat told Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.

"In fact there's one individual in the anti-corruption and security unit that maintains such records and he does not even know the figure himself, simply because he had not compiled it. So I'm not sure where Steve Waugh gets that figure from."

Earlier this week Waugh revealed that substantially more cricketers were reporting illegal approaches compared to 2009, when only five players came forward. Waugh also suggested that players willingly submit to a polygraph test to prove their innocence, a proposal that was soundly criticised by FICA.

Lorgat did admit that more players were reporting approaches made to them but said that was down the ICC's program to educate the players on the dangers of match-fixing rather than an indication of a growing problem.

"What I can say is that we have substantially more players coming forward and reporting approaches made to them and I think that's a result of the education process, the awareness that we've created amongst all of the international players and that's a good thing.

"Who's to say there were not as many in years gone by that were not reported? The fact is players are far more conscious today. The vast majority certainly play the game in the right spirit and they have the integrity to play the game properly and they are coming forward and reporting such approaches so that's a good thing."