Cricket World Cup: Cricket is Still Corrupt, Says Shell-shocked Vaughan

With rumour and conjecture still rife in the Caribbean after the murder of Bob Woolmer, Michael Vaughan yesterday suggested that the game, which has made stringent efforts to clean up its act following the match-fixing scandals of the last decade, is still blighted by corruption.

Speaking here on the eve of England's vital Group C match against Kenya, a game that his side must win to make the next stage of the World Cup, the England captain said that while he had no direct evidence or experience of malpractice, his "gut feeling" was that there was still corruption.

"I am aware of all the speculation surrounding Bob's death," he said, "and I am not aware of any talk of match-fixing. Personally, there have never been any incidents or [have I] been involved in any conversations regarding fixing a game. I have never been approached and hope to God I never will because we don't want to see any of that in the game of cricket."

Vaughan was part of the England side that forced a win in the final Test of the 2000 series in South Africa, a game that was subsequently to condemn the home captain, Hansie Cronje, as corrupt.

"I played then," Vaughan said, "but even then I was just a young bloke playing a game and I never thought anything untoward was happening."

In the aftermath of that series and the life bans placed on the Pakistan batsman Salim Malik and India's Mohammad Azharuddin, the formation by the International Cricket Council of the anti-corruption and security unit, headed by Lord Condon, was believed to have kept a lid on widespread corruption.

Now, however, Vaughan wonders whether it has been eradicated totally. "Do I think the problem persists? That is a hard question," he said, "and if I'm honest I have to say yes, maybe it does go on. I have never experienced it within any of my teams or with any player I've played with or against but my gut feeling is that there is still something going on in the game. Nothing specific but just bad things that I've seen with certain passages of play or games that look slightly unusual. My gut feeling, and this is a huge statement I know, is that it is very hard to clear the whole world of cricket of it."

However, Vaughan was adamant that the World Cup should continue despite Woolmer's death and that he had no concerns about the security of his team.

"I think it should go ahead," he said. "These have been incredible circumstances over the last five days and now we have to make it a good World Cup. I hope it goes on to be an unbelievable tournament with great games and a great spectacle, with the best team winning.

"Everyone will remember it for one reason and rightfully so, but as players we have to go out and put it to the back of our minds. Regarding security we have always been happy with ours. There has been enormous help from the local government and police in St Vincent and St Lucia and I have been really happy with the way we have been looked after. We haven't felt threatened at all and we certainly don't feel we will be. I am sure the security will be upped because of this huge incident but we don't feel threatened."

There were calls yesterday for the tournament to be abandoned. Allan Donald, the former Test fast bowler who was a close friend of Woolmer when Woolmer was coach of South Africa, said: "I just don't know how this World Cup can continue under the shadow of what has happened. My personal opinion would have been to stop but, knowing Bob, he would've wanted this to go ahead.

"I think [the ICC chief executive] Malcolm Speed had said everyone should stay strong in this moment of darkness. I think everyone will continue this World Cup but, at the back of their minds, know that a tragedy took place and World Cup 2007 will forever be remembered for this."

Donald, who learned of Woolmer's death from his widow, Gill, said he felt "pretty sick" at the news Woolmer had been murdered. "I just can't believe that people can go to these lengths about a game of cricket," he said.

Friends and family of Woolmer have set up a trust fund to help finance a cricket academy in South Africa. The Bob Woolmer Trust Fund will also help provide financial security for his widow, Gill, and sons, Dale and Russell, a statement said yesterday. At the time of his death, Woolmer and the former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes were working to set up a coaching academy in the northern city of Nelspruit which is due to open next year.

"This [academy] will bring together his vast knowledge and experience in one place where the 'Bob Woolmer Philosophy' will be passed on to cricketers and coaches - local and international - from beginner to professional," the statement said. It said the academy's coaching philosophy would be based on a 600-page coaching manual written by Woolmer and Tim Noakes, a sports science professor at Cape Town University.


Under the microscope: How Pakistan lost their wickets against Ireland


Mohammad Hafeez c NJ O'Brien b Langford-Smith 4

Thin snick behind, Langford-Smith bowling short of a length, moving it away in the air at about 75mph

Younis Khan c Botha b Rankin 0

After a couple of overs playing and missing, finally caught at first slip, fencing at a ball on off stump from just short of a length

Mohammad Yousuf c Porterfield b Johnston 15

Playing well, two cover drives hit the boundary board. He tries a third, a lazy shot hit straight at point, caught in front of his face

Inzamam-ul-Haq c Morgan b Botha 1

Caught at slip, a forward prod with front leg braced, in the middle of an impressive spell of medium-pace inswing bowling from Botha

Imran Nazir c Morgan b Botha 24

Caught at first slip prodding on a unpredictable surface covered in grass, after being tied down from the start of the innings

Shoaib Malik c NJ O'Brien b KJ O'Brien 9

Another snick behind off O'Brien's third ball of medium-quick away swing. Malik spent a long time fighting the pitch

Azhar Mahmood c Johnston b Rankin 2

Quick rising ball on him before in position to pull. The bounce catching him out, it comes high off the bat to lob a catch to Johnston at midwicket

Kamran Akmal c Johnston b Rankin 27

Delivery from Rankin spat off the wicket. Too short to pull, he top-edged to Johnston who took a catch over his left shoulder at mid-wicket

Mohammad Sami c Bray b McCallan 12

Caught trying to slog the off-spinner to deep mid-off

Umar Gul c sub (JF Mooney) b McCallan 1

Typical No 11's big heave to deep midwicket, caught in front of the scoreboard off the spinner