Cricket is getting targeted by criminal elements: Dave Richardson

Bengaluru, May 31: Dave Richardson, the ICC CEO, admitted cricket is being targeted by corrupt elements and it will require "constant battle" to weed them out.

Richardson was speaking as the Al Jazeera documentary on spot fixing continued to make ripple effects in world cricket scenario. The matches in question were Australia's third Test against India at Ranchi in 2017 and the final Test between India and England at Chennai, and the documentary alleged that three England and two Australian players agreed to score at a rate specified by the fixers.

"Because we have hardened the target at the top level they (fixers) are now going to focus on junior levels of cricket or other avenues such as curators and groundsmen," Richardson said at a 2019 World Cup event in London. "We know what the problem is. It is going to be a constant battle. We can't let up. We'll be in it for the long term," he said.

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Among all the three forms of cricket, Richardson said, Test is the most vulnerable to fixing activities.

"It [Test] is as high a risk, but we've got the mitigating measures in place to make sure that it cannot have any impact. And, yes, it would be very surprising if international cricketers were able to be got to.

"And because that target has been hardened, these guys are now trying to create their own leagues, at a much lower level, and the danger is they will start going to domestic tournaments and leagues that are televised," said Richardson.

Richardson said he had watched the Al Jazeera documentary and got angered to see that "criminals" are "swanning around" cricket.

"We are obviously very much aware there are these types of individuals and types of criminal groups around world who are trying to get into cricket, trying to get hold of players, trying to get hold of groundsmen But it was reminder that these guys are at work and they are not going away and we've got our work cut out trying to disrupt them," he said.

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However, Richardson said there was no evidence to suggest that ICC's anti-corruption officials have been involved in such nefarious activities.

"At this stage there is no evidence to suggest that is the case, but one of the allegations that has been made and we will look at it," Richardson said.

"If your own officials, hired to do the job of protecting the integrity of cricket are compromised in any way obviously that is a concern. There is no evidence to suggest at this stage that is the case," he added.