New anti-corruption team set up to monitor domestic limited overs game
The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced the creation of a new seven-strong team of anti-corruption officials to monitor the vast majority of matches in this season's Friends Life t20 and CB40 competitions.
The new team, which will perform a similar role to that carried out by the ICC's Regional Security Managers for international cricket, will be deployed at both televised and non-televised limited overs matches from mid-June until the end of August.
Overseen by the ECB's dedicated anti-corruption official, Chris Watts, the team will be staffed by suitably skilled and experienced individuals with investigative and regulatory backgrounds.
Its creation follows the setting up by the ECB last year of the ACCESS Unit, an advisory body which seeks to protect cricket's integrity and enforce the sport's anti-corruption code.
ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: "ECB has been at the forefront of efforts to stamp out corruption in cricket and the creation of a dedicated team of officials to monitor our domestic limited overs competitions demonstrates our determination to protect the integrity of the sport.
"The team will be operative for a 10 week period beginning with the first round of matches in this summer's Friends Life t20 competition and ending with the final round of group matches in the CB40 competition.
"They will be a visible presence at matches and will act as a constant reminder to players, officials and club personnel of the need for constant vigilance with regard to this issue as we seek to identify, prevent and eradicate corrupt practises from our domestic game.
"Players from all 18 first-class counties have recently participated in anti-corruption tutorial sessions and we will continue to work closely with the Professional Cricketers' Association to enhance player education around this issue."
