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Jones denies match-fixing allegations

Former Australian batsman Dean Jones has denied allegations made by former Pakistan player Sarfaraz Nawaz that he was forced to retire from cricket because he was involved in illegal betting.

Jones was responding to claims made by Sarfaraz, in sworn testimony to the Pakistan high court's inquiry into match fixing, now going on in Lahore.

When asked what otehr countries had done to players involved in betting, Sarfaraz told the committee, "In other cricket playing countries, if the players are found to be involved in match fixing and betting, they are made to retire or face the consequences. Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh were banned for six months, and Jones was made to retire."

In Sydney, Jones responded. "That is absolute rubbish, and any inquiry to the Australian Cricket Board will get you the same answer."

Lillee and Marsh had famously placed a winning bet at 500-1 on England, against their own team, in the Headingley Test in 1981. However, neither player was banned, nor did they become the subject of any disciplinary action.

Jones said that apart from rejecting an offer of $50,000 in Colombo in 1992, his involvement with illegal bookmakers has been "absolute zilch".

He was considering whether he could take legal action against Sarfaraz, Jones said.

Graham Halbish, chief executive of the ACB at the time of the 1994 match fixing allegations, said meanwhile that there was never any suggestion that Jones was involved in betting, barring the offer he received and declined in Sri Lanka.

UNI