PCB draws up new player rules after ICC warning

LAHORE: Pakistan's cricket board said Monday it had drawn up a new players' code of conduct outlining stricter rules on corruption following sharp criticism from the sport's governing body. Pakistani cricket has been rocked by allegations of spot-fixing during the national team's recent tour of England. The team's tour of Australia in March was also marred by disciplinary problems and match-fixing allegations. The International Cricket Council (ICC) last Wednesday told the PCB it must "uphold a zero tolerance attitude to corruption in sport" and ensure players' integrity. It said Pakistan must prove progress is being made within 30 days, or risk sanctions. Team manager Intikhab Alam said the new code of conduct was a first step towards fulfilling the ICC's recommendations. He said the new code would help the board in dealing with disciplinary and corruption problems. Spot-fixing allegations by a British newspaper tabloid in London this summer resulted in two separate inquiries. The ICC ruled there was no evidence of spot-fixing in the third one-day international between Pakistan and England last month but another inquiry, relating to the Lord's Test against England in August, is pending. Three players, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, were provisionally suspended by the ICC after it was alleged they took money from a book-maker to deliberately bowl no-balls in the Test. The trio appealed against the suspension and face an ICC hearing in Doha, Qatar on October 30 and 31. Intikhab Alam, who was replaced as coach after the team's problem-hit tour of Australia in March, took over as manager earlier this month. He revealed few details of the new code, but said it involved stricter rules of behaviour and that players would be barred from addressing media directly. Intikhab said players had also been briefed about their responsibilities in a 90-minute lecture at a training camp in Lahore.. The PCB will also implement strict rules in domestic matches by which players will not be allowed to use mobile phones and unauthorised people will be barred from players' dressing rooms, said Alam. He added the new code would be given to players in the next couple of days. "The players are required to sign the document before we leave to play against South Africa," said Alam of the series against South Africa starting in the United Arab Emirates from October 26. Pakistan play two Twenty20, five One-day Internationals and two Tests on the tour.