Stars named in scandal

Betting on cricket, despite being illegal throughout the Indian subcontinent, has an estimated turnover of £6 billion. Most transactions are carried out by telephone, with no records kept on paper, and are centred on Bombay.

Match-fixing allegations were first raised following Australia's tour of Pakistan in 1994-95. Australians Shane Warne, Mark Waugh and Tim May alleged the then Pakistan captain Salim Malik offered them bribes to throw test matches.

Warne and Waugh were fined for giving pitch and weather information to a bookmaker in return for money during a tour of Sri Lanka. Australia kept the punishments secret until 1998.

Disgraced former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje finally admitted he had received money from an Indian bookmaker after rumours began in April. Two other players were later implicated and banned for six months.

Allegations also surfaced that Cronje took money to engineer a positive result for England in the rain-hit Test at Centurion Park last winter.

Ali Bacher, SA cricket chief, claimed matches in the 1999 World Cup in England were fixed. Suspicion has fallen on India's win over Pakistan and Bangladesh's victory against Pakistan. Bacher also highlighted England's series winning victory over South Africa at Headingley in 1998.