John (bookmaker)

John, also known as "John the bookmaker", is the name attributed to an Indian bookmaker who offered money to Australian cricket team players Mark Waugh and Shane Warne in 1994-1995 in return for pitch and weather information from the two cricketers. This was one of the most publicised of a series of betting controversies in cricket in the 1990s and 2000s.

During the Singer World Series tournament in Sri Lanka in September 1994 involving India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia,Knight, p. 183.] Waugh was approached at the team hotel in Colombo by an Indian man who called himself "John". The man gave no surname and said that he was a bookmaker and wanted Waugh to provide general pitch and weather information as well as insider team information such as tactics and selections, in return for US$4000.cite web
title = ACB Player Conduct Inquiry Report
url = http://www.icc-cricket.com/corruption/ACB_PLAYER_CONDUCT_INQUIRY_REPORT.html
accessdate = 2006-11-09] Knight, p. 184.] Waugh accepted the money, but he refused to divulge inside team information.Knight, p. 184.] The arrangement was in place until the end of the 1994/95 Australian summer. In later years, Waugh said that at the time he did not see anything wrong with what he had done, reasoning that the agreement was similar to a player talking about their form and playing conditions in a pre-match media interview.Knight, p. 185.]

Waugh also agreed to introduce "John" to Shane Warne. The meeting occurred at a Colombo casino near the team hotel. "John" introduced himself to Warne as a person who betted on cricket matches, and eventually Warne accepted a US$5000 gift, with "no strings attached", following Warne's gambling lossesKnight, p. 186.] Warne had initially rejected a monetary gift, but accepted the offer. Warne wrote in his autobiography that "John" told him that he was a wealthy man and the payment was a token of appreciation because he had made money by betting on an Australian victory in the past.

The two players kept in contact with him throughout the 1994–95 Australian summer, when England toured for five Tests. Warne spoke with "John" three times during the season. Waugh continued to deliver pitch and weather conditions.Kngiht, p. 203.]

An inquiry conducted by Rob O'Regan QC in late 1998 and early 1999 concluded that:

The contacts that Waugh and Warne had with "John" were not discussed among the Australians as a team, with coach Bob Simpson later saying that he was unaware, saying that his anti-betting attitude would have deterred any players from discussing their involvement in such matters with him.

In early 1995, glimpses of information about the world of cricket betting and match-fixing began to make the news. Phil Wilkins of the "Sydney Morning Herald" reported that an unnamed Pakistani player had attempted to bribe Tim May, Warne and Waugh during Australia's tour of the country in late 1994, immediately after the Singer Trophy.Knight, p. 203.] The player was later named to be Salim Malik.Knight, p. 204.]

At the same time, Australian Cricket Board officials were told by journalists about speculation that an Australian players had been having financial dealings with bookmakers. After a private investigation was opened by team manager Ian McDonald, Waugh and Warne wrote unsigned handwritten statements on February 20, 1995 acknowledging their involvement. The statements were faxed and sent to Graham Halbish, the CEO of the ACB. Warne and Waugh were called to Sydney for an interview with ACB chairman Alan Crompton at the team hotel, with the Australians preparing to depart for a tour of the West Indies. The pair admitted their involvement with the bookmaker and were fined A$10000 and A$8000 respectively, with the report compiled by the ACB privately forwarded to its directors and the International Cricket Council. Initially, Simpson was not informed, and when he found out, he was angry that the ACB did not trust him and therefore did not tell him what his players had done.Knight, p. 205.]

A subsequent report in 1998 by Rob O'Regan QC described the fines as "inadequate" and suggested that a "suspension for a significant time" was more appropriate.cite news
title = Findings of the O'Regan Player Conduct Inquiry
url = http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/79308.html
date = February 24, 1999
accessdate = 2006-11-09]

Aftermath

In December 1998, prior to the Third Test between Australia and England at the Adelaide Oval, the journalist Malcolm Conn from "The Australian" was uncovering the story of "John", a report for which he was to win a Walkley Award for journalism. On December 8, three days before the start of the Test, Conn informed the CEO of the ACB, Malcolm Speed that he was going to reveal the details of a cover-up concerning the secret fines imposed on Waugh for his involvement with John. Conn was not aware that Warne was also involved. The ACB responded to this by pre-empting Conn and releasing a statement that two unnamed players had been fined in 1994–95 for having financial dealings with bookmakers. Later in the evening, Test cricketer turned sports broadcaster David Hookes named Waugh and Warne on Melbourne radio station 3AW. The next day, Conn's story was released.Knight, p. 276.]

On the morning of the publication of Conn's article, the managers of Warne and Waugh organised a media conference in the morning after Australia's training session. Both players fronted a packed room of media and read prepared statements. Both said they had been "naive and stupid".Piesse, p. 178.]

Waugh concluded:

quote|I regret them entirely and wish to restate in the strongest possible manner that I have always given my best for my country in every match I have played and I believe my record, particularly in the last three years, fully supports this statement.
I must emphasise that I have never been involved in match-fixing or bribery on cricket matches in any stage of my career.Knight, p. 277.]

Such was the media attention that when Waugh attempted to relax with a round of golf at a local course, media helicopters flew overhead.

The players were widely condemned by the media and public, with Prime Minister John Howard stating that he felt an "intense feeling of disappointment" and former player Neil Harvey calling for bans. Salim Malik, whom Warne and Waugh had accused of attempting to bribe them, said that he was delighted. On the preceding tour of Pakistan, Waugh had appeared before a Pakistan Cricket Board judicial inquiry in Lahore to present his claims against Malik;Fact|date=July 2008 the inquiry questioned the players credibility and asked them to return to Pakistan to represent their accounts of the vents.

Among the sports community, the players were given strong support. Tmay, the President of the Australian Cricketers' Association, and co-accuser against Mailk,Fact|date=July 2008 pledged his organistion's support for "outstanding servants of Australian cricket". Waugh received similar statements of support from sports commentators.Knight, p. 278.]

However, the media and public opinion of general society was much more hostile. Many newspaper editorials and letters to the editor attacked the players. The editorial of "The Australian" stated "Waugh and Warne said yesterday they had been naïve and stupid. Pit the emphasis on the second adjective—and add greedy." Many readers called for the players to be banned from playing for Australia and for the sacking of the ACB officials who had kept the matter secret. [Knight, pp. 278–279.]

Waugh was widely jeered by the crowd when he walked out to bat on the first day of the Test, in the wake of the scandal, and made an unconvincing performance in what he described as the toughest day of his career. Waugh managed only seven runs in 36 minutes before being removed by Peter Such, caught and bowled. [Knight, p. 279.] Peter Roebuck opined that it was the worse crowd reception for an Australian player that he could remember. [Piesse, p. 182.]

Following the public outcry over the suppression of the incident, the ACB appointed Rob O'Regan to head up a Player Conduct Inquiry. O'Regan released his report in February 1999 and the ICC announced that no further action would be taken against Waugh and Warne as they could not be tried twice for the same offence [Knight, p. 287.]

ee also

*Betting controversies in cricket

References