ECB to include county staff in anti-corruption programme

London, Mar 1(ANI): The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to include off-field staff of 18 first-class counties in its anti-corruption programme.

Mervyn Westfield, the first county cricketer to be convicted for involvement in spot fixing, will be asked to educate other players about match-fixing.

Until now, only players and cricket support personnel such as coaches and physiotherapists, were required to sign up for the code. But now, the ECB has recognized that anyone working at the county club level might have information that could prove priceless to those seeking to fix matches.

Chris Watts, the operational executive of the ECB's anti-corruption unit, has now decided on including all county employees.

"I have already had meetings with county chief executives to tell them about my role and asking them for their support in delivering the anti-corruption initiative in their clubs in pre-season," The Telegraph quoted Watts, as saying.

"They are identifying their paid staff and deciding on a risk-based approach [as to] who should be prioritized for anti-corruption delivery," he added.

Watts said they have developed a deed of undertaking and would ask players along with officials to sign it.

"We have developed a deed of undertaking, which we are asking players and officials to sign up to. Players sign up to the code each year but officials at clubs are going to be invited to sign an agreement that they will abide by the anti-corruption code. We would like everyone to be asked to sign but we fully understand that at a big international venue that is difficult and it might be quite onerous," he added. (ANI)