Former England captain Mike Brearley has said that cricket might be confronted by its own Lance Armstrong moment given the increasing levels of corruption in the game.
Brearley, who played 39 Tests and was captain in 31, is chairman of the World Cricket Committee, a think-tank of eminent former players who advise the International Cricket Council (ICC) on a wide range of issues.
According to News.com.au, the spectre of Armstrong, the legendary road cyclist who was exposed as not only a serial drug cheat himself but a malign influence on many others within that sport, makes Brearley admit that he fears that there is a bigger scandal in the game than has been revealed so far.
Stating that the supposed scandal could involve some very top players or be a systematic form of cheating, Brearley said that he is suspicious about things that go on in the game, adding that players nearing the end of their careers or players who are T20 specialists might want to make more money using illegal means.
Brearley lamented the fact that not enough done in this matter, adding that some countries hardly have an anti-corruption unit and some are a bit perfunctory in the way they operate.
Stating that there is a danger with the T20 leagues having owners who have nothing to do with cricket like actors or industrialists, Brearley also said that if such people get into financial difficulties, they may be tempted into making money in a corrupt manner, adding that investigating the owners is as important as keeping an eye on the players.
