Gag order for Australia curators to prevent fixing at World Cup

Australia's ground curators have been gagged as cricket authorities to clamp down any possibilities of match-fixing during the 50-overs World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next month.

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald,"Curators from around the country were flown to a meeting in New Zealand and told that under strengthening anti-corruption measures they are no longer permitted to provide detailed information about their pitches before matches.

"They will still be able to talk in general terms, but have been instructed not to offer specifics, such as delving into whether they would advise batting or bowling first or their beliefs on who the pitch might favour."

The newspaper further adds,"Curators at the main grounds have become characters in their own right over the years. Before the first Test of each summer at the Gabba, for instance, Kevin Mitchell jnr and snr have been probed for their wisdom on the wicket they have cultivated and sought out by captains seeking advice on how the pitch will play."

With the World Cup in mind, the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Australian Federal Police allowing information to be shared between the governing body's anti-corruption unit and the secretive agency.

A similar arrangement is, reports in New Zealand say, is to be in place with police across the ditch, where there are six of the 14 World Cup venues. There is expected to be a strong focus on so-called "pitchsiders" attempting to take advantage of slight delays in the broadcast of games overseas by transmitting play-by-play data from their seats.

Image: A groundsmen works on the wicket at WACA in Perth, Australia.

Photograph: Will Russell/Getty Images