West Indies board delays Samuels probe

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has delayed its probe into allrounder Marlon Samuels' alleged bookie connection, which was raised by the police on West Indies' tour of India in February 2007. Julian Hunte, the WICB president, has said that they cannot investigate the matter until they know the nature of the charge against Samuels.

The ICC had asked the WICB to investigate Samuels after receiving a report from its anti-corruption and security unit. The ICC said the report contained allegations that Samuels indulged in "inappropriate activity" and behaved in a manner that was "prejudicial to the interests of the game of cricket", and asked the WICB to submit the results of the investigation by January 31, 2008.

"What the WICB has done is to write to the ICC, asking them for a copy of the report, so that we will know what Samuels has been charged with," Hunte told the Jamaica Gleaner. "The WICB will await receipt of the report to enable it to determine how it proceeds to carry out an investigation, if any, in terms of the Samuels affair."

Hunte refused to comment on whether the investigation would hinder Samuels' chances of selection for the tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa later this year.

"I honestly do not know ... and this is the honest, possible truth. A lot depends on the selectors, a lot depends on when the investigation is started, and they are so many imponderables that it would be wrong for me to speculate," Hunte said. "What I can promise, whatever we put in place will be fair and transparent, and Samuels should have no fear."

On February 7, the Nagpur police had charged Samuels with sending team information to Mukesh Kochar, an alleged bookie, on the eve of the first one-dayer in Nagpur on January 21. At the time, Samuels defended himself and said he had known the man for many years and he was a family friend. The ICC allowed Samuels to take part in the World Cup and beyond, pending a final assessment.