Bookmaker links probed

Marlon Samuels to face hearing

Cricinfo staff

May 7, 2008

Marlon Samuels is expected to face a West Indies board (WICB) ethics and disciplinary committee on Friday to answer charges of inappropriate conduct relating to the investigation into his alleged connections with an Indian bookmaker.

Radio Jamaica reported that Samuels has hired the services of two top Jamaican lawyers - K. Churchill Neita and Delano Harris - to represent him. An internal WICB investigation into bribery allegations found enough evidence to charge him with misconduct.

The investigation was led by Jamaican attorney Derek Jones, after the ICC told the WICB to hold its own investigation into Samuels actions while West Indies were in India in January and February 2007, prior to the World Cup.

The ICC said the report from the anti corruption and security unit contained allegations that Samuels was involved with "inappropriate activity" and acted in a manner that "prejudicial to the interests of the game of cricket".

Phone conversations between Samuels and an alleged Indian bookmaker were taped by the Nagpur police ahead of the one-day international between India and West Indies on January 21. Samuels denied any wrongdoing and the WICB backed him pending the investigation.

The committee, chaired by Justice Adrian Saunders, also includes Richie Richardson and Courtney Walsh as player representatives.

Despite the hearing which hangs over his head, Samuels has been named in West Indies' 17-man training squad for the Australia series. The three players involved in the IPL - Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan - aren't included and neither is injured captain Chris Gayle.

Training squad Sulieman Benn, Patrick Browne, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Amit Jaggernauth, Runako Morton, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Brenton Parchment, William Perkins, Kieron Pollard, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor

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