The show must go on amid spot-fix row, insists Strauss
ENGLAND captain Andrew Strauss has dismissed calls to abandon the one-day series with Pakistan, insisting the show must go on amid allegations of spot-fixing.
Renewed claims of corruption during Friday’s third one-dayer at The Oval are currently being investigated by cricket chiefs, while police continue to probe allegations from the final Test at Lord’s, which led to three Pakistan players being suspended.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan is one of those who believes the final two matches of the series, starting with the fourth ODI at Lord’s today, should be cancelled while the investigation takes place.
“It would be the right thing for the game,” Vaughan said. “I know the allegations have yet to be proved but there are so many flying around and it’s damaging the game.”
But although Strauss admitted he “totally understood” the standpoint, the England skipper believes the remaining games should go ahead.
“It’s a hard thing to stop a series when we don’t know how credible the evidence is,” Strauss said. “I think we’ve got used to putting that to one side now. I think we’ve got used to focusing on the cricket side of things now. Clearly if the ICC had hard evidence of what was taking place then we would change our views.”
Indeed, Strauss and England have already moved forward in their preparation by recalling Ian Bell to the squad for the last two matches.
Bell broke his foot in the series against Bangladesh in July but scored a brilliant, match-winning 107 from 95 balls to help Warwickshire win the Clydesdale Bank 40 trophy at Lord’s on Saturday.