Ponting calls for action on corruption

Ricky Ponting has called for swift action on the sport’s corruption crisis, but is confident it does not extend to Australia.

The former Australian captain said match-fixing and other rumours had circulated for years and now former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent is facing several charges.

But Ponting doubts Australian players are involved.

“I have no worries at all,” he told AAP.

“Certainly anyone that I’ve played with in Australian or Tasmanian teams, I can’t see how it will impact on any of us – who I know, anyway.”

Ponting said Australian players were well-educated about the corruption issue and does not think they are so vulnerable.

“Probably where we’re a bit different to the other countries … is we’re very well-paid in Australia for what we do,” he said.

“It seems to me, a lot of the targets, if you like, are guys who probably haven’t been paid that well during their careers.”‘

Ponting also called on the ICC and cricket’s national bodies to act swiftly if allegations could be proved.

“The sooner the governing bodies can get to the bottom of these issues and actually start making an example of some of the people they know are in the wrong and they know are guilty, the better off were all going to be,” Ponting told SEN.

Ponting retired from all forms of cricket late last year and is now heavily involved in sports management.

His latest venture is a director of NSR Australia, a scouting company that helps young athletes find places in the American college system.

But Ponting keeps an eye on cricket and is rapt that Rod Marsh is the new chairman of the national selection panel.

Marsh was a crucial figure in Ponting’s early development as a player.

“For a long time … Rod Marsh was someone who was lost to Australian cricket,” Ponting said.

“We can’t afford to be losing people like that to the game in Australia.

“I’m rapt for him – I’m rapt for that relationship between Michael Clarke, Darren Lehmann and Rod Marsh, what bearing it will have on Australian cricket.

“Cricket all of a sudden – six months ago it looked doom and gloom, all of a sudden we’re talking very positively.”

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