Hansie small fish; Dalmiya in grip of mafia, sharks — Bindra

Calling Cronje a `hero’, whose admission could save the game, Bindra added, "If Dalmiya makes a `confession’ like Hansie did, he will be a greater hero.”

In a crowded press conferences, Bindra lashed out at the current cricket administration worldwide and called for total transparency. "Total transparency and willingness to expose oneself to accountability is the need of the hour for the (Indian) board officials and the same also applies to ICC officials.”

A bitter and clearly stressed-out Bindra went on to claim that virtually every player in every team was party to this malaise. He went on to make a sweeping statement, saying, "Every single match in cricket is fixed" and proceeded to name an ex-top official of the Board as also being involved.

Yet when it came to substantiating his charges, Bindra was found wanting, at least for now. He promised to come out with more details after the May 2-3meeting, which the International Cricket Council (ICC) is going to have in London.

He said he was willing to give details to “CBI, the government, Interpol or the Scotland Yard".

A visibly agitated Bindra said that whatever comments he had made recently on betting and match- fixing in Indian cricket were done in good faith.

Of late Bindra has alleged that in 1998, the then Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) secretary told him ahead of an India-New Zealand one-day game in Sharjah that it was fixed. He had also claimed he had once admonished some Indian players after he found that they had laid bets on a cricket match, but no action was taken despite his bringing the issue to the notice of BCCI.

Asked why he had not raised the issues when he was BCCI President – from 1993 to 1996 – Bindra claimed, "I raised the issues not once, but a number of times when I was bcci President. In fact some of the issues have not come to the surface," he said.

Clearly upset at not having been invited for the meeting in Calcutta, he said Tuesday’s meeting between BCCI and ICC in Calcutta was not a proper one. If it was a meeting of BCCI respresentatives, he should have been invited as Punjab unit President and if it was open to former BCCI Presidents – Raj Singh Dungarpur attended the meeting – he also should have been present.

Soon after the controversy broke a little less than two weeks ago, Bindra had told the media that he had reprimanded certain players for `malpractices’. Interestingly BCCI President A C Muthiah, during yesterday’s meeting, described Bindra’s recent statements as defamatory in nature.

When pointedly asked if cricket Board officials in India and abroad were involved, the former BCCI President retorted saying, "I am ready to take names, but the responsibility for a defamation will be yours.”

In a two-page release, Bindra said, "During my presidency of Indian Board… I did come to know that malpractices were on. I made my best efforts at every possible level to effectively arrest and check misdoing by players, officials and administrators who have today discredited the game and the boards.”

The statement added, "The credibility of the Boards of several countries are in mire and is slushed in total distrust for their failure to effectively curb the grievous violation of the rules of the noble and sacred game, sacrificing it at the alter of greed.”