Match-fixing chat aired accidentally

During what was described as `a general discussion,’ the two commentators talked about allegations of corruption involving players in India and Pakistan.

The commentators mentioned the Indian player’s name but right through the conversation did not recall that the former Chief Justice of India, YV Chandrachud, had recently found no substance in allegations of betting and match-fixing in Indian cricket.

The paper carried excerpts of the discussion whichincluded following comments by the two commentators:

Roebuck: It’s a murky world, Tim.

Lane: What ?..

Roebuck: Also needs to be… Have his (a senior Indian player) name cleared. It’d be a very good thing if there was a proper investigation of all these matters in both countries.

Lane: Jeez.

Roebuck: Interesting, isn’t it?

Lane: Mmm.

Roebuck: Thousand rumours. But they….You must have proper police investigations. The whole bloody trouble with all of these things in the first place is there’s been no proper police investigations. There’s just one now in Pakistan.

Lane: Yeah, yeah, plainly. I heard a referee who was in Australia recently was questioning an umpire… An umpire’s integrity. Won’t name him into the microphone.

Roebuck: No, no quite.

It was at this stage that the commentators realised they had been on AIR. Another ABC commentator Jim Maxwell later issued a statement of apology on AIR, blaming a `communicationsbreakdown,’ the paper said.

When asked if ABC expected legal action over the mishap, an ABC source told The Sun Herald paper, “I hope it doesn’t cost us a few rupees.”