Underhand: Extra cover in Mumbai

The India-West Indies test series begins at the Wankhede Stadium here tomorrow, and it does so under an unprecedented blanket of security. T...

The India-West Indies test series begins at the Wankhede Stadium here tomorrow, and it does so under an unprecedented blanket of security. This has nothing to with Sachin Tendulkar, playing his 101st Test in his backyard, and everything to do with match-fixing, or fears of it.

Fears that have prompted the International Cricket Council ICC to unleash a gamut of security measures, including a hotline for spectators who have tip-offs about any betting activity.

Similar arrangements were made at the Champions Trophy in Colombo but there are some innovations.

The most visible is a four-page 8216;educational8217; brochure, in English and Hindi, to be circulated among spectators and players. The document, with a eye-catching cover featuring a picture of the late Hansie Cronje, has comments from the game8217;s greats and ICC officials, including one from Cronje8217;s successor Shaun Pollock: 8216;8216;They were great players. It was very sad to see their image destroyed8217;8217;.

The brochure also offers some tips to players to elude the 8216;vicious circle of fixers8217;, and appeals to those keen on helping ICC8217;s Anti-Corruption Unit curb malpractices.

Other innovations:

8226; CCTVs deployed to screen movement outside dressing rooms

8226; Videographing of spectators in the stands, if the need arises

8226; Same arrangements at the Taj Mahal hotel, where both teams are staying

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Watching over all this 8212; and over the posse of dedicated security men 8212; will be the ICC8217;s representative NS Virk, who told The Indian Express that his job was to ensure there was no breach of law during the match from the players8217; side.

Will all these arrangements work? A senior police officer posted at the stadium ridiculed the whole exercise. 8216;8216;My long experience of policing tells me that crooks, cheats always find something or the other to execute their plans. It8217;s useless teaching them morality,8217;8217; he said.

Some others were willing to give the ICC the benefit of doubt. 8216;8216;I would like to read the brochure,8217;8217; said Vijay Damle, at the Wankhede to buy tickets for the Test. 8216;8216;It8217;s good to see the ICC doing some serious effort to stop match-fixing. Circulation of the document and other novel security methods will certaily help people know that everything is not lost in cricket.8217;8217;