Solving match-fixing is going to be a 
                   long process: Malcolm Gray

International Cricket Council president Malcolm Gray has taken over 
the reins of international cricket at a time when the game is embroiled
in match-fixing and bribery scandals. In Nairobi, one more controversy 
added to ICC’s cup of woes when Darrell Hair was removed from 
officiating the Sri Lanka-Pakistan match at the Nairobi Gymkhana on 
Sunday. The ICC had clearly acted on a protest from the Board of 
Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, but its bosses attributed this Hair 
episode to administrative glitches. Gray, who took over from Jagmohan 
Dalmiya as ICC chief this year, faces one of the toughest times in 
cricket administration. Amidst a busy schedule, he managed to speak to 
Soumitra Bose on several issues. 

How would you explain the controversy surrounding Darrell Hair’s 
removal from the Sri Lanka-Pakistan match? 

It certainly was a hiccup on part of the ICC. The ICC had some months
ago had drawn up an initial list of umpires. This ICC tournament 
(in Nairobi) is a knockout tournament and hence we didn’t know who 
will whom. At the point of finalisation of the list, we noticed that 
there were a couple of things that were wrong. We even had an English
umpire standing in an England match. When Sri Lanka spoke to us, we 
gave them no assurance and we only made sure that every body was 
comfortable in the tournament. 

It is understood that the ICC decision on Darrel Hair will also 
be effective in future Sri Lanka matches? 

 We haven’t heard anything like that. 

Don’t you feel the ICC decision will hurt Hair’s pride as an 
umpire. He must have felt victimized? 
 
I don’t know if he felt victimized. You will have to ask him that. 
But when I arrived here, I had a good discussion with Darrel and he
was quite happy and relaxed. 

What is the ICC update on the match-fixing issue? 
You haven’t been able to control if very much. 
 
Yes, certainly the ICC hasn’t been able to do much, but solving the 
match-fixing issue is going to be a long process. It’s not going to 
be solved overnight. We have employed people to look into the affair 
and they are doing their work. Plus investigations are on in South 
Africa, India and wherever. I am sure there will be developments as 
time goes on. It’s necessary to clean up the game, but it’s not going
to be easy with so much of money involved in the sport.