Ashes series embroiled in match-fixing: report

The ICC has launched an investigation after officials visited the offices of London newspaper The Sun, which has published purported evidence of two bookmakers offering to sell details of rigged periods of play for betting purposes.

The report also alleges a former Australian player and an Australian cricket administrator, both not named for legal reasons, were involved in a plot to fix Big Bash League matches.

A Cricket Australia spokesman said on Thursday: "The allegations raised by media outlets are of serious concern. Cricket Australia takes a zero-tolerance approach against anybody trying to bring the game into disrepute. "Cricket Australia will cooperate fully with any ICC Anti-Corruption Unit investigation."

A spokesperson for the England and Wales Cricket Board said "ECB work closely with the ICC and their anti-corruption unit to protect the integrity of the international game. We are aware of these allegations and there is no suggestion that any of the England team is involved in any way."

Despite the allegations, Fairfax Media confirmed that the start of play on Thursday would not be affected.

The Sun said the bookies had asked for up to £140,000 (A$245,000) to fix parts of the game such as the number of runs scored in an over or session. The bookies reportedly told them the names of players that worked for them as their "puppets".

The Sun report said no current England players were named as involved in the plot.

The report names two Indian "fixers", Sobers Joban, an Indian state cricketer, and Priyank Saxena, a bookmaker and businessman.

They claimed to be working with a fixer in Australian cricket known as The Silent Man, whom the report said works with former and current internationals including a World Cup winning all-rounder.

"Before match. I will tell you this over, this runs and then you have to put all the bets on that over," a man, who the newspaper claims is a bookmaker, says in purportedly undercover video footage.

Leaked video footage of Joban and Saxena shows them discussing the distortion of results in both the Big Bash and the Indian Premier League – as well as detailed explanations on how to carry out the fixes, also known as "scripts".

The reporters were told how players can signal a fix through their playing gear and uniform, as well as on-field actions such as bowling a wide or stopping without a delivery at the end of a run-up.

The report details how run rates, the loss of wickets and even the results of matches can be fixed, with items of clothing used as signals by players to bookies.

"You have a red t-shirt and I give you a red watch, you wear a red watch. In the IPL five t-shirts will be the full size, five will be given by the team half (sleeves)," Joban told The Sun's reporters.

"He will not give any signal but bowling with a full t-shirt – 6th, 10th over, 15th, 20th over – OK that is the signal.

"One wide that is a signal. OK bowling and just stop without delivering any ball – this is a signal.

"Sometimes bowlers tell me I'm not comfortable with signal, I prefer first wide. You see I give first ball a bouncer, that's a wide and this is a signal.

"Or before deliver the ball I call the keeper and say fine leg is up and I want to come to deep point.

"Changing the glove is a batsman signal, and helmet, and stop bowler, so many signals."

The ICC said on Thursday morning: "We take all allegations of corruption seriously and welcome The Sun's offer to share this information."