Australia's cricket groundsmen given gag order

2015 World Cup Trophy

Sydney, Nov 7 (IANS) Australia's ground curators have been gagged after an edict from the International Cricket Council (ICC) was issued to Cricket Australia (CA) in the latest attempt to fight match-fixing in the build up to the 2015 World Cup, starting February 14 in Australia and New Zealand.

Groundsmen of Australia's's cricket venues come into the spotlight in the summer season as information is sought by the gambling community on the pitch they have prepared and how the match proceedings may unfold as a result of their work, it was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Aussie curators have traditionally been frank about the kind of pitches they have prepared in the lead up to the matches.

ICC's directive comes before a packed home summer activity that spans five months from the limited overs series against South Africa, a Test series against India, the Twenty20 Big Bash League and the World Cup.

Curators from all major venues of the country were flown to a meeting in New Zealand and told that – under strengthening anti-corruption measures – they are no longer permitted to provide detailed information about their pitches before matches.

They, however, are still allowed to talk in general terms, but have been strictly instructed not to offer specific details about tracks, such as delving into whether they would advise batting or bowling first or their beliefs on how the pitch might act or who it might favour.