Waugh wants lie detector tests for players

Former Australian captain Steve Waugh is behind a radical plan to have international cricket players face lie detector tests in a bid to eradicate corruption from the game.

Waugh is part of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) World Cricket Committee that has been meeting in Perth this week and come up with a number of recommendations it will pass on to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The proposals also include legalising and regulating betting in India and calling for television replays to be scrapped for low catches.

Waugh is part of a new MCC working party, also including West Indies legend Courtney Walsh, formed this week to look at ways to remove corruption from the game.

Speaking on the eve of the crucial third Ashes test between England and Australia at the Waca ground, Waugh said it was crucial for the future of cricket that corruption was stamped out.

“The greatest issue facing the game right now is match-fixing,” he said.

“Yesterday we threw some ideas around and the lie detector test came from me. I was thinking about how we make players more accountable for their actions.

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt and seamers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been charged under the ICC’s anti-corruption code in relation to allegations of spot-fixing during the fourth test against England at Lord’s in August.

The trio were provisionally suspended ahead of a hearing by an independent tribunal in Doha due to take place between January 6-11.

All three players deny the allegations against them.