Melbourne: The International Cricket Council (ICC) had concerns about the presence of London bookie Mazhar Majeed, who was at the centre of spot-fixing scandal that rocked world cricket two months ago, during the Sydney Test early this year but failed to inform Cricket Australia (CA) about it, a report claimed Monday.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, in its programme Four Corners, claimed that the ICC had concerns about Majeed when he was in Australia during Pakistan tour, months before he was caught in a News of the World sting for allegedly spot-fixing during the Lord’s Test.

The ICC, however, claimed that it was not in a position to pass any information on to CA before the Pakistan tour.

“These are leads that we have to follow through and be quite confident before we make allegations, and it was the subject of an ongoing investigation,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. “We were not satisfied of the extent of his activities and we needed to be quite confident before we levelled any accusations,” he said.

Majeed had boasted that he had fixed the Sydney Test (January 3-7). Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal had dropped four easy catches as his side lost from a winning position raising suspicions of match-fixing.

The ICC, however, has made it clear that there is no specific investigation into the Sydney Test for lack of evidence.

Former PCB chief Tauqir Zia also revealed in a television programme on Sunday that the ICC had sent a written communication to the Pakistan Board informing that six players were suspected to have rigged the Sydney Test and they should be closely monitored.

Majeed was arrested by the Scotland Yard and later released on bail after he told an undercover journalist in August that he could arrange for no balls to be bowled at specific points in a match, which could then be bet on. The no balls were then bowled, as specifically predicted, during the fourth Test, between England and Pakistan, at Lord’s.

Three Pakistan players — then Test captain Salman Butt, and pacers Mohammed Aamer and Mohammed Asif — were interrogated by the Scotland Yard and provisionally suspended by the ICC. (PTI)