'Cricket' Gambling Shut Down in China but increases here.

Today the First Cricket Test between Australia and New Zealand in a Trans-Tasman Test Series. Cricket has been plagued by gambling in the past, with fingers often pointing at the sub-continent. Gambling on cricket is however legal in Australia and the start of the international season here marks a large increase in gambling on cricket. However China seems to have its own type of cricket gambling problems.

The website the China View reports in an article Cricket gambling den busted that a disused factory in Shanghai was being used as a gambling den where more than 200 gamblers gambled more than US$220,000 on fights between crickets.

Crickets were even doped up with drugs to control them in order to ensure that fights were possible.

It shows that some people will gamble on anything as it is not the game for them but the gambling which is the attraction.

Now whilst one of Australia's leading cricketers has previously been suspended for drug use, if New Zealand manage to win the first test there may need to be an inquiry especially with Australia at $1.47 to win for $1 and New Zealand at $10.00 (according to Centrebet). On Betfair the odds are even longer for New Zealand with a range of $11.50 to $14.00 for New Zealand to Win compared to $1.49 to $1.54 for Australia.

While it would be hard for any game involving the World Test Champions Australia that have taken all before them, these are the types of matches that attract those gamblers looking to interfere with outcomes as while it is unexpected (thus the long odds) it is possible that New Zealand could win given past results. Again any match including Australia is unlikely given their current record but their are other games where unscrupulous individuals are trying to influence the outcomes of games as has been reported many times even recently by the New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.

Will this series be clean? I believe so. Is all cricket clean? Maybe not as wherever large sums of money are involved you will always have people wanting more. However we should all enjoy the sport for what it is - a contest between two teams regardless of the money involved.

GG