Strauss: Show must go on

England skipper insists one-day series should continue

Last updated: 20th September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Strauss: Show must go on

Strauss: has urged caution

It's certainly overshadowed the cricket. But I don't think that means the cricket has been any less important

Andrew Strauss on spot-fixing allegations
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England captain Andrew Strauss has urged caution amid demands for the one-day series against Pakistan to be abandoned.

Strauss said his team had got used to playing against a backdrop of corruption allegations that have overshadowed the current one-day series.

Newspaper allegations surrounding last month's fourth Test against England at Lord's have sparked an investigation by British police and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The claims centred around 'spot-fixing' claims where Pakistan players agreed to bowl or bat produce predetermined outcomes.

Further allegations surfaced on Saturday concerning batting patterns in the Pakistan innings during the third one-day international at the Oval.

But Strauss insisted the remaining one-day games must ahead despite calls to cancel the series - starting with Monday's game at Lord's.

Passion

"I can totally understand that viewpoint, he said. "But it's a hard thing to stop a series when we don't know how credible the evidence is.

"I think we've got used to putting that to one side now. I think we've got used to focusing on the cricket side of things now.

"Clearly if the ICC had hard evidence of what was taking place then we would change our views."

Strauss dismissed claims that the allegations, which have been denied by the Pakistan players, had devalued the Test series win or the current NatWest Series.

"It's certainly overshadowed the cricket," he added. "But I don't think that means the cricket has been any less important."

The England skipper insisted that he never had the impression that Pakistan were doing anything other than trying to win every match.

"They've been three very hard-fought cricket matches, he continued "There certainly seems to be passion on both sides, they've been high intensity affairs."

Balance

Pakistan's victory in the third match means the series is still in the balance with two to play, England having previously held a 2-0 advantage thanks to triumphs at Durham and Headingley.

The home side have added Ian Bell to their squad following his heroics for Warwickshire in the Clydesdale Bank 40 final at Lord's on Saturday.

The right-hander, who has only recently returned from a foot injury, hit 107 to lead the Bears to a three-wicket win over Somerset.

England are hopeful that Paul Collingwood, who missed the fourth ODI through illness, will be back in their middle order.

Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal's X-ray on the finger injury he suffered on Friday showed no broken bones, and it is hoped he will be able to play.