The shadow being cast over the World Cup by the Pakistan spot-fixing case has led to a febrile atmosphere of suspicion whenever anything out of the ordinary occurs.Brad Haddin, the Australia wicketkeeper, was the latest player to laugh off suggestions of match-fixing when the Indian press reported the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit was investigating Australia's slow start against Zimbabwe.
Australia scored only five runs in two overs and 28 in 10 but eventually went on to score 262 to win comfortably. Last week, there was suspicion over Pakistan's indifferent start against Kenya and yesterday Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka batsman, said he was considering legal action against a television station in Sri Lanka for accusing him of match fixing during the side's defeat to Pakistan this week.
"It's quite a laughable story. It's a joke," said Haddin in Colombo. Steve Bernard, the Australia team manager, added: "It was the silliest thing I've heard this week - and I've heard a lot of silly things since I've been here.
"I've just heard the story a moment ago and I'm not sure how to respond, except to say it would make a cat laugh. It's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard in my life that a side can be five for nought after two overs and that that's suspicious."
ICC officials received calls asking if they were investigating England's dropped catches against Holland and there was even light-hearted querying form the Indian media about how Sunday's tie in Bangalore materialised after it was predicted on Twitter by Shane Warne.
