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The interim report of the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) is likely to be made public on May 23, two days after the ICC Code of Conduct Commission hands it over to the ICC Executive Board.

The report was handed over to Lord Griffiths, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Commission on Wednesday. The decision to make the ACU report public may well force ICC's member countries to pay more attention to the suggestions. It has been suggested that a majority of countries may have ignored ACU's work if it were not made public.

The report suggests that only India has been seen as making a wholehearted effort against match-fixing. A number of countries including South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and the West Indies have been seen as dragging their feet despite increasing evidence that some of their leading players were involved in misconduct.

The ACU report is said to reveal that match-fixing is still rife in international cricket despite a year of allegations, admissions, inquiries and punishments. It is being whispered that Sir Paul Condon panel has found that match-fixing occurred as recently as in the one-day series featuring Pakistan in New Zealand in March and April.

Condon and his team of former police officers are said to have concluded that some players, umpires and officials are so deeply involved with the criminal element they cannot stop co-operating for fear of their lives and property.

The interim report also sums up ACU's work in its first year. Sir Paul had the co-operation of India's premier police agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, whose own report listed nine international players as being involved in misconduct.

The ACU report is understood to have not mentioned any player by name although it uncovered a great deal of evidence, particularly concerning South Africa and Pakistan. Sir Paul may also ask for wider powers of investigation when the ICC Executive Board meets in London in June so that the ACU can take action against individual players.

Meanwhile, the ICC investigators have been invited to visit Pakistan at the end of this month, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday. "Sir Paul Condon (chief of the ICC anti-corruption unit) and his two associates will visit Pakistan sometime this month. Their tour plan is yet to be finalised," PCB director Munawwar Rana said.

"Initially he (Condon) is coming to Pakistan on an invitation of the PCB, but if he will ask to arrange any meetings with some players, the PCB will co-operate," he said. "We will try to get Salim Malik, if Condon wants. But since he is not our contractual player, he (Salim) has all the rights to refuse meeting the ICC investigators."

© Dawn