Strauss backs ECB amnesty

Andrew Strauss has urged all first-class players to tell the England and Wales Cricket Board if they suspect they may have any information which could help root out corruption in their sport.

Strauss was speaking for the first time on the subject since Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield's plea of guilty to corruption over a plot to concede a fixed number of runs in an over. The England captain has previously stated that he has never witnessed anything untoward, or even suspicious, in his time on the county circuit.

He repeated that, but also encouraged his fellow English-based players to take advantage of the ECB's period of amnesty for those able to report fresh information, saying: "The ECB have provided an amnesty for players to come forward in the next three months, and I'd urge them to do that if they do have any information."

He added: "If it is there, we need to root it out. We need to get it dealt with and move on. If you want world cricket to be in good order then you have to make sure your own house is clean first.

"I've no idea if other players have information or not, but I urge them to come forward if they do. If there is a problem there we need to see the extent of the problem and take steps to clean it up.

"I think it's a good initiative from the ECB. This is not the time to show loyalty to team-mates or friends or people you know. This is the time to do what is right for the game of cricket."

Strauss was speaking on the eve of England's Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, an event notable - among other things - for the first high-profile meeting between the two countries since the spot-fixing scandal which wrecked the summer of 2010.

Strauss acknowledged his responsibility too to be wary of the any threat or hint of corruption, however benign it may initially appear.

"I think there is a lot more awareness now on the back of what has happened in the last couple of years," he said. "But it's something we have to always be vigilant about.

"Obviously we have heavy schedules internationally and domestically - and with heavy schedules, there is always the opportunity for people to think that one game is less important than another and therefore they might be able to benefit from it."