Corruption in cricket

In all the discussions of international cricket policy I have never seen due recognition of the fact that test-playing nations vary widely in their degree of bureacratic corruption.

According to authoritative surveys by Transparency International over many years, the cricketing nations include the most corrupt in the world (Bangladesh, equal worst with Chad), middling ones (eg. South Africa), and some of the least corrupt (eg. New Zealand - joint second best after Iceland).

[Reference: Integrity and corruption, Oct 20 2005 www.economist.com]

Since corruption is defined as 'abuse of public office for private gain', it would be surprising if cricket administrators were exempt from their societal norms.

Note: This is the most recent corruption perceptions index 2006 - from http://www.transparency.org. I list the main international cricket playing nations.

Least corrupt nation is 1 (jointly Finland, Iceland and New Zealand), most corrupt is 163 (Haiti).

1. New Zealand
9. Australia
11. UK
24. Barbados
51. South Africa
61. Jamaica
70. India
79. Trinidad and Tobago
84. Sri Lanka
130. Zimbabwe
142. Kenya &
142. Pakistan
156. Bangladesh