ECB battling against punters using mobiles to place illegal bets in county matches

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had reportedly thrown out a number of spectators from county matches last season for placing bets with bookmakers using mobile phones to get an illegal advantage during a match.

Although not directly connected to match fixing, the latest revelations show how gamblers are targeting cricket and such, ECB anti-corruption officials will be at every televised game this season.

According to The Independent, the ECB, which has fought a year-long battle against this phenomenon called as 'courtsiding', confirmed the revelations with chief executive David Collier saying that instant communications through those transmission devices can make a huge difference while betting.

Collier further said that they are building up information and cases and working very closely with government, the licensed bookmakers and the police.

The ECB also sought the help of the West Indies Cricket board after an ECB security official caught an English supporter trying to use mobile phones to get an illegal advantage during England's one-day internationals with West Indies in Antigua this year.

These revelations come after the disclosure that former New Zealand opener Lou Vincent has told he played in three fixed county games between 2008 and 2011 and that he had evidence of six other players involved in fixing, the report added.