Waugh will take part in inquiry

Australian batsman Mark Waugh has changed his mind again and agreed to take part in a worldwide investigation into corruption in cricket, the Australian Cricket Board said today.

The ACB chairman Malcolm Speed said that Waugh, 35, who had earlier this week announced through his manager Leo Karis that he had "presently declined" to take part in the investigations, had backed down on his stance.

Waugh, a veteran of 108 Tests, had said earlier this month he would co-operate with investigators.

The ACB had told Waugh by letter on Wednesday that if it did not receive a written undertaking from him by 4pm on Thursday afternoon "approval of your selection in the Australian cricket team will be automatically withdrawn".

Speed said: "I'm very pleased to advise that at 6.40am solicitors acting on behalf of Mark Waugh provided a written undertaking that Mark would attend and participate in interviews by the ICC's (International Cricket Council) Anti-Corruption Unit and the ACB special investigator Greg Melick.

"It's proposed these interviews take place in early February."

Waugh is in Adelaide preparing for Australia's triangular series limited overs match against West Indies on Friday.

He said: "It hasn't been the best week, I guess, obviously there's some pressure there. But hopefully I'm just going about my business as normal and I'll be able to produce some good cricket tomorrow."

Mark Waugh's twin brother Steve, the Australian captain, said: "The board are in a difficult position and so is Mark, he just wanted to know what the questions were and now he's got a list of those questions, everything's OK."

Meanwhile, former New Zealand cricket captain Martin Crowe has reconfirmed his co-operation with the ICC into its inquiry into match fixing allegations, his lawyer David Howman said.