Alec Stewart yesterday defended his integrity in public for the first time since allegations about his behaviour came to light on Wednesday when the report of the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation was released.
At the England team's hotel here the former England captain, who looked close to tears, reiterated his categorical denial of charges that he accepted £5,000 sterling from an Indian bookmaker, Mukesh Gupta, in exchange for information pertaining to weather, ground conditions and team matters on the 1992-'93 tour of India.
"It is very much my word against that of Gupta," he said. "He's had his say but I denied the allegations when they first came out and that is where we are now. I have never knowingly met him. People may say that my reputation is tainted, that there is no smoke without fire, and they are entitled to their opinion.
"But it is not very pleasant thinking that I might not be believed even if I know in my mind I'm clear. My reputation within the game is a good one and hopefully when I finish I will be remembered as someone who gave their all for England in every capacity and as a very good England cricketer, not just in England but throughout the world."
He admitted that although he had never considered going home, he would have accepted it had he been withdrawn from the tour. Subsequently he received the endorsement of the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Lord MacLaurin.
Stewart further expressed a willingness to co-operate fully with the investigations of Paul Condon, the former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police who heads the newly-formed anti-corruption unit of the International Cricket Council.
Stewart was speaking just hours after the president of the ICC, Malcolm Gray, said that the Indian CBI report, in all probability, did not mark the end of revelations that on Wednesday named nine international cricketers, seven of them former captains, as having been offered or paid money by Gupta.
The evidence in the report is uncorroborated and unlikely to stand scrutiny under English law. Stewart is "disappointed to say the least" that he has been tainted by something that is now in the public domain. However, two sets of circumstances do build a case against him.
Firstly, he is named not just by Gupta but by the former Indian all-rounder Manoj Prabharkar, who says he introduced the pair.
Secondly, Gupta's allegations have proved substantial in the cases of Salim Malik, Mohammad Azharuddhin, Mark Waugh, Hansie Cronje, Dean Jones, who says he was approached but turned the offer down, and Martin Crowe, who admits receiving money for what he thought were media interviews. There is a track record.
"Of course I don't deny I have met Manoj Prabharkar," Stewart said. "It is also possible I have been in his company and introduced to someone. I have been brought up to be polite and I would have said hello. I may even have spoken to Gupta on the phone without knowing it because we get phone calls all the time from fans and I am polite, short and sweet and then put the phone down.
"But no one before or since has ever asked me for information as alleged and offered me money, presents or whatever. I've just never come up against it."
The Australian Cricket Board has asked Condon to investigate claims made by Gupta that Mark Waugh received $20,000 (£18,400 Irish) from illegal bookmakers rather than the $4,000 he has admitted.
