Sir Ian Botham: 'Indian Premier League should be scrapped'

Sir Ian Botham has claimed that the Indian Premier League should be scrapped as it is "changing the priorities" of individuals in the world of cricket.

The IPL has risen in popularity since its inception in 2008, but Botham believes that the competition provides the "perfect opportunity for betting and therefore fixing" after a numerous allegations of spot-fixing.

"I'm worried about the IPL - in fact, I feel it shouldn't be there at all," the former England all-rounder revealed in his MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture at Lord's on Wednesday night. "It is changing the priorities of world cricket.

"How on earth did the IPL own the best players in the world for two months a year and not pay a penny to the boards who brought these players into the game?

"Corruption is enough of a problem in itself, but the IPL compounds that problem given it provides the perfect opportunity for betting and therefore fixing."

The Indian Supreme Court instructed the Board of Control for Cricket in India to launch an investigation into claims of spot-fixing and illegal betting in April.