LONDON: Andrew Strauss cannot be sure that cricket is clean of corruption as England prepare to take on Pakistan for the first time since the game was plunged into turmoil by the spot-fixing scandal.

"I don't think it's possible to say that (cricket is clean)," Strauss told a press conference in London prior to England's Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

"I think there is more awareness about it. It's been in the news a lot, which is a good thing. There have been some consequences to what went on, but it's a hard thing to eradicate completely.

"Policing it is very tough and there is a huge responsibility on the administrators and the players to make sure that any inkling, anything we see that be untoward is reported and acted upon."

Pakistan's tour of England two years ago ended with relations between the two camps at a low thanks to the spot-fixing allegations that engulfed the tourists.

A previous tour of England in 2006 ended in acrimony after then captain Inzamam-ul-Haq ordered his team not to take to the field after being accused of ball-tampering halfway through the fourth Test at the Oval.

Strauss hopes the upcoming series against Pakistan will be a chance for both countries to draw a line under any issues that have come between them in the past.

Strauss said: "What's happened before, as far as I'm concerned, is water under the bridge and I hope both sides can play the game in the right spirit.

"We should see this series as an opportunity to erode or eradicate the perception that there's always issues between Pakistan and England." AGENCIES