Conmen were arrested after setting up a ridiculously bad fake IPL to scam Russian gamblers out thousands of pounds.

The thieves hired a field in Gujarat, western India and paid laborers PS4 for each "match".

Russia-based unwitting gamblers made around PS3,400 before the cops discovered the scam.

To give the illusion of authenticity, they hired a fake umpire and commentator to mimic Harsha Boghle. They also used replica kits from real teams.

The matches were streamed on an IPL YouTube channel.

However, any true cricket fan would be able to tell the difference immediately, especially given the high standard of the IPL.

The level of cricket was not only comparable to that of the local side, but the field was also worn out and had a slope higher than Lord's.

They made fake crowd noises and did not show a wide shot of their pitch.

Bhavesh Rathod, a police inspector, told reporters that the umpire was instructed via walkietalkie whether to signal four, six or a wicket.

The fake tournament was claimed to have been held three weeks after May's real IPL concluded.

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Amazingly, the "Indian Premier Cricket League", or as it was known, reached its QARTER-FINAL stage just before police got involved.

Local reports state that Russian-based gamblers placed wagers on Telegram channels set up by the gang, and part with more than PS3,000 during the tournament.

In India, it is illegal to gamble on cricket.

Four people were arrested in connection to the brazen scheme.

According to Reuters, the suspects were charged with criminal conspiracy as well as gambling.