CRICKET NEWS:THE SPOT-FIXING net could widen to include other Pakistan cricketers, with international cricket's governing body set to review all the evidence collated by Scotland Yard in securing the convictions of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt yesterday.
Asif and Butt were both found guilty of charges of conspiracy to cheat and accept corrupt payments. The 19-year-old fast bowler Amir pleaded guilty on September 16th to charges of conspiracy to cheat at gambling and accepting corrupt payments. They will be sentenced during a two-day hearing beginning today.
While the Crown Prosecution Service chose to focus specifically on the three no-balls bowled at specific points during the fourth Test at Lord’s last year in order to secure a conviction, other evidence emerged in court that could provide the basis for further investigations by the International Cricket Council.
“I am satisfied that we have worked closely with the CPS and Metropolitan Police throughout this entire process, and this case has shown it is possible for criminal authorities and sports bodies to cooperate with each other, in difficult circumstances, in the best interests of the sport and the public at large,” said the ICC chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, last night.
“I would reiterate the ICC has a zero-tolerance attitude towards corruption and that we will use everything within our power to ensure that any suggestion of corrupt activity within our game is comprehensively investigated and, where appropriate, robustly prosecuted.” He confirmed that the ICC bans of five years and up given to Butt, Asif and Amir would stand.
It is understood that the ICC anti-corruption and security unit will work with Scotland Yard to review the large file of evidence collected to augment the News of the World’s investigation, which includes text messages, phone records and deleted text messages that were later recovered using special software. The ICC could now investigate Pakistan players Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz following the conviction of their former team-mates. Akmal has not played for Pakistan since the World Cup although Riaz is in the squad playing against Sri Lanka.
The ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit wrote earlier in the summer to Butt and Akmal to request phone records covering the period of the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
During the court case, it emerged that fixer Mazhar Majeed claimed to the News of the World’s undercover reporter that seven Pakistan players were involved in fixing with him, also naming Riaz and Akmal, as well as batsmen Umar Akmal and Imran Farhat. None of the four has faced criminal charges.
Aftab Jafferjee, QC for the prosecution, said in court that Akmal had led a “charmed life” in avoiding investigation. He also said the roles of the two players raised “deep, deep suspicions”.
“This is a very good decision,” said former captain Rashid Latif. “If anyone is involved in match fixing, he has to go behind bars. The people of Pakistan want to watch matches without fixing.”
Guardian Service
