ICC denies cricket match-fixing ‘failings’

Captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were charged by the ICC last night for “various offences” under Article 2 of the ICC’s anti-corruption code, relating to alleged irregular behaviour during and in relation to the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s.

The three, who have protested their innocence, have also been provisionally banned from playing in any match.

The ICC said they had been “provisionally suspended pending a decision on these charges”.

All three are involved in allegations that the timing of no-balls could be predicted within a match – something which gamblers could take advantage of in betting circles in Pakistan and India.

They were also questioned by Metropolitan police officers today at Kilburn Police Station, north London, in connection with the allegations, revealed at the weekend in a News of the World sting.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said the cricketers had attended voluntarily, and were not arrested.

It said the three had answered all the questions that detectives had put to them before they were released without charge.

‘No failure’
At a news conference this morning, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the ICC’s anti-corruption chief, insisted his investigators from the anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU) were effective against allegations of match-fixing.

“There are many instances where ACSU activity has prevented these type of actions occurring,” he said.

“I refute this represents a failing of the ACSU. On the contrary I have been impressed with what my investigators have done.”

Asked by Channel 4 News chief correspondent Alex Thomson to give details of the charges, Mr Flanagan refused to give more information, but said the players had an “arguable case to answer”.

“It was not the top of the iceberg”
In the end of an hour or so that seemed like several days, we had squeezed from them a nugget or two of information. They had been shown evidence by the police, writes chief correspondent Alex Thomson.

The ICC standard of proof for conviction and a ban has to be the same as the criminal one: beyond all reasonable doubt as opposed to the balance of probability. But they were, in truth, very much happier telling the media what this was not about.

It was not a witch-hunt or conspiracy against Pakistan as quite a few Pakistani reporters rather felt it was. It was not about having a go at Mumbai bookies either licit or illicit. Quite a few Indian journos wanted to tread that path opened by the inimiatable High Commsioner for Pakistan Mr Hassan.

Nor was it even the tip of the iceberg. Sir Ronnie went on at length about how he did not believe spot-betting is a widespread problem in cricket – then talked even more about how other sports like horse-racing also had something to learn from cricket’s crisis.

Match-fixing claims
News of the World reporters posed as Middle Eastern businessmen, and paid a middleman £150,000 to arrange for Pakistan players to deliberately bowl no-balls.

The three cricketers were questioned by police at the weekend, and had their mobile phones confiscated.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: “We will not tolerate corruption in cricket – simple as that.

“We must be decisive with such matters and if proven, these offences carry serious penalties up to a life ban.

“The ICC will do everything possible to keep such conduct out of the game and we will stop at nothing to protect the sport’s integrity. While we believe the problem is not widespread, we must always be vigilant.”

The charges mean the cricketers are “immediately barred from participating in all cricket and related activities until the case has been concluded”. They have the right to contest the suspension, and to indicate if they want to defend themselves at a tribunal.

Mr Lorgat said the charges did not “pre-judge” the guilt of the players.

“That is for the independent tribunal alone to decide,” he said.

The rest of the Pakistan team is continuing with its tour of England, and yesterday played Somerset in Taunton.

They are due to play England in the final test in Cardiff this weekend.

One man has been arrested over the allegations. Cricket agent Mazhar Majeed has since been released on bail.

However Pakistan’s high commissioner claimed the men have been “set up”.

Speaking after meeting with the three players and officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board yesterday, Wajid Hasan said the “innocent players” players wanted to clear their names.

“The three players have said that they are extremely disturbed with what has happened in the past week, especially with regard to their alleged involvement in the crime,” he said.

“They mentioned that they are entirely innocent in the whole episode and shall defend their innocence as such.

“They further maintain that, on account of the mental torture which has deeply affected them, they are not in the right frame of mind to play the remaining matches.

“Therefore they have requested the Pakistan Cricket Board not to consider them for the remaining matches.”

After the ICC’s decision was announced last night, Mr Hasan said the decision to charge the players was “shocking and surprising”.

“ICC’s chief executive Haroon Lorgat came to my office, along with the chairman of the PCB [Pakistan Cricket Board],” he said. “We had a long conversation for about an hour and in that conversation he said he was fully aware of what was happening, and he’s not going to suspend any player as such, but he said that he would issue some notices…

“I was surprised to know later…these players have five page notices in their rooms suspending them from playing cricket for three months.”

The ICC’s Mr Lorgat had earlier told Channel 4 News that the authority “would not be happy” if the players had continued playing during the investigating into the claims.

“We would not be happy with that,” he said on Tuesday.

“That’s part of what we’re working through in the next few days. I don’t want to pre-empt anything and would rather the due process takes its course. It’s a very sensitive issue and I think we should let the law and the due process take its course.”