Sport / Cricket

Pakistan stubborn over spot-fixing scandal, says former ICC president

www.guardian.co.uk - Ehsan Mani attacks Pakistan Cricket Board's response Accuses PCB of 'unprofessional and careless attitude'The former International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani has accused the Pakistan Cricket Board of being "stubborn" and having an "unprofessional and careless attitude" in its response to the ongoing spot-fixing scandal.The Pakistan captain, Salman Butt, and the fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been charged by the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit for alleged spot-fixing during the fourth Test against England, with several other matches also being investigated.However, despite the provisional suspension of the trio by the ICC - and exclusion from the limited-overs squad currently playing against England - Mani believes the PCB should have taken the lead in the inquiry."The PCB was stubborn after the spot-fixing and betting allegations came to the surface and were adamant the players will play the one-day series even after they were named as suspects," Mani told Radio Deutsche Welle in Lahore. "The ICC could not tolerate this and suspended them."And Mani insisted the board would be responsible for any damage to Pakistan's cricketing image that emerged from the ACSU's probe."To keep the inquiry within its ambit and save itself from further embarrassment the PCB should have suspended the players and taken up its own investigation. Now, because of its unprofessional and careless attitude, the spot-fixing scandal is out of its control and neither does it have any control over the players," he added."It is unfortunate that the PCB did not realise the gravity of the situation when the allegations first came out."Mani, himself a former PCB representative to the ICC, called for strict monitoring of agents and a revamp of the relationship between player associations and national boards."Players' agents should all be vetted. In some member countries, the players' association's approval of the agent is required before the players can appoint the agent. India, Pakistan and some other countries do not recognise players' associations; perhaps this is the time to rethink this."Clearly there was a failure within the PCB management to effectively supervise the players."Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Random Thoughts on You Know What, and the Twenty20 Attendance Winners | The Spin | David Hopps

www.guardian.co.uk - Pakistan's problems stem from a dysfunctional administration and other thoughts on the match-fixing crisisWelcome to the latest edition of The Spin, one day late and frankly no better for it. Plans were to make it all esoteric. The boy Bull would return from honeymoon to find such a wealth of literary references and so many wise thoughts about things that nobody had ever considered that it would read like Gideon Haigh on speed. Then came the corruption allegations against three Pakistan cricketers, a slow-motion car crash on the Gower Peninsula (for me, not the cricketers, which just goes to show there is no justice) and since then life has been a bit of a blur. There are some county cricket thoughts at the foot of this, but first a few random thoughts on you know what.(i) Indian TV and radio stations are insatiable when it comes to stories about Pakistan match-fixing.The best stations in India rival any in the world. They are not averse, shall we say, at cutting to the quick. Those less good leave you in a state of bewilderment. They shout phrases like "The breaking news is... " and then ask you to comment on claims that Pakistan have just abandoned the tour. Normally you are in a coffee shop on the way to the ground and have no such information. You then have one second to guess whether they know something you don't or whether they are existing in a fantasy world.It can become a long-standing relationship, because you like the attention so much that you do it for free. One of the funnier moments (involving one of the classier TV outlets as it happens) went like this:"Mr David, putting you through now sir.""No, not now. I am in a traffic jam in Cardiff….""It's news time, sir. Now sir.""In roadworks, in rush hour.""Now, sir, now, sir.""So now we go live to the Guardian's senior…[do they have to say "senior"?] "… cricket writer, David Hopps, who will tell us the latest. David, have the Pakistani cricketers arrived at Kilburn police station?""I'm in Cardiff.""And what is the scene like in Cardiff?""I am just outside the Pakistan hotel and, as luck would have it the Pakistan team coach has just arrived."[Wow, this is lucky, I may get through this]"How much security is there?""Just a few policemen milling around and, erm, one of them has just insisted I turn my phone off.""That's the latest from Da…"I feel more like Alan Partridge every day.(ii) Pakistan's problems stem from a dysfunctional administrationConsider the impact of Pakistan's cricketing leaders. Ijaz Butt, the chairman of the board, has provided no discernible leadership since the allegations against the three players - Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif - were first made public. His leadership has been non-existent. His incompetence since taking office, even allowing for the Lahore terrorist bomb which drove international cricket from the country, has contributed to the mess. These allegations have occurred under his watch. I am not normally an advocate of those in high office resigning because those in low office have allegedly done wrong. The idea that they should take responsibility for everything, whether they know about it or not, is ludicrous. In Butt's case, though, I would happily make an exception. Young players need guidance. Preferably in the right direction.(iii) Mushtaq Ahmed will never be allowed to restMushtaq Ahmed was censored in the Qayyum Report into Pakistan match-fixing more than 10 years ago. Mushtaq Ahmed is the England bowling coach. Whether England should have appointed Mushtaq to the post was questioned by The Guardian, among others, two years ago. Scyld Berry in the Sunday Telegraph was particularly vehement, but the world was not interested so life moved on. But match-rigging was again a hot topic this week, so it was only a matter of time before it was brought up again.Andy Flower, England's coach, was asked in Cardiff (by me as it happens, on request by other journalists in London) if he had full faith in Mushtaq, and said "Yes." Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, was asked at roughly the same time in London if the ICC had raised questions over the appointment, and he said that they had advised the ECB to carry out due diligence. All this was known two years ago, nothing has changed.The Guardian kept this near the foot of the story in early editions on Saturday morning because we did not believe it amounted to a hill of beans, but chose to run with the pack when it saw this non-story given prominence in final editions of other newspapers. These days, it is rare that any newspaper dares to ignore anything.The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act prevents prison terms of more than two-and-a-half years being mentioned more than 10 years after the event. Mushtaq was censored - and only censored - by the Qayyum Enquiry 11 years ago yet without a shred of new evidence against him newspapers will discuss his involvement, whatever that may or may not have been, to his dying day. Something is out of kilter.(iv) The Guardian's county cricket blog has become even more surreal Our live cricket blog in the past week has often combined the latest news on match-fixing allegations with occasional updates on how Derbyshire are faring (normally not very well). The responses on the blog have been strikingly surreal. News that wads of cash have been confiscated from Salman Butt's room were likely to bring a remark from a blog respondent along the lines of "Chris Schofield should be batting at No7 for Surrey." County cricket lovers will not be deflected from their particular obsessions, no matter what other stories descend upon them. There is a folded-arms resistance against what most people regard as the "real world". They are like real ale drinkers whose favourite pub has suddenly been invaded by a coachload of lager drinkers. It is best not to ask a county blogger what he thinks of Veena Malik's allegations against Mohammad Asif if Oliver Hannon-Dalby's opening spell of the day has been shorter than expected. The county blog has grown remarkably this summer and with county cricket coverage almost non-existent in newspapers these days it may offer a solution for the future. The more people who visit it, the more investment will be put into it. Please take a look - perhaps even contribute - before the end of the season.TWENTY20 ATTENDANCES: THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTSWith another reorganisation of county cricket due later this month, The Spin has been studying attendance figures for the group matches in Friends Provident Twenty20. The successful returns from Somerset and Essex explain why are fighting to retain eight home games as the revenue they gained surpassed all but the two London counties, Middlesex and Surrey. Essex's revenue is more than Yorkshire, Warwickshire and Durham combined, a remarkable slap in the face for the Test match grounds. Many of these counties want fewer matches to give them a better chance of filling larger grounds and so creating the atmosphere on which Twenty20 thrives. It is a fair bet that Steve Elworthy, the ECB's head of marketing, and chairman Giles Clarke will find themselves on different sides of the debate.The chief executives will make recommendations on county cricket restructuring on September 24, with the ECB board expected to ratify their proposals five days later. They should keep everybody content for, oh, all of a couple of months before somebody suggests changing it all again.The first figure below represents attendances in eight home games. The second figure is ticket revenue, net of VAT, and does not include other income generated. The figures returned by Derbyshire and Leicestershire make one wonder how they manage to survive.Middlesex 68,378, £684,698Surrey 67,323, £681,115Essex 36,421, £549,000Somerset 49,282, £327,000Sussex 42,056, £280,100Lancashire 34,771, £268,863Hampshire 33,637, £230,594Kent 24,730, £226,172Yorkshire 33,955, £206,134Nottinghamshire 49,638, £196,267Warwickshire 31,196, £185,913Worcestershire 18,259, £182,489Glamorgan 31,641, £170,212Durham 31,253, £145,726Gloucestershire 19,871, £127,847Northamptonshire 21,924, £124,358Derbyshire 14,059, £70,159Leicestershire 17,263, £67,454THE SPIN'S PRIVATE LATE NIGHT TWITTERThank fu** that's over. What a wa****. Be there soon hun xxx.(With thanks to Kevin Pietersen, Dimi Mascarenhas and others)INTO THE VAULTWe're staying in Australia for this week's archive footage: Sir Gary Sobers' 254 against Australia, playing for a World X1. Count this as the Guardian's latest contribution to the phoney war ahead of the Ashes.CONTACT THE SPIN ...Andy Bull will be back next week and you can tell him how much he has been missed on andy.bull@guardian.co.uk.SUBSCRIBETo subscribe to the Spin, go here and click the button on the left-hand side.CricketDavid Hoppsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

The Spin | Random thoughts on you know what, and the Twenty20 attendance winners | David Hopps

www.guardian.co.uk - Pakistan's problems stem from a dysfunctional administration and other thoughts on the match-fixing crisisWelcome to the latest edition of The Spin, one day late and frankly no better for it. Plans were to make it all esoteric. The boy Bull would return from honeymoon to find such a wealth of literary references and so many wise thoughts about things that nobody had ever considered that it would read like Gideon Haigh on speed. Then came the corruption allegations against three Pakistan cricketers, a slow-motion car crash on the Gower Peninsula (for me, not the cricketers, which just goes to show there is no justice) and since then life has been a bit of a blur. There are some county cricket thoughts at the foot of this, but first a few random thoughts on you know what.(i) Indian TV and radio stations are insatiable when it comes to stories about Pakistan match-fixing.The best stations in India rival any in the world. They are not averse, shall we say, at cutting to the quick. Those less good leave you in a state of bewilderment. They shout phrases like "The breaking news is... " and then ask you to comment on claims that Pakistan have just abandoned the tour. Normally you are in a coffee shop on the way to the ground and have no such information. You then have one second to guess whether they know something you don't or whether they are existing in a fantasy world.It can become a long-standing relationship, because you like the attention so much that you do it for free. One of the funnier moments (involving one of the classier TV outlets as it happens) went like this:"Mr David, putting you through now sir.""No, not now. I am in a traffic jam in Cardiff….""It's news time, sir. Now sir.""In roadworks, in rush hour.""Now, sir, now, sir.""So now we go live to the Guardian's senior…[do they have to say "senior"?] "… cricket writer, David Hopps, who will tell us the latest. David, have the Pakistani cricketers arrived at Kilburn police station?""I'm in Cardiff.""And what is the scene like in Cardiff?""I am just outside the Pakistan hotel and, as luck would have it the Pakistan team coach has just arrived."[Wow, this is lucky, I may get through this]"How much security is there?""Just a few policemen milling around and, erm, one of them has just insisted I turn my phone off.""That's the latest from Da…"I feel more like Alan Partridge every day.(ii) Pakistan's problems stem from a dysfunctional administrationConsider the impact of Pakistan's cricketing leaders. Ijaz Butt, the chairman of the board, has provided no discernible leadership since the allegations against the three players - Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif - were first made public. His leadership has been non-existent. His incompetence since taking office, even allowing for the Lahore terrorist bomb which drove international cricket from the country, has contributed to the mess. These allegations have occurred under his watch. I am not normally an advocate of those in high office resigning because those in low office have allegedly done wrong. The idea that they should take responsibility for everything, whether they know about it or not, is ludicrous. In Butt's case, though, I would happily make an exception. Young players need guidance. Preferably in the right direction.(iii) Mushtaq Ahmed will never be allowed to restMushtaq Ahmed was censored in the Qayyum Report into Pakistan match-fixing more than 10 years ago. Mushtaq Ahmed is the England bowling coach. Whether England should have appointed Mushtaq to the post was questioned by The Guardian, among others, two years ago. Scyld Berry in the Sunday Telegraph was particularly vehement, but the world was not interested so life moved on. But match-rigging was again a hot topic this week, so it was only a matter of time before it was brought up again.Andy Flower, England's coach, was asked in Cardiff (by me as it happens, on request by other journalists in London) if he had full faith in Mushtaq, and said "Yes." Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, was asked at roughly the same time in London if the ICC had raised questions over the appointment, and he said that they had advised the ECB to carry out due diligence. All this was known two years ago, nothing has changed.The Guardian kept this near the foot of the story in early editions on Saturday morning because we did not believe it amounted to a hill of beans, but chose to run with the pack when it saw this non-story given prominence in final editions of other newspapers. These days, it is rare that any newspaper dares to ignore anything.The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act prevents prison terms of more than two-and-a-half years being mentioned more than 10 years after the event. Mushtaq was censored - and only censored - by the Qayyum Enquiry 11 years ago yet without a shred of new evidence against him newspapers will discuss his involvement, whatever that may or may not have been, to his dying day. Something is out of kilter.(iv) The Guardian's county cricket blog has become even more surreal Our live cricket blog in the past week has often combined the latest news on match-fixing allegations with occasional updates on how Derbyshire are faring (normally not very well). The responses on the blog have been strikingly surreal. News that wads of cash have been confiscated from Salman Butt's room were likely to bring a remark from a blog respondent along the lines of "Chris Schofield should be batting at No7 for Surrey." County cricket lovers will not be deflected from their particular obsessions, no matter what other stories descend upon them. There is a folded-arms resistance against what most people regard as the "real world". They are like real ale drinkers whose favourite pub has suddenly been invaded by a coachload of lager drinkers. It is best not to ask a county blogger what he thinks of Veena Malik's allegations against Mohammad Asif if Oliver Hannon-Dalby's opening spell of the day has been shorter than expected. The county blog has grown remarkably this summer and with county cricket coverage almost non-existent in newspapers these days it may offer a solution for the future. The more people who visit it, the more investment will be put into it. Please take a look - perhaps even contribute - before the end of the season.TWENTY20 ATTENDANCES: THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTSWith another reorganisation of county cricket due later this month, The Spin has been studying attendance figures for the group matches in Friends Provident Twenty20. The successful returns from Somerset and Essex explain why are fighting to retain eight home games as the revenue they gained surpassed all but the two London counties, Middlesex and Surrey. Essex's revenue is more than Yorkshire, Warwickshire and Durham combined, a remarkable slap in the face for the Test match grounds. Many of these counties want fewer matches to give them a better chance of filling larger grounds and so creating the atmosphere on which Twenty20 thrives. It is a fair bet that Steve Elworthy, the ECB's head of marketing, and chairman Giles Clarke will find themselves on different sides of the debate.The chief executives will make recommendations on county cricket restructuring on September 24, with the ECB board expected to ratify their proposals five days later. They should keep everybody content for, oh, all of a couple of months before somebody suggests changing it all again.The first figure below represents attendances in eight home games. The second figure is ticket revenue, net of VAT, and does not include other income generated. The figures returned by Derbyshire and Leicestershire make one wonder how they manage to survive.Middlesex 68,378, £684,698Surrey 67,323, £681,115Essex 36,421, £549,000Somerset 49,282, £327,000Sussex 42,056, £280,100Lancashire 34,771, £268,863Hampshire 33,637, £230,594Kent 24,730, £226,172Yorkshire 33,955, £206,134Nottinghamshire 49,638, £196,267Warwickshire 31,196, £185,913Worcestershire 18,259, £182,489Glamorgan 31,641, £170,212Durham 31,253, £145,726Gloucestershire 19,871, £127,847Northamptonshire 21,924, £124,358Derbyshire 14,059, £70,159Leicestershire 17,263, £67,454This is an extract taken from The Spin, guardian.co.uk's weekly cricket email. You can sign up here.CricketDavid Hoppsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Mohammad Irfan's tall story can help remedy cricket's summer of shame | Dileep Premachandran

www.guardian.co.uk - Pakistan's 6ft 10in pace prospect could prove a triumph of talent perseverance in an era of cynicismAfter a summer ruined by Mr Fix-it and the flannelled fools he preyed on, who do we feel more sorry for? For those beyond the boundary whose faith in clay-feet heroes can be unshakeable even in the worst of times? For stalwarts like Anil Kumble who worry that their legacy is tarnished after long careers that often involved surmounting intolerable pain and adversity? Or for young men and women who dreamt of one day gracing cricket's greatest amphitheatres?Friday marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. For Mohammad Irfan, who stands 2.1 metres (6ft 10in) in his socks, it could also be the culmination of the most remarkable of sporting odysseys. A little over a year ago, convinced that his chance had gone, the 28-year-old was working in a plastic-pipe factory. Last month, the Kolkata Knight Riders signed a $75,000 (£48,500) deal with him for the fourth season of the Indian Premier League. Now, with the Mohammads, Asif and Amir, scratched from the one-day side, he could become the tallest man to play international cricket.In times like this, we need our feel-good stories, and Irfan's is as improbable as they come. The quest for daily bread and the distraction offered by club cricket were his priorities when a website run by Pakistan fans interviewed Nadeem Iqbal, who once shared the new ball with Waqar Younis for the Multan region. During the course of that chat, Iqbal raved about the young giant who played for the Gaggu Cricket Club.When that information was passed on to Aaqib Javed, working with the Pakistan Cricket Academy, he decided to call Irfan over to Lahore and see what he had. Within months, he had made his first-class debut for Khan Research Laboratories and a haul of 43 wickets in 10 games earned him a place on the fringes of the national set-up.His village, Gaggu Mandi in Punjab's interior, is once again on the cricket map, more than a decade after injury cruelly snuffed out the career of another tearaway fast bowler. Matthew Engel once poignantly referred to Colin Milburn, his boyhood hero, as "the cricketer we could least afford to lose". Englishmen born a couple of decades later probably think of Ben Hollioake the same way. For me, the words "young talent" and "regret" are forever intertwined with two names, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Mohammad Zahid. One could have been as good as Warne if he hadn't lost his way. The other remains the fastest bowler I've laid eyes on, hurling the ball with a ferocity that his back ultimately couldn't withstand.When you think of Zahid, you think of a World Series game at the Gabba in January 1997. The West Indies won that night, but Carl Hooper, man of the match after a gritty half-century, announced that the quick he'd faced was a "couple of yards quicker than ours". Considering that the Caribbean arsenal still included Ambrose, Bishop and Walsh, it was some compliment."The talking point of the night, however, was the storming Australian international debut of stringbean Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Zahid," said the Wisden Almanack. "In a Test-style confrontation, he captured the Gabba crowd's attention by livening up Lara with speed and lift and eventually snared him with a snick behind. Hooper branded the 21-year-old [he was actually 20] Zahid the fastest bowler he had faced on tour."But after just five Tests and 11 one-day games, the dream was over . While Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait soaked up the acclaim that came with breaching the 100mph barrier, Zahid receded into the recesses of our memory. All he has are the flashbacks and when he says that he was a better bowler than Shoaib because he could swing the ball at that pace, there will be at least a handful of us who nod our heads in sympathy.Irfan is not fast, but his height makes him a dangerous proposition for any batsman. In a recent tri-series in Sri Lanka also featuring South Africa A, his best performances came against the hosts as he exploited the diffidence that many batsmen from the region have against the short ball.The youngest of five brothers [he also has two sisters], Irfan also played basketball with the army for a while. But it was his ability to propel a cricket ball from Joel Garner-height that first caught the eye. To get to Gaggu Mandi, you take the Lahore-Multan Highway and then turn left at Sahiwal. If you go on another 20 minutes past the village, you reach Burewala, Waqar's hometown."I was playing barefoot for the school team in my small village when Miah Shafqat Zahoor of the Gaggu Cricket Club from Gaggu Mandi saw me bowling," said Irfan in an interview with Pakpassion, the website that facilitated his remarkable journey. "I was already very tall back then and he came to me after the game to offer me a place at his club. He told me that they would train me, give me the proper cricket shoes that I needed and play me in their team. Nadeem Iqbal's academy is linked to the Gaggu Club and that's how I got to know him."With a father as tall as him and brothers who are 6'5" and 6'3", it's probably fair to say that the tall gene runs in the family. But while the bouncer comes naturally to him, it's the ability to land the ball on a spot that makes him a tricky opponent. A right-hander who bowls with his left arm, he gets that natural shape away from right-handed batsmen and the sessions with Aaqib have seen him develop the delivery that shapes back in as well.He's no speed merchant, and his choice of role model gives some idea of what his methods are going to be like. "Ambrose really caught my attention because he was a tall fast bowler like me," he says. "I've tried to learn as much as I can from watching videos of him."When he walks out in his nation's colours for the first time, he will find himself part of a battle to restore the game's credibility. But that aside, every ball he bowls will also be a tribute to perseverance and to the likes of Zahid, who walked down the same road not so long ago.Pakistan cricket teamCricketDileep Premachandranguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

County cricket - live! | Andy Wilson, Rob Smyth and Vic Marks

www.guardian.co.uk - Click here to see live scores and county cricket video highlights can be perused here10.01am: A few of us have come down early to Trent Bridge this morning to see if Lord's have sent a pitch inspector, writes Andy Wilson. Unfortunately even if there was one here, we'd struggle to see him. Fog is hanging over Nottingham, which makes the river look very autumnal and evocative, but might be a bit of a worry for Yorkshire. Assuming it clears, the forecast for today isn't too bad - the possibility of occasional showers, but none of the prolonged rain predicted for the south-east which doesn't sound good for Kent and Hampshire in their relegation battle at Canterbury. With a fine day due for Thursday (up here, at least), Yorkshire should have every chance to complete the resounding victory that would lift them to within seven to nine points of Notts going into next week's last round of matches. A couple of other morning talking points. Having lost interest in the CB40 some time ago, I hadn't considered how ridiculous it is to stage a floodlit final in mid-September until reading Vic Marks's piece in this morning's paper. It's even crazier when you think that the supporters of those counties who do qualify will have so little time to plan their trips to Lord's, as opposed to the good old days when there would be weeks or even months between the semis and the final. The overloaded international schedule is further undermining county cricket, because Sky would surely love to have covered this Notts-Yorks game if it hadn't clashed with the Pakistan mismatches. As it is, they will only be able to show a game from the last round of matches next week. Finally, the ECB's refusal to divulge whether a pitch inspector would be sent to Trent Bridge today is a throwback to the bad old days when informing the public was seen as unnecessary by those running county cricket. Surely the supporters of Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Somerset have a right to know whether there is a danger of Notts being deducted points at such a crucial stage of the season? The return to omerta can only fuel a conspiracy theory that Lord's are embarrassed that they didn't send a pitch liaison officer up here in the first place.10.00am: And we're also keeping an eye on Sussex's surge to the First Division. Here's the story of yesterday's 12 wickets.9.56am: Here's Lord Mike Selvey on last night's underwhelming Twenty20 international in Cardiff. This is a taster:In front of a pitifully small crowd, Pakistan batted like a side who on the whole would rather have been elsewhere and paid the price. Hit by accusation, allegation, insinuation and innuendo they are a team utterly devoid of spirit playing against the best side in the world in this format, one that just keeps getting better. So it was no surprise that England won their seventh successive Twenty20 international, equalling the record held jointly by Pakistan themselves and South Africa.9.49am: Morning. Busy day on yesterday's blog. A clatter of Notts wickets at Trent Bridge left Yorkshire well on top under the gaze of Andy Wilson. Somerset dismissed Lancashire, and today Vic Marks will observe the resumption. And Rob Smyth returns to the Oval to see Glamorgan continue their promotion push against a stubborn Surrey batting order (the new boy aside).But what's the weather like? London: gloomy grey cloud bodes ill for the two games being played here. Remember: 10.30am starts in September, so not long to go now.County Championship Division OneCounty Championship Division TwoCricketVic MarksAndy WilsonRob Smythguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Lawrence Booth's Match Zone: Pakistan proving to be worse than Bangladesh

www.dailymail.co.uk - The Pakistanis were supposed to provide a stiffer challenge to England’s bowlers than the Bangladeshis, but their total of 89 was their fourth score under 100. More... (Cricket)

Paul Collingwood praises England's application after drab drubbing | Vic Marks

www.guardian.co.uk - England were impressively ruthless but the pitiful crowd and lack of atmosphere offered a telling verdict on a protracted scheduleTim Bresnan, man of one of the drabbest international matches of the century, summed it all up, albeit unwittingly. He was asked, mischievously, why he had not tweeted much recently - given the pitfalls demonstrated by Kevin Pietersen and Dimitri Mascarenhas. "Nothing interesting has happened really," said Bresnan.Nothing much interesting happened in Cardiff last night and there were not many people to watch the lack of action. Afterwards Paul Collingwood duly acknowledged "the special achievement" of seven consecutive wins, matched only by South Africa and Pakistan, and praised his bowlers: "They fit so well together; the fact that we have Jimmy Anderson on the bench shows how well they are bowling".He was most animated, though, when asked about the crowd at the Swalec Stadium - about 5,500 - and whether England play too much international cricket. "I've been saying that for 10 years," he said with a shrug of the shoulders. "We had to create our own atmosphere out there." And they succeeded. It was a highly professional England performance, no matter that Pakistan's batting was as limp as an old stick of celery.Shahid Afridi, in his second language, put it differently but succinctly when asked to explain his side's batting: "It was very bad, inexperienced and immature. I know morale is down, but if we can find one victory it will be high again. I will not be letting the team down, not in the one‑dayers." So we assume no sudden resignation as was the case after the Lord's Test against Australia. He explained how he had made his plans for the one day-matches with Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif in his team but "everything has changed".Stuart Broad set the pattern with his aggressive short-pitched bowling. Bresnan followed suit. Michael Yardy was allowed to do his Derek Underwood impressions and Graeme Swann, although driven for two sixes, soon hoodwinked Umar Akmal with a beautifully disguised slower ball. Otherwise there was nothing to lift the spirits.The crowd huddled near the floodlights as much for warmth as light. Floodlit cricket in England in September requires a strong constitution and a high quality anorak. It also requires a fair amount of money. The cheapest ticket at Cardiff was £30; some cost £55. Perhaps that might seem value for money once in a week but not twice. It was a pitiful turn-out for an international match. It seems the punters have just had enough. There were better things to watch: a football match, perhaps; table football in a warm pub.It may be just as bad at Lord's next week when what was once a grand finale to the season comes to town. The one-day final between the counties was once quite an occasion. It is now a 40-over affair and this time it is debatable whether Lord's will attract a crowd of five figures. This year the final, even though it takes place on a Saturday, will be played under floodlights for the first time. For this the England and Wales Cricket Board owes the diehard county supporter an apology. If Yorkshire and Somerset are the finalists there will be no trains back home. The game finishes too late. Many supporters will decide that it is not worth the effort.It is almost impossible to understand why the ECB has taken this decision unless it has something to do with the fact that Sky might like the idea of a floodlit final. But a floodlit match without any spectators? It's not much fun as we discovered in Cardiff last night.England v Pakistan 2010England cricket teamPakistan cricket teamTwenty20CricketVic Marksguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan humiliated once more as England cruise to six-wicket Twenty20 victory

www.dailymail.co.uk - This is as bad as it gets. Pakistan, discredited and utterly shambolic, plumbed new depths in front of a woeful crowd with one of the worst displays by an international side. Is there really much more of this? More... (Cricket)

Pakistan 89, England 90-4 | Second Twenty20 international match report

www.guardian.co.uk - Pakistan 89, England 90-4 England won by six wicketsTonight, in front of a pitifully small crowd, Pakistan batted like a side who on the whole would rather have been elsewhere and paid the price. Hit by accusation, allegation, insinuation and innuendo they are a team utterly devoid of spirit playing against the best side in the world in this format, one that just keeps getting better. So it was no surprise that England won their seventh successive Twenty20 international, equalling the record held jointly by Pakistan themselves and South Africa.The ease with which they achieved victory was another matter. Pakistan, batting first on winning the toss, had no answer to the tactics and discipline of the England bowlers, led by Tim Bresnan with three for 10, their 89 all out the lowest score, by 36, that they have made in all their previous 39 matches (although better than a couple of Test efforts this summer).A Pakistan defeat then was a matter only of when rather than if, and England's response was predictably rapid, for after Steve Davies had clipped his first ball from Shoaib Akhtar just within catching range of Umar Akmal at midwicket and on to the boundary, Craig Kieswetter then belted an astounding six over extra cover from a free hit against Umar Gul as he overstepped, and added two more fours for good measure, 19 coming from the second over.If it was an incendiary start then it still pays not to get careless for after Shoaib then came round the wicket to the left‑handed Davies and forced a gentle catch from him to midwicket, Kieswetter was run out from the next ball as the new batsman Ravi Bopara pushed gently to backward point and his partner backed up to too far to beat Umar Akmal's direct hit at the bowlers end as he tried to regain his ground.Two further wickets followed: of Paul Collingwood (21 and top score of the match) who flicked Shoaib for six before failing against Saeed Ajmal's doosra; and of Ravi Bopara, suckered into trying to pull Afridi and lbw. Thus, as it had been on Sunday, it was left to Eoin Morgan and Michael Yardy to finish things off which they did unfussily with six overs remaining.After an insipid batting display on Sunday, Pakistan made some effort to redress things by rejigging the batting order to get smiters in early. It served only to play into England's hands for although this was the same pitch used for the first game, it was behaving differently. The new ball was going through with good carry from short of a length, rather than hanging into the pitch as it had been, and both Bresnan and Stuart Broad, the latter distinctly rapid at times, took full advantage with liberal use of the bouncer.Right from the start it paid dividends for after Kamran Akmal had taken 11 from Ryan Sidebottom's opener, the next four overs produced four wickets, Akmal hoisting a short ball to midwicket, Mohammad Yousuf, dropped by Morgan at backward point before he had scored, hooking to long leg, and Shazaid Hasan and Afridi falling in the same Broad over, the former gloving an attempted hook to the keeper and the captain flailing another short ball high in the air to point. At 23 for four, with the power play gone, and the spinners to come on a surface that would still turn, things were already desperate.Worse was to follow when Graeme Swann, brilliant on Sunday, was introduced to the attack. Umar Akmal is an adept young cricketer in this form of the game, and twice he belted the off‑spinner flat, back over the bowler's head for six, the first of them the first boundary for 46 balls.Swann is too canny to be perturbed by this, and although Akmal's partner Mohammad Hafeez had taken the trouble to come down the pitch presumably to caution him against getting over‑zealous, it was to no avail: Akmal leaped from his crease, swung, missed and was bowled. Swann merely shrugged. In the dug‑out the face of the coach, Waqar Younis, was as thunderously dark as some of the evening clouds.There was to be no comeback as England maintained their discipline. Mohammad Hafeez, a static figure, was run out from backward point by Sidebottom, a collector's item, having spent 32 balls over his 14. Fawad Alam, who had weighed the innings down in similar fashion in the first match, was caught at the wicket first ball attempting to force Swann.The only partnership of any merit came from Razzaq and Gul, with Gul once swivelling to pull Broad over the longest boundary for six. However, Razzaq swung hugely at Sidebottom and was caught at short third man, Gul pulled the next ball to deep square leg and Shoiab, having hit Bresnan for only the sixth four of the innings to go with the three sixes, was comprehensively yorked to give the bowler his third wicket. It really was poor.England v Pakistan 2010England cricket teamPakistan cricket teamTwenty20CricketMike Selveyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Surrey v Glamorgan | County Championship Division Two match report

www.guardian.co.uk - Surrey 324-6 v GlamorganKevin Pietersen must be sick to death of left-arm spinners. They have been his unlikely nemeses for England and now the problem has followed him to his new county, Surrey, where he was dismissed for a duck on his County Championship debut today. Pietersen would have been hoping for three figures against Glamorgan to signal a return to form. He did not last three balls.He had fallen to slow left-armers on 38 occasions in international cricket, so there were a few knowing looks when he came to the middle during an over from Dean Cosker. He pushed his first ball defensively but then prodded forward indecisively at the second and was hit on the front pad. After an almost theatrical delay from the umpire Nick Cook - also a left-arm spinner in his playing days - the finger went up and Pietersen shuffled off with the sort of dejected, confused body language that is becoming familiar. His performance was an improvement of sorts: in his last first-class innings, against Pakistan at Lord's, he lasted one ball.Pietersen has a maximum of three first-class innings left this season and two of those are at Bristol, which in its last game produced only 506 runs for 40 wickets. The novelty of seeing him in a championship match - this is only his second since 2005 - obscured the fact that this is an extremely important game for Glamorgan, who could be promoted if they win. They had a mixed day, with Surrey recovering from 136 for four to close on 324 for six.After heavy rain wiped out most of the morning session, another South African-born batsman, Jason Roy, got Surrey off to a flying start with a 47-ball half-century full of clean, crisp drives. It was his second fifty in his second first-class innings and, at 20, he looks a player of significant potential.The manner of his dismissal, bowled trying to brutalise Cosker when he had reached 69, was unbecoming - as was that of the captain, Rory Hamilton-Brown, who manhandled all the bowlers on his way to an 84-ball 96, striking six imperious sixes, before charging and missing the first ball of Cosker's second spell.Cosker was the man of the day: he took four for 40 from 15 overs while the rest managed two for 283 from 56. His other wicket was Mark Ramprakash, bowled by a beauty for 40. Cosker deserved to take the headlines but they were already reserved for somebody else.County Championship Division TwoKevin PietersenSurreyGlamorganCricketRob Smythguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Kevin Pietersen falls to second-ball duck on Surrey return | County Championship Division Two match report

www.guardian.co.uk - Surrey 324-6, GlamorganKevin Pietersen must be sick to death of left-arm spinners. They have been his unlikely nemeses for England and now the problem has followed him to his new county, Surrey, where he was dismissed for a duck on his County Championship debut today. Pietersen would have been hoping for three figures against Glamorgan to signal a return to form. He did not last three balls.He had fallen to slow left-armers on 38 occasions in international cricket, so there were a few knowing looks when he came to the middle during an over from Dean Cosker. He pushed his first ball defensively but then prodded forward indecisively at the second and was hit on the front pad. After an almost theatrical delay from the umpire Nick Cook - also a left-arm spinner in his playing days - the finger went up and Pietersen shuffled off with the sort of dejected, confused body language that is becoming familiar. His performance was an improvement of sorts: in his last first-class innings, against Pakistan at Lord's, he lasted one ball.Pietersen has a maximum of three first-class innings left this season and two of those are at Bristol, which in its last game produced only 506 runs for 40 wickets. The novelty of seeing him in a championship match - this is only his second since 2005 - obscured the fact that this is an extremely important game for Glamorgan, who could be promoted if they win. They had a mixed day, with Surrey recovering from 136 for four to close on 324 for six.After heavy rain wiped out most of the morning session, another South African-born batsman, Jason Roy, got Surrey off to a flying start with a 47-ball half-century full of clean, crisp drives. It was his second fifty in his second first-class innings and, at 20, he looks a player of significant potential.The manner of his dismissal, bowled trying to brutalise Cosker when he had reached 69, was unbecoming - as was that of the captain, Rory Hamilton-Brown, who manhandled all the bowlers on his way to an 84-ball 96, striking six imperious sixes, before charging and missing the first ball of Cosker's second spell.Cosker was the man of the day: he took four for 40 from 15 overs while the rest managed two for 283 from 56. His other wicket was Mark Ramprakash, bowled by a beauty for 40. Cosker deserved to take the headlines but they were already reserved for somebody else.County Championship Division TwoKevin PietersenSurreyGlamorganCricketRob Smythguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Nottinghamshire 59, Yorkshire 260-8 | County Championship match report

www.guardian.co.uk - Nottinghamshire 59, Yorkshire 260-8Nottinghamshire have set the pace all season, largely through their seamers' ability to exploit helpful home conditions, but with the title in touching distance they were horribly hoist by their own petard. Andrew Gale won the toss for Yorkshire and by 1.30pm the leaders had folded for the lowest total of the First Division season, with their unreliable batting unable to cope as the ball either swung, nipped around off a strikingly green pitch, or did both.Gale then rammed home Yorkshire's advantage with an outstanding innings that has so far yielded 147 from 170 balls - over 100 more than anyone else has yet managed. The 26-year-old left-hander decelerated after racing to his first century since May - from only 85 balls, with 17 fours - and also took a few blows to the box and one to the right hip that caused more lasting pain. "I've got a few medals," he said later, grimacing. "But it's probably the best day I've had as Yorkshire captain, but it's only one day out of four."Even the Notts director of cricket, Mick Newell, conceded that his team would do well to avoid heavy defeat, which would leave Yorkshire and possibly Somerset within striking distanceof the leaders going into next week's last round of matches. Yorkshire are at home to struggling Kent whereas Notts must go to Old Trafford, where Lancashire will probably prepare a dry surface in an effort to expose their lack of a match-winning spinner.It was that shortage of variety that led Notts to gamble on a result pitch here, when a draw on a featherbed would have better-suited their title challenge. "There's no more grass on it than we usually leave, and it's been prepared in the usual way," said Newell. But the home side may yet face investigation, which would raise the possibility of a points deduction, with the England and Wales Cricket Board's head of operations, Alan Fordham, refusing to divulge whether a pitch liaison officer would be sent for the second day - although he did confirm the surprising absence one for the start of such a pivotal fixture.Yorkshire handed aChampionship debut to Moin Ashraf, an 18-year-old from Bradford. Tall and lithe, he soon claimed the wickets of Adam Voges and Samit Patel with classic outswingers after taking over from Ajmal Shahzad at the Radcliffe Road End, reducing Notts to 18 for four. Oliver Hannon-Dalby then whipped through the lower middle-order that has rescued them so many times this season before Ajmal Shahzad, who had sent back Alex Hales and his makeshift opening partner Paul Franks with the new ball, returned to have Mark Wagh edging to first slip.Yorkshire played far more positively and even Andre Adams has been easily the pick of the Notts attack with four of the first five wickets, but he has also gone for more than four an over. The force is with Yorkshire now.County Championship Division OneNottinghamshireYorkshireCricketAndy Wilsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Somerset v Lancashire | County Championship report

www.guardian.co.uk - Lancashire 259, Somerset 54-1Charl Willoughby reached 50 first-class wickets for the fifth consecutive season as Somerset, buoyed by events at Trent Bridge, did their utmost to ensure the County Championship race will not be run until the final round of matches has been completed.The South African left-arm seamer took four for 60 to help bowl out Lancashire for 259 on a pitch that did not misbehave as much as its green hue, almost indistinguishable from the outfield, suggested it might. He turns 36 this winter but was recently awarded a new two-year contract by Somerset, even though they are looking to strengthen their seam attack for next season and have put in 28 days' notice of approach for Gloucestershire's Gemaal Hussain and Nottinghamshire's Charlie Shreck.News that Gloucestershire have released Steve Kirby from the last two years of his contract will also not have gone unnoticed at Taunton. But Willoughby showed in a quality nine-over new‑ball spell today why he remains a key figure in Somerset's plans. Swinging the ball with immaculate control, he removed the openers Tom Smith and Paul Horton before returning later to account for Gareth Cross and Kyle Hogg to reach his half-century landmark, something he has achieved every year since moving south from Leicestershire.More surprising was the manner of Shivnarine Chanderpaul's dismissal after he had moved untroubled to 56. The rock of the Lancashire batting top-edged a reverse sweep off Murali Kartik and Marcus Trescothick had to overcome astonishment to take the simplest of slip catches.Sajid Mahmood fell to the same shot but only after his 29, allied to 34 from Gary Keedy and 16 not out from the last man, Simon Kerrigan, had frustrated Somerset and lifted the total from 169 for eight. Keedy then dismissed Trescothick for 33 as Somerset replied with 54 for one by the close.LancashireCricketSomersetCounty Championship Division Oneguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Northamptonshire 125, Sussex 236-2 | County Championship Division Two match report

www.guardian.co.uk - Northamptonshire 125, Sussex 236-2Sussex put themselves in a great position to win promotion with a game to spare by dominating Northamptonshire on day one of their County Championship Division Two match at Hove.Needing eight points to secure an immediate return to Division One, they bowled out their visitors for 125 after winning the toss this morning.The Sussex openers Chris Nash and Michael Thornely had no such trouble with the pitch, however, as they launched the reply with a 228-run partnership in 44 overs.Thornely, dropped at second slip on 24, made the most of his reprieve to hit 11 fours and a six as he compiled a career-best 89 before he was bowled by Jack Brooks, who also picked up the nightwatchman James Anyon just before stumps.Nash was utterly dominant as he scored his third century in five games. He reached the milestone with his 12th boundary and at the same time established a new county record for the first wicket against Northamptonshire, beating the 193 by Ted Bowley and Maurice Tate at Hastings in 1925.The 27-year-old ended the day unbeaten on 122, with 14 fours and five sixes, with Sussex already 111 in front on 236 for two.The visitors had produced some pitiful batting earlier in the day with only wicketkeeper David Murphy, who top scored with 47, providing any real resistance as they were dismissed in 46 overs. Extras was the next highest score with 16.There was some seam movement with the new ball which was expertly harnessed by the Pakistan paceman Yasir Arafat, who bowled three of his four victims.But too many batsmen got out to loose shots and it took Murphy and David Lucas, who added 56 in 14 overs for the ninth wicket, to show what could be achieved with a modicum of application.Arafat struck in successive overs after Corey Collymore had made the breakthrough when Mal Loye was caught low down by Andy Hodd - one of three wicketkeepers in the Sussex side - driving outside off stump.Seam movement accounted for both Stephen Peters and Alex Wakeley and, although David Sales and Rob Newton effected a recovery of sorts by taking the score to 43 for three, four more wickets fell in 12 overs before lunch.Three of them were claimed by the seamer Anyon, who extracted extra lift in a hostile eight-over spell down the slope.Newton gloved Anyon's first ball to Hodd and James Middlebrook fell in similar fashion after the captain, Andrew Hall, had become Anyon's second victim courtesy of a fine slip catch by Ollie Rayner.Monty Panesar got in on the act against his former county when he picked up Sales in his first over with an arm ball, but Murphy and Lucas made batting look a lot easier either side of lunch with Murphy pulling Collymore for six.A 20-minute rain stoppage seemed to fire up Sussex again and they took the last three wickets in 23 balls as Arafat yorked Lucas and Brooks while Lee Daggett offered a simple bat-pad catch to give Panesar his second success.County Championship Division TwoSussexNorthamptonshireCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Cricket Australia enter dispute with own players over IPL cut

www.guardian.co.uk - Board now entitled to 10% of earnings from tournament Players threaten to protest by not signing contracts with CAAustralian players have threatened not to sign contracts with Cricket Australia next year if the board deducts 10% from their Indian Premier League salaries.The IPL governing council, in a meeting on Sunday to discuss the rules and regulations for the fourth season of the league, had ruled that 10% of players' salaries would go to their respective boards.The move comes in part as a result of pressure from governing bodies such as CA over their lack of earnings from their players' involvement in the IPL.But the Australian Cricketers Association believes the board has gone behind its back to secure a cut from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Under current arrangements with the players, CA deducts 2.5% of their wages for every month overseas playing cricket for other employers.Paul Marsh, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers Association, told the Australian newspaper: "The Australian Cricketers Association has made it known to Cricket Australia that any attempt to take 10%, or any other amount for that matter, from the IPL salaries of Australian players is completely unacceptable and will be opposed in the strongest possible way by us."CA simply has no right to effectively charge a commission on income earned by players from outside their employment to CA. Should they seek to do, so we would expect players to give serious consideration to either not signing an IPL contract that contains this deduction, or not signing future CA contracts."The latest move by the BCCI to deal directly with the boards has been understood to also be aimed at keeping agents out of the loop.The BCCI president, Shashank Manohar, said: "All player contracts will now be managed by BCCI and signed by BCCI along with the franchise and the player."A new player registration and contract management process will be detailed soon. No player contracts can be signed until then. Player regulation for the 2011 season will be circulated soon to all franchisees which will detail the player contract, registration and signing process."Australia cricket teamIPLCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Win tickets for the England v Pakistan one-day clash at Headingley - courtesy of The Money Shop

www.dailymail.co.uk - Sportsmail has teamed up with The Money Shop to offer one lucky cricket fan the chance to see England take on Pakistan in the second match of the NatWest ODI Series. More... (Cricket)

LAWRENCE BOOTH'S TOP SPIN: This is a desperate state of affairs when Afridi is one of the good guys...

www.dailymail.co.uk - Nothing sums up this most skewed of summers better than the fate of Shahid Afridi. It is less than eight weeks since he gave us all a good laugh, resigning as Test captain. More... (Cricket)

Second probe into Pakistani cricketers but Mohammad Aamer can avoid life ban

www.dailymail.co.uk - Two Pakistan cricketers have been ordered to hand over their mobile telephone records as it emerged they are the subject of a SECOND investigation into spot-fixing. More... (Cricket)

County cricket - live! | Andy Wilson, Richard Latham and Rob Smyth

www.guardian.co.uk - The day's play from around the grounds. Click here to see live scores and county cricket video highlights can be perused here9.30am Morning. You know the summer is in its final throes when County Championship matches are brought forward to 10.30am. London is today bathed in warm sunshine - just as well given the number of extra cyclists and pedestrians out and about - but more importantly what's the weather like in Nottingham and Taunton?If county cricket did first-class play-offs, it would look a bit like today. The top four scrapping it out between them, with the top two enjoying home ties.A reminder of the top of the table:Nottinghamshire P14 - 202ptsSomerset P14 - 180ptsYorkshire P14 - 177ptsLancashire P14 - 171ptsAnd a reminder of the fixtures at the top:Nottinghamshire v YorkshireSomerset v LancashireWe're at both, and we're also at The Oval, where Kevin Pietersen makes his Surrey first-class debut against Glamorgan. Are the Welsh side's bowlers just the warm-up needed to face Australia? We'll find out. Should be a good week.County Championship Division OneCounty Championship Division TwoCricketAndy WilsonRob Smythguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan can't even practise now as scandals and probes drag on

www.dailymail.co.uk - Rain lashed down on Cardiff as Pakistan tried in vain to practise ahead of the T20 international against England while clouds still hung over a discredited tour. More... (Cricket)

Kevin Pietersen and Dimitri Mascarenhas pay for their Twitter rants

www.dailymail.co.uk - The high cost of Twitter was felt by two England players on Monday as Kevin Pietersen and Dimitri Mascarenhas were both hit in the pocket for indiscreet tweeting. More... (Cricket)

EXCLUSIVE: SECOND spot-fixing probe into Pakistanis but Mohammad Aamer told he can avoid life ban

www.dailymail.co.uk - Two Pakistan cricketers have been ordered to hand over their mobile telephone records as it emerged they are the subject of a SECOND investigation into spot-fixing. More... (Cricket)

Dimitri Mascarenhas and Kevin Pietersen fined for tweets too far

www.guardian.co.uk - Mascarenhas fined £1,000 for calling Geoff Miller a 'prick' Pietersen fined undisclosed sum for tweet deemed 'prejudicial'Kevin Pietersen and Dimitri Mascarenhas have been fined for their coarse outbursts on Twitter, which now might be described as the anti-social networking site.Pietersen last week revealed that he had been dropped from England's limited-overs squad, several hours before the list of names was officially announced.He told followers of his Twitter feed: "Done for rest of summer!! Man of the World Cup T20, and dropped from the T20 side too. It's a fuck-up ..."Pietersen faced a disciplinary hearing at Lord's yesterday and an ECB statement said: "The hearing considered his comments to be prejudicial to the interests of Team England and ECB and a significant breach of the England player conditions of employment. He has been fined an undisclosed sum in accordance with the terms and conditions of his central contract."Mascarenhas, a former England one-day player, has been fined £1,000 by Hampshire for his outburst against the national selector, Geoff Miller, who he described as a "knob" and a "prick". Rod Bransgrove, the Hampshire chairman, said: "I met with Dimitri Mascarenhas today and formally censured him, imposing a fine of £1,000. The fine has been set at this high level as I feel there is little point in imposing a ban, given the long-term nature of his injury."In coming to this conclusion I have taken into consideration Dimi's previous exemplary record. However, as club captain he understands that his actions carry more responsibility than others."Mascarenhas said: "I realise that my actions were stupid and irresponsible and I regret any offence I may have caused. I apologise specifically to Geoff Miller, who has always treated me fairly. I also apologise to Hampshire Cricket, whom I feel I have let down. This was a silly, late-night conversation that got out of control and doesn't reflect my true views on Mr Miller."I have learnt a great deal about the dangers of social networking sites and encourage other players to think carefully before signing up to them. I was out with a few mates, it got to the early hours and as you do, you think you're invincible and I did something very stupid."Mascarenhas told The Guardian last night: "I'm totally against the banning of tweeting. If used in the right way, it's fine. There have been just a couple of occasions were players have had a few too many drinks and have said things they would regret later. I posted my comments at 3.30 in the morning after a good night. I had only been using the network for four days. I'm really disappointed with myself."In July the former England Under-19s captain Azeem Rafiq was fined £500 and banned from all cricket for a month following another crude outburst on Twitter. Stuart Broad, who is not a Tweeter, says team-mates James Anderson and Graeme Swann provide good examples of how the network can be used properly."What they do really well is that they don't make statements about teams. They use it as a joke and don't write mundane, boring things. It's all good fun. Jimmy and Swanny are two examples of good Tweeters, if there is such a thing."In the wonderful film, Sideways, one of the two main characters, while drunk, phones his former wife and declares his undying love. His friend looks at him and says: "Don't drink and dial." The message for cricketers is clear: don't drink and Tweet.CricketKevin PietersenEngland cricket teamPaul Weaverguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Mohammad Amir's age should not lead to leniency, says Pakistani manager

www.guardian.co.uk - Amir should be treated the same as everyone, says Shafqat Rana ICC writes to wicketkeeper Kamram Akmal on separate issueShafqat Rana, Pakistan's associate manager, does not believe Mohammad Amir's age should be taken into consideration if the opening bowler is found guilty of corruption by the International Cricket Council.The 18-year-old left-armer is one of three Pakistan players who have been suspended by the ICC pending an investigation into allegations of spot-fixing and its chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, has said his personal view is that Amir's age could be a mitigating factor, adding that it will be for the tribunal to decide.Rana took the opposite stand today. "Mohammad Amir should be treated the same as everyone," he said. "If they break the law, so be it. Age does not matter and I sense that is the feeling back home - they want everything to be in the best spirit of the game."Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the chairman of the ICC's anti-corruption unit, said last week all the members of Pakistan's squad, including Amir, would have been educated in the dangers of spot-fixing. And the England bowler Stuart Broad said today the extent of the teaching given to players means there is "no excuse" for not being aware of the risks. "As England players, [the] ECB are brilliant towards us, and the ICC [are]. We're very educated on this sort of anti-corruption stuff," he said. "There's an anti-corruption guy round the changing rooms all the time. I don't think any player could ever have the excuse - 'I didn't know', or 'We weren't educated'."The Pakistan government has promised to check the financial affairs of its international cricketers past and present, saying its Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBI) would conduct a wide-ranging investigation.The Urdu-language daily newspaper Jang reported today that all the FBI's regional officers have been instructed to collect details of bank accounts and assets in possession of players who have represented Pakistan over the past five years.Rana yesterday welcomed the investigation. "It was in their minds before we came on tour," he said. "It will bring things out and that is good. They will be very careful."Although all the charges against Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Amir relate to the fourth Test at Lord's last month, the ICC is investigating other tip-offs and incidents going back two-and-a-half years.It is believed to have written to the Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal in connection with a separate investigation relating to events unconnected with this tour, although there is no suggestion that he is the fourth player alleged to be under suspicion by last Sunday's News of the World. Police questioned the three players last Friday before releasing them without charge or condition.The newspaper alleged they had agreed to deliberately bowl the no-balls at the behest of a middleman Mazhar Majeed, who was arrested and bailed.As well as examining mobile phone and text-message records, British police are believed to have linked the serial numbers on some of the notes handed to Butt by Majeed, although the amount is understood to be significantly smaller than the £15,000 claimed in some reports.The Pakistan one-day captain, Shahid Afridi, said his players are focused on squaring the Twenty20 series against England in Cardiff tomorrow after losing Sunday's opener, adding that the squad had had no contact with the three suspended players, who have yet to leave Britain.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan's Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal 'were asked for mobile records'

www.guardian.co.uk - ICC reported to have contacted pair regarding Asia Cup Amir's age should not lead to leniency, says Pakistan managerThe International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit has written to the Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and the suspended captain, Salman Butt, requesting that they hand over records of mobile telephone calls made during this summer's Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, it was reported last night.The unit wrote to the players last month, before the News of the World's allegations about spot-fixing, but it has yet to receive a response from the Pakistan camp, according to the Daily Mail.Three players - Butt and the fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - have been suspended by the ICC, pending an investigation into allegations of spot-fixing in the fourth Test against England, at Lord's. It is alleged that three no-balls were bowled at prearranged times in the England innings. The News of the World alleged that the Pakistan players had agreed to bowl the no-balls at the behest of a middleman, Mazhar Majeed, who has been arrested and bailed.Yesterday Shafqat Rana, Pakistan's associate manager, said he did not believe Amir's age should be taken into consideration if the opening 18-year-old left-armer is found guilty of corruption by the ICC. The ICC chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, has said that his personal view is that Amir's age could be a mitigating factor, though it will be for a tribunal to decide.Rana said: "Mohammad Amir should be treated the same as everyone. If they break the law, so be it. Age does not matter and I sense that is the feeling back home - they want everything to be in the best spirit of the game."Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the chairman of the ICC's anti-corruption unit, said last week that all the members of Pakistan's squad, including Amir, would have been educated in the dangers of spot-fixing. The England all-rounder Stuart Broad, who scored a century in the Lord's Test, said today that the extent of the teaching given to players meant there was "no excuse" for not being aware of the risks."As England players, [the] ECB are brilliant towards us, and the ICC [are]. We're very educated on this sort of anti-corruption stuff," he said. "There's an anti-corruption guy round the changing rooms all the time. I don't think any player could ever have the excuse 'I didn't know' or 'We weren't educated'."The Pakistan government has promised to check the financial affairs of its international cricketers past and present, saying its Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) would conduct a wide-ranging investigation.The Urdu-language daily newspaper Jang reported today that all the FBR's regional officers have been instructed to collect details of bank accounts and assets in possession of players who have represented Pakistan over the past five years.Rana today welcomed the investigation. "It was in their minds before we came on tour," he said. "It will bring things out and that is good. They will be very careful."Although all the charges against Butt, Asif and Amir relate to the fourth Test at Lord's last month, the ICC is investigating other tip-offs and incidents going back two and a half years.As well as examining mobile phone and text-message records, British police are believed to have linked the serial numbers on some of the notes handed to Butt by Majeed, although the amount is understood to be significantly smaller than the £15,000 claimed in some reports.The Pakistan one-day captain, Shahid Afridi, said his players were focused on squaring the Twenty20 series against England in Cardiff tomorrow after losing yesterday's opener, adding that the squad had had no contact with the three suspended players, who have yet to leave Britain.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

News of the World justified in exposing Pakistan cricket cheating

www.guardian.co.uk - There are four major questions to ask about the News of the World's sting operation on the Pakistan cricket team.Q1. Did the paper have prima facie evidence of wrongdoing?Q2. Was it proportionate to offer so much money to (relatively) poorly-paid and young sportsmen?Q3. Was the offer couched in such a way that the cricketers were unaware of the gravity of what they were being asked to do?Q4. Was there a genuine public interest in exposing (alleged) sporting corruption?So let's consider them one by one. My answers are tentative, and based on informed guesswork, because we do not have the facts. But they are the questions that deserve answers (and, arguably, a little more information from the paper). A1. Given the nature of rumours about corruption within Pakistan cricket, it's highly likely that the paper's investigations editor Mazher Mahmood did, as he wrote yesterday, receive a tip-off. He explained that "the crucial extra piece of information... was the name Mazhar Majeed, a millionaire businessman who acted as an agent for Pakistani players" (who also happens to own Croydon Athletic football club).This sounds straightforward enough, and Mahmood does detail his meetings with Majeed at two London hotels, including (supposedly) verbatim - dare I say ball-by-ball? - accounts of their conversations.A2. Majeed may be a millionaire, but the players are not. Now, I'd guess that many people would be tempted by £150,000 to do something which, on the face of it, appears relatively harmless.Tossing down a couple of no-balls is no big deal, after all, though I readily concede that it could have been the thin end of the wedge.If we accept Mahmood's account, then Majeed was just indulging in a dry run with the no-ball business. He claimed to have fixed a match in Australia and was clearly prepared to fix a Test match.Again, if one accepts Majeed's statements at face value, £150k was a small sum for him to make. But the pay-outs promised to low-paid players should be seen in a different light. Though it's possible to argue that the sums given to them would have been disproportionate, I don't think Mahmood or the News of the World could be certain how much each player would receive. So the paper is exonerated on this charge.A3. We cannot be be sure of how the offer was couched to the players by Majeed. Did they really do it for the money, for instance, or because it seemed like a bit of harmless horse-play? Even if they were doing it to make money, they may well not have seen it as a form of cheating because there's a supplementary question to ask here: is the climate of corruption so deep within Pakistan cricket that this was viewed as unexceptional?A4. I like sport and I like cricket. I support Essex and England. I understand the desire to win and the passion it arouses in both players and spectators.Sport is meaningless if it is fixed because it is, at its heart, all about competition. Otherwise, there is no point to it.People who do not like sport may well take a different view. They may see it as nothing more than a branch of the entertainment industry and, as such, fixing what happens is no big deal. So where, they might ask, is the public interest in exposing it? Though I have also grown increasingly cynical in recent years about corruption in sport (such as the use of performance-enhancing drugs), I cannot agree. I do believe that there is a genuine public interest in exposing sporting corruption (though I readily concede it's less important than, say, political and financial corruption).All of this suggests, does it not, that I am relaxed about the News of the World's story? Well, on the basis of what we know and can surmise, I am.Of course, there is much that we do not know and we also have to accept that Mahmood's written account of his meetings with Majeed is entirely truthful and comprehensive. It is possible that there were crucial omissions and also possible that there were other enticements offered to Majeed and the players.But I always say that journalistic investigations that involve subterfuge and entrapment - as with intrusions into privacy - need to be viewed on a case-by-case basis.However critical I am of the News of the World and Mahmood for their over-reliance on stings, they do not get it wrong every time. The Pakistan exposure appears to be justified.News of the WorldPakistan cricket betting scandalMazher MahmoodCricketPakistanRoy Greensladeguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Hampshire fine Dimitri Mascarenhas for Twitter attack on Geoff Miller

www.guardian.co.uk - All-rounder fined £1,000 for calling selector a 'prick' Mascarenhas apologises unreservedlyDimitri Mascarenhas has been fined £1,000 by his county, Hampshire, for his furious comments about England's national selector Geoff Miller on Twitter.On the day his former team-mate Kevin Pietersen was also fined over a similar outburst on the social networking website, Mascarenhas apologised unreservedly for his postings, in which he described Miller as a "prick" and a "complete knob".Hampshire's chairman, Rod Bransgrove, said: "Having had the incident brought to my attention by the ECB yesterday, I discussed the circumstances overnight with the team manager, Giles White. As a result, I met with Dimitri Mascarenhas today and formally censured him, imposing a fine of £1,000. The fine has been set at this high level as I feel there is little point in imposing a ban, given the long-term nature of his injury."In coming to this conclusion I have taken into consideration Dimi's previous exemplary record. However, as the club captain he understands that his actions carry more responsibility than others'."Hampshire regret the entire incident which, although thoroughly out of character for Dimitri Mascarenhas, breaches the club's code of conduct. Further, it will be warning all players about the dangers of conducting personal or private dialogue on publicly available media."Mascarenhas was contrite: "I realise that my actions were stupid and irresponsible and I regret any offence I may have caused," he said."I apologise specifically to Geoff Miller who has always treated me fairly. I also apologise to Hampshire whom I feel I have let down. This was a silly, late-night conversation that got out of control and doesn't reflect my true views on Mr Miller."I have learnt a great deal about the dangers of social networking sites and encourage other players to think carefully before signing up to them."HampshireECBCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Stuart Broad blasts fixers by claiming warnings are regular from ICC

www.dailymail.co.uk - Stuart Broad insists there can be no excuse for any cricketer to be caught up in corruption because the warnings from on high are so explicit. More... (Cricket)

Kevin Pietersen fined by England for obscene Twitter outburst

www.guardian.co.uk - Batsman fined an undisclosed sum for breaching contract Pietersen accepted guilt to two ECB chargesKevin Pietersen has been fined over his foul-mouth outburst on Twitter last week. The England batsmen had reacted angrily to being left out of the England squad for the one-day and Twenty20 series against Pakistan, calling the decision a "fuck up".Pietersen was summoned to a disciplinary hearing at Lord's today and despite apologising for his behaviour was fined an "undisclosed sum".An England and Wales Cricket Board statement read: "The ECB has announced that Kevin Pietersen today attended a disciplinary hearing at Lord's convened by Hugh Morris, the managing director - England cricket, and Andy Flower, the England team director."The hearing considered two charges against Kevin Pietersen relating to recent comments made on Twitter following his omission from England's one-day squad for the series against Pakistan. Pietersen pleaded guilty to both charges and offered an unreserved apology to ECB and the England team management for his actions."The hearing considered his comments to be prejudicial to the interests of Team England and the ECB and a significant breach of the England player conditions of employment. He has been fined an undisclosed sum in accordance with the terms and conditions of his England Ccentral contract."Pietersen's original tweet, deleted within minutes of going public, read: "Done for rest of summer!! Man of the World Cup T20 and dropped from the T20 side too.. Its [sic] a fuck up!!"However, the batsman, who also used the message to reveal he had just signed for Surrey, later apologised. "It came out in the way that I didn't want it to come out," said Pietersen. "It wasn't meant for the public domain, I apologise for it entering the public domain and I also want to apologise for the language I used."Kevin PietersenEngland cricket teamCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Kevin Pietersen fined by ECB after pleading guilty to F-word Twitter rant charges

www.dailymail.co.uk - Kevin Pietersen has been fined by the English and Welsh Cricket Board following his F-word rant on a social networking website. The England batsman reacted angrily to being dropped from the current Twenty20 squad. More... (Cricket)

Press freedom risks as News of the World acts with impunity

www.guardian.co.uk - Before I get to the specifics of the latest stories involving the News of the World, it's impossible not to notice the central place in the media landscape occupied by that newspaper in the last couple of weeks.It set the news agenda with the Pakistan cricket scandal and yesterday's Wayne Rooney revelation. And it figures in the ongoing controversy over voicemail hacking. The newspaper is Britain's best-selling Sunday title with an average circulation over the last six months of 2,894,000. Its sale is going down, but not nearly as rapidly as that of its red-top rivals.Though it has slipped to second place in the overall national newspaper circulation league - behind its News International daily stablemate, The Sun - its form of journalism, in terms of both content and methodology, is arguably more influential than The Sun's.For a good while under its editor since 2007, Colin Myler, it appeared as if the paper was pulling away from its sensational stock-in-trade of intrusive investigations. Myler surprised a Society of Editors conference by announcing that his paper would run fewer sex and drugs celebrity stings. He claimed to have redirected the attentions of his investigations editor Mazher Mahmood (aka the Fake Sheikh). He told the conference: "I personally believe that stories about celebrities misbehaving - well, that's a surprise, isn't it... I think there are other issues out there that he [Mahmood] should be looking at, issues that affect the fabric of society and we will see a bit more of that." Well, we didn't see much of it at all. Though the NoW did seem to stop choosing weaker targets (such as the council house wife-swappers) it continued to write about misbehaving celebrities (That's a surprise, isn't it, Colin?) In fairness, I did detect - though those who don't read it regularly may not believe this - that the NoW's articles were less salacious than in the pre-Myler era.There were even rumours for a while that Mahmood was out of favour. That gossip has been well and truly laid to rest because he has been responsible for several of the most controversial recent stings, such as those involving snooker player John Higgins (here), the Duchess of York (here) and, of course, the Pakistan cricket fixing. [Incidentally, for the latest criticisms of the Higgins "investigation", see Nick Harris's analysis of the differences between what the paper said was on the video and what was actually said on the Sporting Intelligence website].So Mahmood remains a key player at the News of the World, and not just because of his own stories. His success in the routine use of subterfuge and his employment of covert technology influences the approach to story-getting by other NoW journalists and, of course, the paper's overall journalistic culture. I have described the News of the World as a rogue newspaper on several occasions, dating back more than a decade. When I first wrote about its activities I seemed unable to convince anyone, including the editors of serious papers, that the effect of its journalism would lead to a crisis for the press.However, in 2008, the paper was adjudged to have intruded into the private life of Formula One chief Max Mosley by exposing in print and on video his sado-masochistic sex session with prostitutes.He was awarded £60,000 in damages. But that was not the end of the matter for Mosley - nor the press. He has lodged a request with the European Court of Human Rights to amend the law in order to compel journalists to inform the subject of a story of the private details they intend to print prior to publication.Now that would have far-reaching effects on how British journalists - all journalists, not merely those from the News of the World - go about their business. The editors of serious newspapers are alarmed by the possibility of the European court accepting Mosley's suggestion.It would be foolish to suggest that all the paper's investigations are misguided and that all the "victims" are innocent of wrongdoing. As is often said, we have to take them on a case-by-case basis and judge them on their merits (or demerits).But the methodology - the elaborate and sophisticated stings in which which large sums of money are offered to tempt people into misbehaviour and/or the loosening of tongues by the provision of alcohol - is almost always questionable.Running in parallel with arguments about sting operations is the continuing concern about another of the paper's (supposedly former) story-getting methods - the hacking into telephone voicemail messages. When the paper's royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed in January 2007 it was obvious to all sensible journalists that they could not have acted as they did without anyone else in the NoW newsroom knowing what they were up to.Yet News International bosses and the paper's senior executives have always maintained that it was a rogue operation (note the irony of the rogue paper referring to rogues within its midst).Revelations by Nick Davies cast doubt on the denials by pointing to the out-of-court settlement with a non-royal victim, Gordon Taylor. Now the New York Times has produced further evidence suggesting a wider use and knowledge of phone-hacking.There is something nasty in the News of the World woodshed and it is time that it was rooted out before the press gets what it doesn't want - a privacy law and/or the Mosley amendment.The paper's public interest defences for what it does are usually wafer thin. Its press freedom stance, in which it claims that the public has "a right to know" about celebrity hypocrisy, also cannot be taken seriously.What the News of the World does is publish material that appeals to public prurience in order to maximise its sale. It acts with apparent impunity, taking ever greater risks with press freedom. But for what lasting good?I will deal separately with the Pakistan, Rooney and hacking stories in later postings.News of the WorldPress freedomNews InternationalWayne RooneyPakistan cricket betting scandalJohn HigginsSnookerCricketThe SunSarah FergusonMax MosleyNews of the World phone-hacking scandalRoy Greensladeguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Video: Yasir Hameed denies cricket fixing claims

www.guardian.co.uk - Pakistan batsman hits back at News of the World allegations More... (Cricket)

Pakistan government launches inquiry into cricketers' financial assets

www.guardian.co.uk - Federal Bureau of Revenue to investigate personal finances All players from past five years to be scrutinisedThe Pakistan government has announced that it will investigate the assets of past and present cricketers after the International Cricket Council charged and suspended three Pakistan players over allegations of spot-fixing.The Urdu language newspaper Jang reported this morning that the Federal Bureau of Revenue has instructed all its regional officers to collect details of bank accounts, assets and even the number of cars in the possession of players who have represented Pakistan over the past five years.An FBR official, Israr Rauf, was quoted as saying that the Pakistan Cricket Board will also be instructed to submit its expenses for the players, selectors, coaches and managers.The ICC last week charged and suspended Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir over allegations of fixing, first raised in the News of the World. They were accused of conspiring with bookmakers to deliberately bowl no-balls during the fourth test against England at Lord's. The three have also been questioned by British police.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Mohammad Aamer's age could save him from life ban, says ICC chief Haroon Lorgat

www.dailymail.co.uk - Pakistan's teenage fast bowler Mohammad Aamer could escape serious punishment over spot-fixing allegations because of his age, ICC chief executive has suggested. More... (Cricket)

NASSER HUSSAIN: Go for the bigger fish, not tiddlers you landed

www.dailymail.co.uk - What happens next could finally rid the game of the spectre of corruption and prove that the International Cricket Council really are capable of running the game efficiently. More... (Cricket)

Fans rally to T20 International despite clouds hanging over cricket

www.guardian.co.uk - Big cheers for Pakistan as fans express support 'If it's not sorted out, it will wreck cricket'There was a mood of quiet determination among the crowd watching the Twenty20 match between England and Pakistan in Cardiff.Fans of Pakistan seemed determined to express support for the players not caught up in the scandal; England fans, many of them families with cricket-mad children, were determined to enjoy the day despite the torrent of allegations."This is the first time I've been to an international cricket match," said 22-year-old Ali Bilal, born in Pakistan, now a resident of Cardiff and the only player of Asian origin in his local cricket club in the Vale of Glamorgan where he is a "decent" all-rounder."I feel shame at what is supposed to have gone on. White friends ask me what it's all about and I don't know what to say. But I'm still excited to be at the game."His friend Hikmat Sahil, 18, who is from Afghanistan but lives in Swansea, said he would normally support England. "But I'll shout for Pakistan today. I think Pakistan need me a bit more than England."When the teams were welcomed there were bigger cheers for Pakistan, although there were also some boos thrown in. Inevitably dropped catches and misfields in the warm-up prompted jokes about how much had been wagered on those eventualities."It's sad when you get suspicious about just about every event you're seeing," said Steve Hampton, 44, from Hampshire. "I've caught myself wondering if someone's betting on whether a certain player is wearing a cap or what music the cheerleaders are going to dance to. That's sad."Abdul Hassan, 34, from Cardiff, was sitting with his two sons, 12 and 10. "It's tricky explaining to them what is happening," he said. "They both love cricket and this is their first big game at a stadium. It's such a pity that there's a scandal hanging over it all. If it's not sorted out, it will wreck cricket."England v Pakistan 2010Cricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

India looks to legalise betting on sport after spot-fixing scandal

www.guardian.co.uk - Government keen to control illegal bookmakers Move recommended by trial court in New DelhiThe Indian government is considering a move to legalise betting on sport in the wake of the spot‑fixing furore that has thrown Pakistan's tour of England into disarray. With illegal bookmakers in India believed to be involved in the vast majority of spot-fixing incidents, the move is seen as an important staging post in the fight to clean up cricket.A sports ministry source in India has said that the government is planning to re-examine the contentious issue, hard on the heels of a recommendation from a trial court in New Delhi. "The aim is to ascertain whether legalised betting can exist in India without the stigma that is attached to it now," a sports ministry source told the Times of India."So we are looking at the pros and cons with great care. The UK model [The Gambling Act of 2005] seems rather comprehensive. We are keen on the legislation as soon as possible. At the same time it cannot be hurried through because we need to convince all about the need to legalise betting."Last week, a Delhi court suggested that the police had failed to check the illegal-betting menace and that unaccounted money generated through it was being used to fund terror and drug trafficking. The court observed that making betting legal would also generate revenue, as with the lottery business.The Guardian has also learned that in the UK the Gambling Commission, tasked with establishing a beefed-up intelligence unit across sport by a government panel, is to work with the Home Office and police on a study designed to establish the size and impact of the illegal betting market. Anti-corruption experts have warned that, unless the huge illegal betting market throughout Asia and the Far East is tackled by national governments and international law enforcement agencies, sport will struggle to stamp out match fixing.Nick Tofiluk, director of regulation at the Gambling Commission, said: "The complexity of what is involved in pursuing a criminal investigation is not well understood. But what makes it even more complex is that the vast majority of betting we would look to identify is in very large illegal markets that are offshore. If you look at the scale of Interpol's activity in south-east Asia, we are talking hundreds of millions of dollars in terms of turnover. The problem I think we need to understand is the scale and scope of those illegal markets and how they filter through into sport."India's gambling rackets, once dominated by the Mumbai underworld, have spread their tentacles in recent years: some of the biggest players these days can be found in small-town India. On Saturday the Times of India had an interview with Ramesh bhai, a bookmaker based in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. While he claimed to have no involvement in spot-fixing, his associates estimate his fortune is worth £1.4bn.Most bookies operate from nondescript areas of towns and cities, like the old market in Jaipur. Odds are fixed by the top bookie and change according to the match situation. Most deals are done by mobile phone; conversations can sometimes be taped to make sure that someone pays up. the internet is also being used more.During the last Indian Premier League season, each match attracted bets in excess of £100m. With many bookies having links to organised crime and syndicates in other countries, the police fight a losing battle. "How much can we do?" asks a senior police officer who has investigated the networks for a long time. "The maximum punishment under Indian law is a 250 Rupee fine or three months in jail."Gambling is hardly anathema to most Indians. During Diwali [the festival of lights] in November, millions of pounds will change hands as men and women alike play Teen Patti, similar to three-card brag. But any legislation to make it legitimate and taxable is likely to meet strong opposition from the right-wing and religious parties.Such a government move will be next to impossible in Pakistan, given that gambling like the consumption of alcohol, is forbidden under Islamic law. There's also no guarantee that India's established betting syndicates would have any interest in going legit and sharing profits with the government.Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the recently appointed chairman of the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, who is spearheading the investigation into claims of match fixing against three Pakistani cricketers, last week called on sports to co-operate more closely to lobby for action from law makers. "I think the model that was put in place for cricket is a model for the sporting world. I intend to be in touch with colleagues in all sports. Perhaps together we can lobby for improved regulation of betting around the world."Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketDileep PremachandranOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

England's Dimitri Mascarenhas attacks Geoff Miller in Twitter rant

www.guardian.co.uk - ECB to investigate two tweets from Hampshire all-rounder Offensive comments directed at national selectorA second England international cricketer is at the centre of a Twitter investigation following a foul-mouthed rant at the national selector, Geoff Miller.Days after Kevin Pietersen was told he will face an England and Wales Cricket Board disciplinary hearing for an outburst on Twitter, Dimitri Mascarenhas is facing similar action after apparently describing Miller as a "knob" and a "prick".The ECB confirmed after England had beaten Pakistan by five wickets in a Twenty20 international in Cardiff that it was looking into two tweets apparently sent by Mascarenhas, the Hampshire all-rounder who played for England's Twenty20 and 50-over teams last year.One post sent from the Twitter account @DimiMascarenhas read: "Geoff miller is a complete knob. He had no clue what he is doing. Fing prick."A second said: "Chairman of selectors came to Liverpool and didn't even come and say hi ... what a prick. Doesn't take much to say hello, does it." Neither post was visible on Mascarenhas's Twitter page tonight.The 32-year-old is expected to be ordered to a disciplinary hearing by the ECB and could face a ban from the game. The governing body would most likely look more harshly on an outburst directed so personally at a selector than the post from Pietersen, who revealed on Twitter that he had been dropped from England's one-day squads to face Pakistan and described that as a "fuck‑up".Last month the ECB banned the Under‑19 international Azeem Rafiq from all cricket for a month and fined him £500 for a tweet in which he described John Abrahams, its elite player development manager, as a "useless wanker".Mascarenhas, who does not have a central contract, is a Twitter novice, having opened his account on 31 August. An ECB spokesman said: "We are aware of the tweet and we are investigating the matter." The issue is also being referred to Hampshire, who declined to comment.England cricket teamECBCricketOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

India considers move to legalise betting after corruption revelations

www.guardian.co.uk - Efforts to check gambling syndicates under scrutiny UK model looked at by the Indian sports ministryThe Indian government is considering a move to legalise betting on sport in the wake of the spot‑fixing furore that has thrown Pakistan's tour of England into disarray. A sports ministry source in India has said that the government is planning to re-examine the contentious issue, following a recommendation from a trial court in New Delhi."The aim is to ascertain whether legalised betting can exist in India without the stigma that is attached to it now," a sports ministry source told the Times of India. "So we are looking at the pros and cons with great care. The UK model [the Gambling Act of 2005] seems rather comprehensive. We are keen on the legislation as soon as possible. At the same time, it cannot be hurried through because we need to convince all about the need to legalise betting."A Delhi court suggested last week that the police had failed to check the illegal‑betting menace and unaccounted money generated through it was being used to fund terror and drug trafficking. The court observed that making betting legal would also generate revenue, as with the lottery business.The Guardian has learned that the Gambling Commission, tasked with establishing a beefed-up intelligence unit across sport by a government panel, is to work with the Home Office and police on a study designed to establish the size and impact of the illegal betting market.Anti-corruption experts have warned that unless the huge illegal betting market throughout Asia and the far east is tackled by national governments and international law enforcement agencies, sport will struggle to stamp out match fixing."The complexity of what is involved in pursuing a criminal investigation is not well understood. But what makes it even more complex is that the vast majority of betting we would look to identify is in very large illegal markets that are offshore," said Nick Tofiluck, the director of regulation at the Gambling Commission."If you look at the scale of Interpol's activity in south-east Asia, we are talking hundreds of millions of dollars in terms of turnover. The problem I think we need to understand is the scale and scope of those illegal markets and how they filter through into sport."India's gambling rackets, once dominated by the Mumbai underworld, have spread their tentacles in recent years, and some of the biggest players these days can be found in small-town India. On Saturday, the same newspaper had an interview with Ramesh bhai, a bookie based in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. While he insisted that he had no involvement in spot-fixing, his associates estimate his fortune is worth £1.4bn.Most bookies operate from nondescript areas of towns and cities, like the old market in Jaipur. Odds are fixed by the top bookie, and change according to the match situation. Most deals are done by mobile phone, and conversations can sometimes be taped to make sure that someone pays up. The internet is also increasingly being used.During the last Indian Premier League season, each match attracted bets in excess of £100m. With many bookies having links to organised crime and syndicates in other countries, the police fight a losing battle. "How much can we do?" asked a senior police officer who has investigated the networks. "The maximum punishment under Indian law is a 250 rupee fine or three months in jail."Gambling is hardly anathema to most Indians. During Diwali [the festival of lights] in November, millions of pounds will change hands as people play Teen Pathi, similar to three-card Brag. But any legislation to make it legitimate and taxable is likely to meet strong opposition from the right-wing and religious parties. Such a move will be next to impossible in Pakistan, given that gambling, like the consumption of alcohol, is considered haraam (forbidden) under Islamic law. There's also no guarantee that India's established betting syndicates would have any interest in going legit and sharing profits with the government.Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the recently appointed chairman of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption and security unit who is spearheading the investigation into claims of match fixing against three Pakistani cricketers, last week called on sports to co-operate more closely to lobby for action from law makers."I think the model that was put in place for cricket is a model for the sporting world. I intend to be in touch with colleagues in all sports. Perhaps together we can lobby for improved regulation of betting around the world."Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketDileep PremachandranOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan captain claims Yasir Hameed has the 'mind of a 15-year-old'

www.guardian.co.uk - Shahid Afridi attacks Test opener over new allegations 'You can expect anything from Hameed,' says AfridiPakistan's one-day captain, Shahid Afridi, has accused the country's Test opener Yasir Hameed of having the "mentality of a 15-year-old" after Hameed sparked a fresh spot-fixing storm by speaking to an undercover reporter.Afridi said he was unaware of the latest allegations in the News of the World, in which Hameed was quoted as saying his team-mates were fixing "almost every match". But pressed for his opinion on Hameed's character following England's five-wicket Twenty20 victory over Pakistan in Cardiff, Afridi said: "He is 30 or 31 but mentally he is 15 or 16."He said Hameed, who is in fact 32, was "unreliable" and added: "I don't know who he was sitting with or in what situation he gave this message but we have known him for a long time and you can expect anything from him. People know what type of character he is."Following a meeting with the Pakistan high commissioner in London, Hameed today disputed the News of the World's version of the meeting with its undercover reporter Mazhar Mahmood, who was posing as a potential sponsor offering a £50,000 deal.The batsman, who is not part of Pakistan's one-day squad, claimed he had been tricked into talking, was misquoted and was only repeating what he had read in the newspaper. He said two days later Mahmood called and offered him £25,000 to give a statement against the three players under investigation. He refused and put down the phone, later receiving a text from Mahmood that he interpreted as a threat.Afridi, who joined the squad after the contentious Test series, said he had forbidden the team from buying today's newspapers and wanted them to concentrate on the rest of the one-day series: "It's history, it's gone and we're here to play cricket. I want everyone to focus on cricket, that's it."England's captain, Paul Collingwood, said he was "delighted" with his team and the way they recovered from a "hiccup" when they lost three wickets for seven runs. "A lot has gone on this week in terms of strong decisions. The two teams went out there and wanted cricket to do the talking. I'm just happy the guys responded well after what has been a difficult week."Collingwood was particularly pleased with how the team responded to secure what was a fairly comfortable win: "From our point of view we dragged it back fantastically well. It [the pitch] turned a lot more than we thought and the two spinners are doing a fantastic job."Afridi's fear that the Pakistan team would face a hostile reception proved unfounded. "It was good, the people enjoyed the game and we got some good support," he said.More than 11,000 attended, around 4,000 short of capacity at the Swalec Stadium. There had been concerns fans would stay away due to the spot-fixing scandal.Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamEngland cricket teamCricketOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan betting scandal: Yasir Hameed denies making match-fixing claims

www.guardian.co.uk - Batsman videoed in tabloid sting calling team-mates 'crooks' Hameed claims he was only repeating newspaper allegationsPakistan's batsman Yasir Hameed, who reportedly accused his team-mates of fixing "almost every match", claimed today that he was only repeating allegations he read in the newspapers.Hameed said he was approached by a man he believed was offering him a sponsorship deal and did not know the conversation was being recorded.In a statement read out on the steps of the Pakistan high commission in London, Taffazul Rizul, from the Pakistan Cricket Board's legal team, claimed Hameed was approached by a man when he was having dinner at the Holiday Inn in Nottingham on the evening of 30 August. It was only later that Hameed discovered the man was the News of the World's "fake sheikh" Mazher Mahmood."Naturally, I was interested in what he had to say and we began a conversation," the statement on behalf of Hameed said. "He offered me at least £50,000 for the deal."The 32-year-old said he was asked for the names of four more players who may be interested in a similar deal and then asked about the match-fixing allegations."As I saw him as a friend and a potential agent I naively started to answer his questions," said the player. "As far as I recall, I only told him whatever I had already read in the newspapers about the matter."Hameed said the man called two days later and offered him £25,000 to give a statement against Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, the three Pakistan players currently under investigation for spot-fixing. He refused and put the phone down.He then received a text from the man, which read: "Please call me. Incidentally you are in video drinking wine and saying all the quotes. Denying it is just stupid and we will be releasing the video to TV. Better that you just stand up and speak the truth." Hameed decided not to respond and allegedly told the Pakistan Cricket Board about what had happened.Rizul did not respond to questions over whether Hameed would take legal action over the reports.Butt, Asif and Amir have been suspended following last weekend's allegations in the News of the World and are the subject of police and International Cricket Council investigations. All three deny any wrongdoing.The newspaper reported Hameed, who played in the fourth Test at Lord's, as saying: "They've been caught. Only the ones that get caught are branded crooks. They were doing it [fixing] in almost every match. God knows what they were up to. Scotland Yard was after them for ages. It makes me angry because I'm playing my best and they are trying to lose."The Pakistan team manager, Yawar Saeed, told reporters yesterday that Hameed had denied such statements.The new allegations follow an apology on behalf of the three players from the Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi prior to his team's defeat to England yesterday. Afridi confirmed that the businessman at the heart of the allegations, Mazhar Majeed, and his brother Azhar, were managing the trio involved.Speaking at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff, Afridi said: "On behalf of these boys - I know they're not in this series - I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged the trio of players under their anti-corruption code and provisionally banned them from playing in any match.Majeed has also been arrested and released on bail without charge. He is accused of accepting £150,000 to arrange for Pakistan players to deliberately bowl no-balls during the fourth Test at Lord's.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan 126-4, England 129-5 | Twenty20 international match report

www.guardian.co.uk - Pakistan 126-4, England 129-5 England won by five wicketsEngland won the first of two Twenty20 internationals by five wickets with 17 balls to spare, the world champions thus beating their erstwhile counterparts comprehensively enough. But it took an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 67 from 43 balls between Eoin Morgan and Michael Yardy, the man of the match for his all-round performance, to see them home after three wickets had fallen in as many overs mid-innings.The tipping point came in the 12th over, Shahid Afridi's third, when Morgan, then 13 and with the score 77 for five in pursuit of 127, unveiled his reverse sweep for the first time. Afridi is a little quicker through the air with his wrist spin and Morgan, who generally hits such shots cleanly and square, appeared to do no more than help it on its way to backward point (or short fine leg, as he had become). Unhappily for Pakistan, he singled out Shoaib Akhtar, who spilled a straightforward chance.From then on Pakistan, while not unravelling, lost their zip. Kamran Akmal missed a difficult thickish edge standing up to Yardy in the following over, and there were some misfields to boot that scarcely raised spirits. By the time Morgan slaughtered the first ball of Umar Gul's second over to the point boundary, he hugged Yardy as if reunited with a brother after five years. Morgan finished unbeaten on 38 from 24 balls with six fours, and Yardy 35 from 26 balls, with two fewer boundaries. Boom, boom as Pakistan's shirt sponsor and Basil Brush might say.At a time when the series needed a spark to start it and take some heat from the allegations of the past week, this was generally dull fare. The nature of Twenty20 cricket demands pitches that allow the freedom to hit through the line of the ball. Sixes and boundary catches are the common currency. There were no sixes hit today, though, nor anything close to one, for this was a poor, crabby pitch that grabbed the ball and was reluctant to let it go. It turned too, quite a lot in fact, and while Graeme Swann is a magnificent bowler now, with an aura of expectation about him whenever he removes his hat and comes on to bowl, he should not be getting this sort of help in such games.In making only 126 for four Pakistan may have underscored, given that they were already 49 for one after the six‑over powerplay, but with the exception of Mohammad Yousuf, an old fellow in what increasingly is a young man's game, no one could time the ball against England's clever mix of spin, Yardy's left‑arm darts and a diet of slow bouncers from the seamers, a concoction last unveiled in St Lucia during May.This should not detract from Swann, however, who collected the wickets of Yousuf and Shahzaib Hasan - the latter to a neat stumping by Steve Davies as the ball turned inside the bat and beat leg‑stump - in his first two overs at a cost of five and with 14 dot balls, conceded only 14 runs in all.The target would not have been seen as challenging, although despite the loss of their two main seamers Pakistan still possess a decent pace attack, allied to the spin of Afridi and Saeed Ajmal. It was Shoaib's opening burst that gave his team their early optimism. He is knocking on now, 35 years old, and T20, with four overs and no more, is as much as Pakistan can reasonably get out of him. But he can still shift the ball - mid‑90s at one stage - and was good enough to give Craig Kieswetter a going over, with ball and gob, before having him caught behind.When Ravi Bopara was then caught by the unlikely figure of Yousuf, recognisable by what appeared to be a high visibility jacket that he was wearing (and perhaps his beard) and back-pedalling furiously at mid-on, he had helped to give Pakistan the advantage by the end of the powerplay.Afridi then rammed that home, first by causing Paul Collingwood to under-edge a long hop on to his stumps, and then bowling Luke Wright behind his legs. In between time Davies, who made 33 from 27 balls at the top of the order, hauled a short ball to deep square-leg. This, though, is the environment, away from the clutch of close catchers and hooping ball of Test cricket this summer, in which Morgan looks most comfortable, even down to the one‑day clothing.He has a calculating cricket brain, capable of assessing and thinking on the hoof. So he flicked and drove, scampered and harried. Afridi was carved square with as powerful a shot as was hit all match, and when Ajmal dropped fractionally short he was on it like a flash, hoiking it to the long‑on boundary. Easy.England v Pakistan 2010England cricket teamPakistan cricket teamTwenty20CricketMike Selveyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

ICC cricket fixing inquiry includes fourth mystery player

www.guardian.co.uk - Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed denies newspaper claims that he said his teammates were corruptThe first meeting between Pakistan and England since fixing allegations plunged cricket into crisis began under appropriately dark skies in Cardiff today, amid claims the International Cricket Council's fixing inquiry had been widened to include a fourth player.After last week charging and suspending the three players at the centre of the alleged betting scam - Test captain Salman Butt, fast bowler Mohammad Asif, and highly regarded teenager Mohammad Amir - the ICC said it would not comment further on any ongoing investigation.It is understood that the ICC has written to Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal in connection with a separate inquiry that does not relate to the current tour. However, there is no suggestion that he is the mystery fourth player claimed to be under investigation by reports tonight.The three players are likely to appeal against the provisional suspension imposed last week under the ICC's code, which will see them unable to play for months while its investigation takes place.But new claims by the News of the World that opening Test batsman Yasir Hameed had claimed fixing was rife among his teammates were immediately called into question by the player and Pakistan media outlets that said he had been asked leading questions and mistranslated.Hameed, who did not play today and is not in the one day squad, said he had not given any interview - the exchange was filmed by an undercover reporter posing as a potential sponsor - and that he had not alleged any Pakistan player was guilty of match fixing."They were doing it in almost every match," Hameed was quoted as saying. "God knows what they were up to. Scotland Yard was after them for ages."But Hameed said he was merely admitting that the players had discussed the allegations."I was approached by this guy about a deal for sticker sponsorship on my bat. It was a general discussion and I just repeated what had already been published in the News of the World," said Hameed."I was tricked into this interview, I never knew they were recording it, which is a serious offence and I am talking to the Pakistan team management about it."The batsman was today summoned to see the Pakistan high commissioner and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt and is believed to be considering the possibility of legal action.The ICC could still investigate Hameed for his claim that he was approached by a middle man during the Champions Trophy in 2004, which under the commission's code should have been reported to anti-corruption investigators.Police interviewed the three Pakistan players, alleged to have agreed to bowl no balls at specific moments of the fourth Test at Lord's, under caution on Friday before releasing them without condition or charge.They are examining phone calls and text messages between the three and middle man Mazhar Majeed, as well as looking to link money found in their possession to £150,000 handed over by the News of the World. All three players maintain their innocence. Majeed was arrested and bailed a week ago.Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketNews of the WorldNewspapersPakistanOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Eoin Morgan and Graeme Swann help England to five-wicket win over Pakistan

www.dailymail.co.uk - England overcame a mid-innings wobble to complete a five-wicket victory against Pakistan in their first Twenty20 match since becoming world champions. More... (Cricket)

England v Pakistan - live | Rob Bagchi

www.guardian.co.uk - How will the players of England and Pakistan respond to a tumultuous week? Email rob.bagchi@guardian.co.uk with your thoughts, and hit F5 for updatesRob will be along at around 2pm, though the weather in Cardiff has not been great.In the meantime, as the betting scandal inevitably casts its shadow over proceedings, the ICC's spotlight has also fallen on a Sri Lankan player, while Paul Collingwood has called for more honesty from players. Here's the Observer's story:The International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit has been monitoring the activities of a leading Sri Lanka player since the World Twenty20 in England last year after team-mates became increasingly unsettled by his late-night fraternising with a man they believed to be an illegal bookmaker. They passed on their concerns to the captain, Kumar Sangakkara, who followed ICC protocol by contacting the anti-corruption unit.The player has since been investigated by Sri Lankan police, although no charges have been laid; officials from the ICC's anti-corruption unit are said to be dismayed at the lack of progress. Haroon Lorgat, the ICC's chief executive, has admitted to a general sense of frustration, saying: "The [anti-corruption unit's] working is not that of a policing agency or a newspaper. They have no power to arrest or seize, or carry out a sting operation."Getting international players to question the honesty of one of their own team‑mates is a considerable challenge, but it is essential if the ICC is to root out corruption. England's one-day captain, Paul Collingwood, admitted ahead of today's Twenty20 international in Cardiff the difficulty faced by players in casting aside dressing‑room loyalties by reporting a team‑mate suspected of involvement with a betting scam.As England and Pakistan prepared for the start of the one-day series, in a lingering atmosphere of despondency and mistrust, Collingwood said: "I love this game fondly. It's very hard to say whether you would blag on someone or whatever but I would like to think I would take every decision in the best interests of the game of cricket."No England player, as far as Collingwood is aware, has ever felt the need to phone the ICC's anti-corruption hotline. "In my experience, I would probably say never, but I don't know for certain. You don't know whether players have done it individually and not told anybody else. This is probably stuff that will be done confidentially and kept kind of under the carpet."England also seem to have stopped short of reporting suspicions about opponents. They are regularly implored, as are players from all countries, to pass on all suspicions and leave the anti-corruption unit to investigate, but pointing the finger of suspicion without evidence is not easily done. "From a players' point of view, we pretty much just want to focus on the game in hand and let the authorities deal with it and make strong decisions," Collingwood said. "It may be up to the players to tell the authorities if they think something is going on."Pakistan's new captain, Shahid Afridi, who took over from the suspended Salman Butt, made a remarkable public apology before his side's net session in Cardiff yesterday on behalf of the three players - Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - whose alleged involvement in betting scams is being investigated by the Metropolitan police and who have already been charged under the ICC's code of conduct. Afridi made no attempt to proclaim their innocence. "I think it is very bad news," he said. "On behalf of these players - I know they are not in this series - but on behalf of these boys, I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."The News of the World, which published its exposé into cricket corruption a week ago after a sting operation against the Pakistan players' agent, Mazhar Majeed, provides further evidence over 19 pages today to support its allegations. The newspaper has been praised by the head of the anti-corruption unit, Ronnie Flanagan. The newspaper claims that the Pakistan players face 23 ICC charges between them and that the Metropolitan Police have recovered between £10-15,000 of bills marked by the News of the World from Butt's room.It also states Butt was warned five times that he must report any irregular dealings. It also derides as "rantings" the suggestion by the Pakistan high commissioner in London, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, that the evidence had been faked.Yasir Hameed, who was recalled for the final Test at The Oval - the Test that was the subject of the News of the World sting - is quoted as saying: "They were doing it [fixing] in almost every match. God knows what they were up to." Hameed last night denied he had made the allegations and said he was "deeply disturbed" by them.England v Pakistan 2010England cricket teamPakistan cricket teamCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

England v Pakistan - as it happened | Rob Bagchi

www.guardian.co.uk - Michael Yardy and Eoin Morgan led England to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Pakistan on a sticky track in CardiffThe first Twenty20 between England and Pakistan will start at 2pm.In the meantime, as the betting scandal inevitably casts its shadow over proceedings, the ICC's spotlight has also fallen on a Sri Lankan player, while Paul Collingwood has called for more honesty from players.2.05pm Afternoon everyone and on another miserable day for cricket lovers the news from Cardiff is that there's going to be an unspecified delay after heavy morning rain. It has stopped, however, and though it looks gloomy to me, the Sky team have got their T20 polo shirts on and are confident of play. We'll get a full allocation of overs if it starts before 3.30pm but the regulations state they can shorten it to as little as a five-over a side match if needs be. There's an inspection due at 2.15pm and I'll let you know as soon as there is any news from the middle, along with the teams when they name the final XIs.2.15pm The toss will be at 2.30pm with the match to begin at 3pm. I'll be back with news of both.2.30pm The toss has been delayed until 2.40pm with the start still on for 3pm.2.45pm England have won the toss and will field first, hoping, says Paul Collingwood, to take advantage of the sweat on the pitch after a morning under covers. Here's your teams:England: 1 Craig Kieswetter, 2 Steve Davies (wk), 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Luke Wright, 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Michael Yardy, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 Ryan Sidebottom.Pakistan: 1 Shahzaib Hasan, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Fawad Aslam, 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shahid Afridi (capt), 7 Abdul Razzak, 8 Umar Gul, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Shoaib Akhtar.2.50pm: And so we begin in a few minutes but here's an interesting link from Selve from cricstan.com that certainly puts an interesting slant on the latest NotW exclusive with Yasir Hameed. Thanks, Mike. This is like the John Dean tapes.2.55pm: In come the RAF skydivers, aligned in the shape oif a question mark as they hover over the ground. Is that symbolic? I don't know. Re the latest revelations about spot-fixing. I've only had minutes to digest the cricstan stuff but it seems clear to me that context is everything. Any recorded evidence must be published unexpurgated, surely, or we are left with too many doubts despite the headline-grabbing juicy bits.1st over: Pakistan 12-0 (Kamran Akmal 7, Shahzaib 5) Ryan Sidebottom opens proceedings and Akmal Sr picks up on his looseish length to lift him over the head of cover. It would have been four but for the wet pitch but they got three. Better shot from Shahzaib off the second that races through point for four. They scamper a quick single to Bresnan at short, fine leg that would have been out had Bresnan hit the stumps off the third. Morgan makes a splendid stop on the rope to save four but Akmal gets his second three then a single to third man off the fifth. "Nice to be getting back to some on field action after the events of the past week. Or does OBO now stand for Outrage by Outrage?" writes Phil Sawyer.Wicket!! Kamran Akmal c Yardy b Bresnan 7 A ludicrously misjudged hoick at Bresnan's shorter ball. He tried to pull it but it was too wide outside off and he just spooned it up to Yardy running back at squareish mid-on.2nd over: Pakistan 15-1 (Yousuf 1, Shahzaib 7) It's Barney Ronay's dream best friend Tim Bresnan to share the new ball. Shazaib shovels the first to midwicket for a single and then Kamran has a rush of blood to bring Yousuf in and he's off the mark at once with an easy single. Bresnan's just tempting them to have a slog, a policy that has paid dividends in the past. "OBO? Oh dear By Oh dear," says Gary Naylor. "Obloquy by obloquy"?3rd over: Pakistan 21-1 (Yousuf 6, Shahzaib 9) Broad replaces Sidebottom after one over and hits 90mph with his first ball that Shazaib taps away for a single. Yousuf plays one into the ring then has a cross-bat swat over midwicket and takes two. His attempt to unleash his favourite run off the face down to third man is smothered by a fly-slip/short third man hybrid and then curtain rails one over point's head for another two. Another half-power pull gets him a single off the last. He looks a bit too set in his ways for T20 and is just playing like someone's dad trying to whack every ball a whippersnapper serves up to him.4th over: Pakistan 29-1 (Yousuf 14, Shahzaib 10) Yousuf plays a huge drive on the up off Bresnan that has the height but not the legs and he gets three. He then hits a purler of a four to fine leg. "Outre, Bloody Outre," suggests John Starbuck.5th over: Pakistan 43-1 (Yousuf 24, Shahzaib 12) "So pleased the crowd in Cardiff seem to be playing nicely. And that link from cricstan makes very interesting reading although should we really be surprised by anything the NOTW does?" asks Lori McConnachie. Francis Urquhart time here, Lori. Beautiful leg glance from Yousuf for four and then he backs off to short leg and plays an uppercut over the head of Davies for four more. He's showing you can teach an old batsman new tricks with another outrageous aerial off drive that is hit with backspin and he only gets two as it stops dead a foot inside the rope. Yardy then makes a stellar stop on the third man boundary to save two runs. "Own goal by Own goal," is Gary Naylor's second bite at the cherry.6th over: Pakistan 49-1 (Yousuf 25, Shahzaib 17) Yousuf drops his hands and kills the ball about two feet infront of him and dashes a single. Bresnan careers up the wicket to try to run Shahzaib out but he makes his ground. Good yorker from Bresnan follows, just a fraction wide or he would have been bowled. Lori McConnachie has done a Hadley Freeman on us: "Pakistan's outfits, not such a great colour." It's cornered tiger lime green, Lori. Shahzaib finishes the over with a short arm hook for four and turns one off his toes to Sidebottom at short, fine leg for one. There's been some brilliant ground fielding from England so far.Wicket!! Yousuf c Morgan b Swann 25 Swann again takes a wicket in his first over as Yousuf's eyes light up and he carves it down Eoin Morgan's throat at deep midwicket.7th over: Pakistan 50-2 (Alam 0, Shahzaib 18) Swann on the money right from the first ball. Shahzaib had a dash at one and curved it over cover for one but then Swann lured Yousuf to his doom.8th over: Pakistan 51-2 (Alam 0, Shahzaib 19) On comes Yardy with his left-arm spears and he turns it a foot and gets good bounce. He just javelins it in and makes it difficult for the batsmen to get any room to hit. His last ball is round the wicket and absolutely hurled down at pace. Hellishly difficult to score off him.Wicket!! Shazaib st Davies b Swann 21 Went for a waltz down the pitch, Swann saw him coming, and the batsman was done by the spin and the dip. Davies easily made his first international dismissal.9th over: Pakistan 56-3 (Alam 3, Umar Akmal 0) Swann is more of a purist's spinner and is still happy to give it some air. Shahzaib goes down on one knee and rifles a cover drive. Lovely shot and then shoots himself in the foot. It's spinning square from Swann.10th over: Pakistan 61-3 (Alam 8, Umar Akmal 0) "Just tuning in," writes Marie Meyer. "It appears England have two wicket keepers on the field. Any ideas why Davies got the gloves instead of Kieswetter?" They didn't want to punish Kieswetter after his batting in the Caribbean but feel Davies is the better ODI bet behind the stumps, I think. Alam has started to use his feet cannily whichs eems a better policy than darting down the pitch. He gets a life when the umpire Richard Kettleborough turns down a good leg-before shout but the URDS is not in place other than for Test. Hawk-Eye shows it was hitting middle.11th over: Pakistan 63-3 (Alam 9, Umar Akmal 1) The batsmen are mesmerised by both spinners. Comedy shot from Alam, chasing a wide one to sweep. So wide in fact he has to stretch and he lets go off the bat halfway through the shot and the bats hurtles to midwicket. Amateur hour. "Soon there will be five slow bowlers in a team and no pace at all in T20," writes Gary Naylor. Well, in England I can see it. working.12th over: Pakistan 71-3 (Alam 12, Umar Akmal 6) Collingwood fancies a trundle and replaces Yardy. He drags his first ball down a bit too much and Umar gets on top of it and cuts for four. He almost makes up for it next ball, Akmal tries to hit the cover off it with his pull shot but got underneath it and it went straight through Bresnan's hands at short midwicket and knocked the cap off his head. Alam tries to do a Dilshan over the keeper but only gets two after mistiming it slightly.13th over: Pakistan 76-3 (Alam 17, Umar Akmal 6) Better shot from Alam, in fact a better pair of shots from Alam, one a full-blooded cut, the other a delicate late glide to third man. Swann is clever, though, and decides to pin him on the back foot if that's how he wants to play with quicker deliveries. I can't tell you how much it's turning out there. It's ridiculous and he deserves his two for 14 figures at the end of his brilliant spell.14th over: Pakistan 84-3 (Alam 17, Umar Akmal 14) Yardy's back with his round the wicket medium pace spinners. It's like watching Deadly Derek if the sainted Underwood had bowled short of a length. Akmal hunches low to scoop one over his shoulder and Broad makes a wonderful diving stop on the boundary to keep them to two.15th over: Pakistan 88-3 (Alam 20, Umar Akmal 15) "If T20 does see more slow bowlers (11th over), the batsmen will just have to work out how to read and play them. T20 thrives on plenty of extravagant batting and will become less of a marketable product if the batsmen don't catch up in the arms race. Mind you, less likely potential for deliberate no-balls and that's a blessing. Isn't it?" Good points from John Starbuck. Silly season shot off Sidebottom's first ball, one outside off stump. Umar stretches and deflects it over his shoulder for a single but looks like a bit of a prat as he could have cover driven it. Alam is twitching and getting ready to launch some shots, playing and missing, his hands too fast and almoist swinging himself off his feet so Sidebottom toys with him a little by bowling fullish and seeing if he nicks it. He finally connects with a short ball but splices it to deep midwicket and gets two, then another for a single. He's hit more off the top half of his bat than the bottom this innings and is doing better for England than the tourists.WICKET!! Alam c and b Yardy 20 His torture is ended with one of the weirdest shots you'll ever see, almost French cricketing it straight back up the wicket into yardy's hands. His footwork seemed to be almost entirely wrong to every ball he faced.16th over: Pakistan 96-4 (Afridi 7, Umar Akmal 16) Enter Boom Boom in his lime Boom Boom kit. Off the mark with a push into the off-side. That innings from Alam was, well, rubbish and he must have been having kittens as Afridi and Razzaq looked on, swinging their arms. Afridi is into the swing straight away: single, two, four.17th over: Pakistan 100-4 (Afridi 9, Umar Akmal 19) It is, as Gary Naylor says, a rotten pitch. "All season to get a pitch together for an International Twenty20 double-header and Cardiff gives us a slow turner - the pitch least condusive to attacking batting or bowling. Why?" asks GN. Sidebottom is exploiting it magnificently with a mixture of slower balls and swingers. Umar Akmal looks to cream him down the ground but there's not enough pace on it to get under it and he gets only one. He tries that scoop over his shoulder from the slower bouncer and gets another single. Afridi swats another slow bouncer into the leg side for two.18th over: Pakistan 109-4 (Afridi 13 Umar Akmal 21) Broad spills a difficult chance a mistiomed pull from Afridi that flew back at the bowler and stings his hands. He connects with the second that Luke Wright tips back before it goes over the boundary. This pitch is a total dog, making the batsmen do all the work and swinging so hard they can't keep both hands on the bat at times. Afridi flat bats it in the air to long-on and Wright, of all people, drops it. Umar takes two and a single to finish the over. Bumble says Bresnan is getting a volley from Broad for not stopping the two.19th over: Pakistan 118-4 (Afridi 14 Umar Akmal 30) The sun's out at last but Umar Akmal has still got his umbrella shot out and again steps outside off to raise it over leg slip. Daft and unproductive. He then plays an orthodox shot, sails down the pitch and clatters it for four between deep mikdwicket and long on. Sidebottom follows up with a quicker bouncer but it's way too high and a wide is given.20th over: Pakistan 126-4 (Afridi 16 Umar Akmal 35) Pakistan's batsmen have been made to look pretty ugly by the lack of pace in the pitch. Nurdling just isn't their game but they manage to take two from shots that if they could time them properly would balloon over the rope. Short balls work well when there's such little pace as if you bowl them at the body the best the batsmen can manage is short-arm jabs. A leg-bye off the last ball as Afridi wears another short ball on the grille of his helmet and Akmal takes two off the last with a hurried pull to midwicket. That wasn't very aesthetically pleasing at all to watch but England were very effective. They're about 25 runs short I would think.Innings break1st over: England 9-0 (Kieswetter 6, Davies 3) Phil Sawyer has a question for you. "I was trying to use Statsguru to find out the last time there were no sixes in a T20 innings but have been failing miserably. Can anyone enlighten me? I'd be prepared to bet money on it being England before we finally realised how to play the game." Any Frindalls out there? Kieswetter takes a single of Razzaq's first ball, steering the ball through point to bring Davies up to face. And he has a nibble at his first ball but gets away with it. He slices it over cover to get off the mark then inside edges it to backward square leg. Kieswetter looks more at home, advancing to drive through point for four. "Checking out sky's innings break coverage, " writes Ant Pease, "you've got to say that Pakistan are edging it in one important department. Bumble's male-pattern skinhead simply can't compete with Ramiz Raja's long, thick luxuriant black locks. I say Pakistan for the win."WICKET!! Kieswetter c Kamran Akmal b Akhtar 6 A huge swing that almost launched Kieswetter off his feet. It caught the edge and Akmal Sr caught it easily stepping to his right.2nd over: England 9-1 (Bopara 0, Davies 3) Shoaib Akhtar makes his umpteenth comeback and hits 86mph with his first ball that flies past Kieswetter's chest and he follows up with a few choice words. His third ball is a beauty, in the mid 90s, that just leaves the batsman off the pitch a little while Kieswetter goes fishing. He's out next ball and he hit it with such force that it really was an excellent catch.3rd over: England 20-1 (Bopara 0, Davies 14) A wicket maiden from Shoaib to start. Drama follows him, well Razzaq does and Davies takes two, two and then shuffles round to belt four down to deep backward square from one that follows his retreat to the leg side. Razzaq follows up with a better ball that squares Davies up and almost catches the edge. Two more into the leg side from Davies. He looks good when tucked up, which is a boon on this pitch. "Kieswetter did know that England need not much more than a run a ball? Sledged out by Shoaib - the Aussies will have noticed." He was given a few verbals, Gary. Good spot.4th over: England 30-1 (Bopara 8, Davies 15) Shoaib resumes with a wide, a slowish attempted yorker that drifts down leg. Davies then almost gets himself out, given the hurry up by Akhtar he spoons the ball into the leg-side just short of the fielder that brings Bopara up. And he smacks the cover off a devastatingly brutal cut shot for four. Davies sends Bopara back and the Essex batsman just gets back. He runs hard again off the last ball, turning one into two, after another uppish square drive.5th over: England 37-1 (Bopara 8, Davies 22) "Erm… Kieswetter is going to be playing against the Aussies when exactly?" asks Mike Selvey of Gary Naylor. The T20s next January? He'll hardly be quaking, will he? Nor they be working out mental disintegration tactics so soon. Anyway with Davies who knows how much of a T20 career he's got. Davies creams another four but takes a very risky single but the bowler Wahab Riaz can't throw the ball on to the stumps when Davies was two feet short having collected the throw. He should have let the throw reach its destination perhaps. And another missive from Selve rendering redundant what I've just written above: "Oh you mean the ODIs? We shall see."WICKET!! Bopara c Yousuf b Akhtar 11 He takes Akhtar on, spanking a delivery high cross-batted and Yousuf steps back at long-on to take a very decent catch.6th over: England 42-1 (Collingwood 0, Davies 23) Just a short bit from the legal snippers. Thanks for your quips about all manner of possible bets that may or may not be possible given the events of the past eight days. Thanks, but there's no way I can use any of them. Nor limericks about Salman Butt. Shoaib races in again and the crowd is keyed up for him, roaring him in. Bopara top edges a hook for three down to long leg and the Express is geed up, hitting 95.6mph with his next ball to Davies. Interestingly Umar Akmal is wearing football boots to field in.7th over: England 46-2 (Collingwood 2, Davies 24) Riaz resumes and Davies leans back and plays him nicely off the back foot through the off side then Collingwood does a Pietersen and almost runs himself out in his first over. Had the fielder hit he would have gone. Pakistan have managed to crank up some pressure, largely thanks to Akhtar.WICKET!! Collingwood b Afridi 4 Slow, short ball that Collingwood was attempting to thrash out of the ground. He instead under edges it on to his off stump. And the Pakistan fielders roar with laughter.8th over: England 55-3 (Collingwood 4, Davies 32) Shoaib's got two for 14 off three but makes way for his captain who bowls to Davies who targets the offside, taking two and then four as Umar Gul fails to stop the boundary with his dive. Then Collingwood's out to a golden arm piece of filth.Wicket!! Davies c Riaz b Gul 33 Picked it up off his hip but couldn't free his upper arms and scuttles it round the corner to square leg where Riaz takes a diving catch. Game on.9th over: England 57-4 (Morgan 1, Wright 0) "I've no problem per se with you mentioning Umar Akmal's choice of footwear, but you did miss out a rather salient point; they're not just football boots, they're lime green football boots. More importantly, you've not mentioned that they're the same colour as his lipstick was for the duration of the Pakistan batting innings," writes Ant Pease. He's theming himself in the garb of a man who would shout "Aciiiiiiiiiid!" 20 odd years ago. The best T20 bowler of them all, Umar Gul, comes on and he ties Morgan up who only gets off the mark because Ajmal makes an absolute Mullalley of a stop. He finishes a fine over with a wicket. Intelligent bowlingWicket!! Wright b Afridi 0 Bowling over the wicket, it drifts in and turns slightly to bowl him behind his legs.10th over: England 62-5 (Morgan 6, Yardy 0) Lovely shot from Morgan for four but Afridi diddles Wright out after some poor thinking from the batsman, not playing straight, just looking for runs from the off.11th over: England 74-5 (Morgan 12, Yardy 5) Umar Gul is on the receiving end of some orthodoxy from Morgan, a dazzling drive for four and Yardy clips his first ball through the covers to take one. Morgan's got the right idea here. No point being an amusement arcade when you only need a run a ball. "Shoaib," writes Gary Naylor. "has done some silly things in his time, but a couple of years ago, he was on twelfth man duty for Surrey and ferried drinks and gloves all day, signing autographs for the kids every time he went back and forth. I was impressed and have liked him ever since." He does seem a good guy but just as I wrote that he cocks up a dive and parries the ball for four at long leg. Still a nice chap, though,, as long as you're not a PCB board member.12th over: England 79-5 (Morgan 14, Yardy 8) Morgan calls Yardy through for two and he makes his ground but it was tight. Aaagh. Shoaib spills a chance at backward point, straight into his hands, off Morgan's reverse sweep13th over: England 91-5 (Morgan 19, Yardy 17) Saeed Ajmal comes on, presumably to bowl through given the dominance of spin for England. And Yardy gives him very short shrift indeed, belting his first ball through the covers. Then a viciously spinning delivery catches Yardy's edge and hits Kamran Akmal's pad. Tough chance that you couldn't really blame him for. Edges again but this time a deliberate one from Morgan, feathering the ball down to third man for a single. Very good over for England.14th over: England 99-5 (Morgan 24, Yardy 19) "In a probably doomed attempt to start a riff, given how little time there is, I see in the Observer today that Australians reckon Nick Cave would make their best prime minister. If we did it here in the UK, I'd go for Shirley Bassey, with Collingwood as deputy." Doomed it is, John Starbuck. Morgan prepares to Fairbrother it out for England. Cutting, carving, prodding, and driving. He takes four off the last with one of those weird bottom hand square drives.15th over: England 105-5 (Morgan 24, Yardy 27) Ajmal has not been able to do a Swann, he doesn't seem to be able to get rip with dip today. A couple of very optimistic leg-before appeals and that's his lot. Yardy's a very calm head out there. Milking and taking his fours off overpitched deliveries.16th over: England 116-5 (Morgan 26, Yardy 33) Shoaib Akhtar comes back for his last over. It must have been better to have kept him on. It's looking much easier for England with these two at the crease. Nothing frantic at all. Nick Terdre has a complaint: "I get really fed up with seeing pics of sportmen (usually) celebrating, like the one on the OBO now, and Nadal on the tennis story. I'd rather see batsmen hitting sixes, or having their stumps splattered, Murray rifling a winning backhand down the line, Defoe angling the ball across the goalie into the far corner, than cricketers high-fiving each other, footballers cuddling each other and Nadal lying prostrate on the court after the winning shot. Where's the interest in that? They celebrate too much, anyway." The majority of photographs on the wires are from agencies catering for every media outlet, Nick. Hence the common denominator is they tend to file lots of these sorts of pics because they're popular.17th over: England 125-5 (Morgan 34, Yardy 35) A steepling four from Morgan that would have been six on most other grounds. Two to win. Knocked them off Ajmal with ease. 18th over: England 129-5 (Morgan 38, Yardy 35) Morgan cracks a cut through point for four and England win by five wickets. David Lloyd starts the car, Morgan yelps with joy and that's that. Very competent run chase from the partnership of Yardy and Morgan. If those catches hadn't been dropped it may have been a different tale. It wasn't much of a thriller but absorbing nonetheless. Thanks for your emails. Good night.England v Pakistan 2010England cricket teamPakistan cricket teamCricketRob Bagchiguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan high commissioner wants 'draconian' penalties for spot-fixing

www.guardian.co.uk - Wajid Shamsul Hasan says those found guilty will be punished Three Pakistan players subject to police and ICC investigationPakistan's high commissioner to the United Kingdom wants the three Pakistan players accused of spot-fixing to be "banished" from cricket if they are found guilty.Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been suspended following last weekend's allegations in the News of the World and are the subject of police and International Cricket Council investigations. All three deny any wrongdoing.The News of the World now claims that the ICC are investigating a fourth - as yet unnamed - Pakistan player.The high commissioner, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, said that if the allegations were proved correct all three players should be issued with a "most draconian penalty"."It's the responsibility of the ICC to take any appropriate action and only they have the authority to ban them for life," he told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme. "But if the evidence that the News of the World is supposed to have is proven correct and is admissible in a court of law, I would banish them from cricket."If they are found guilty they must be punished properly, not only banned for life but I would see that they are prosecuted properly in a court of law."They must be given sentences so that we would not see these sort of characters in sport because they are spoiling the whole history of the game."If they are found guilty of anything they will be given a most draconian penalty because they have been responsible for bringing a bad name to cricket, their country and the team."The News of the World today features an interview with the Pakistan Test batsman Yasir Hameed, in which he allegedly says that some of his team-mates were engaged in rigging games. There are also suggestions that he was offered, and turned down, £100,000 to fix matches.The Pakistan team manager, Yawar Saeed, yesterday told reporters that Hameed had denied such statements.Hasan said: "I saw the interview tape and it seemed like Yasir Hameed was presenting very casual evidence to the News of the World. Later on I heard him speak to a different channel and he denied every word of it."Hasan said that Butt, Asif and Amir remain innocent until proven guilty."That was my stance from day one and I still maintain it," he said. "We questioned them and all my colleagues that talked to them said that, yes, apparently they are innocent."But we're not police investigators - it's up to the police to find out if they're guilty."Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

ICC wants independent commissioner on Pakistan betting scandal

www.guardian.co.uk - President Sharad Pawar speaks in New York Says commissioner will be 'independent person'The International Cricket Council will appoint an independent commissioner to determine the fate of the three Pakistan players who are fighting spot-fixing charges.The ICC president, Sharad Pawar, said the Pakistan captain, Salman Butt, and the pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who have been provisionally suspended and charged by the ICC under their anti-corruption code, will be given an opportunity to present their version of the spot-fixing scandal that has rocked the sport."We have not punished anybody," Pawar told the Times Now channel in New York yesterday. Pawar is in America to attend an international meeting of the Indian Nationalist Congress Party, of which he is the president."If there are some serious allegations and if the anti-corruption unit of the ICC comes to some prima facie conclusion, then we will have to send a notice to that particular player, it is not a final decision. The notice means giving them an opportunity to explain their position."Pawar did not say who the commissioner was or when he or she would be appointed, but he did explain the protocol the individual would go through."The ICC appoints an independent person as the commissioner and gives [an] opportunity to the player to put his views and explanations before the commissioner and not the ICC and the commissioner's recommendations will be final for [the] ICC," said Pawar, who is India's agriculture minister.He also assured the Pakistani cricketers that they would get a fair hearing."This is not an action [against them]. This is sort of notice given to them, an opportunity given to them to explain their position."The News of the World newspaper, which broke the scandal, said today that a fourth Pakistani player was being investigated by the ICC over match-rigging claims.Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

The machinery of corruption in sport will go on untouched | Paul Hayward

www.guardian.co.uk - Industrialised 'western' sports are just as much a part of these breaches of trust as Asian cricket betting scandalsFor an hour it would be glorious to see the vast industry of modern sport through the eyes of an 18-year-old prodigy, who was 40% human, 60% commodity to the agents, fixers, chancers, gamblers, media carnivores and messianic administrators who formed the cast of his bright new life.A smart kid starring in this overnight-fame flick would not see fairytales and innocence. He might think a boyhood talent for sport had sucked him into a trade that had little to do with skills except where they determine his market value. He might notice advertising space being sold on umpires' coats, governing bodies manically chasing deals with dubious partners and newspapers and broadcasters using his game as a battleground in circulation and ratings wars, with truth a frequent casualty.Around the fringes of the grandstand and clubhouse he might even sense the workings of crooks and cheats, of opportunists who found a way to gain from sport's unscripted drama. What if the play was scripted, after all? The essence, the thing that keeps you going back, is that no one knows the outcome and you can't say that about the theatre or Hollywood. So what if sport was given a screenwriter? Our young star, observing these worlds within worlds, and seeing how money and power were the real drivers of his profession, might just see a hole in the Corinthian values many of us still cling to in defiance of reality.Saul Bellow's memo to our species - "a man's life is not a business" - would draw a laugh from Mohammad Amir, the brilliant 18-year-old Pakistani bowler now suspended on suspicion of spot-fixing. To imagine the cricket industry through his lens is not to issue him a kind of cynicism-licence to take loot from match-fixers to bowl no-balls to order, if that is what he did.The intention is to point out that the modern billboard sportsman increasingly exists not on the borderline between winning and losing but the junction between temptation and missing out. Since everything is a transaction these days it's not hard to see how spot-fixing might be framed in a young cricketer's brain as just another piece of business, a tickling of the live action that the paying public need not know about. This is an abomination, of course, but as sport and the business of sport become indistinguishable the players themselves were bound to stop thinking of the laws and spirit of the game as sacred.But there is another important context to the International Cricket Council's precipitous decision to suspend Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir before Scotland Yard had completed their investigation: a grandstanding move that ignored Pakistan's willingness to withdraw the three players from the limited-overs series against England, which starts in Cardiff today. All week cricket was braced for further revelations in News of the World. The need to be seen to be decisive is understandable, but most of us would prefer decisions not to be made on the basis of newspaper stings, however apparently compelling the evidence.While the players themselves are pre‑emptively demonised, and crooked dramatis personae held up as a scourge that must be purged with life bans, the machinery of corruption behind individual venal acts will remain untouched. Young players will not be properly protected from criminals, illegal bookmaking in India and Pakistan will continue unmolested (this, surely is a problem too vast for governments to tackle, short of legalisation and regulation), and cricket will continue to take money from such people as Allen Stanford, who drew a glistening smile from Giles Clarke, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, as he delivered his $20m Twenty20 booty, rather than the "disdain" Clarke is widely reported to have aimed at Mohammad Amir as he handed him a £4,000 man-of-the-series cheque at Lord's.Clarke was not to know Stanford was about to be arrested for his part in an alleged $8bn Ponzi scheme fraud. But the point holds. In greed's long lineage the players just happen to stand at the spotlight end and are easiest to vilify when sport becomes a scam, a con‑job. This takes no account of duress, evidence of which may yet emerge in the ICC anti-corruption and security unit's long-standing investigation into Pakistani spot-fixing. Do we assume all stunts are arranged with bundles of cash or might it be possible that violence is sometimes threatened?And while we're pulling English jockeys off the high-horse of disgust it ought to be said that corruption of various kinds is endemic in British sport. John Higgins, the world snooker champion, was suspended this year for allegedly agreeing to fix frames after a similar newspaper exposé, and racing has been riven with scandal since the advent of betting exchanges made losing the new winning.Further afield we observed the Calciopoli match-fixing outrage in Italy and a Formula One driver deliberately driving into a wall to affect a result.What is industrialised drug use in athletics and the Tour de France if not a quest to pre-determine an outcome? All these abuses prove a painfully simple point: the higher the rewards, the greater the corruption; the more sport is a business, the less it is a morality play.The "Pakistan three" may be amused to know that in his autobiography Matt Le Tissier admitted trying and failing to kick a ball straight out in a game against Wimbledon in 1995 so associates could collect at the betting window on an early throw-in. Clearly the threat is that the events at Lord's are merely the gas bubbles on a huge swamp of skulduggery. But the rich European sports industries are in place to lecture Indian or Pakistani cricket about honour and codes. Betting is professional sport's dry rot and the temptation is to say: don't buy this house.Pakistan cricket betting scandalSport bettingPakistan cricket teamCricketPaul Haywardguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Spot-fixing is the real threat not match-fixing, says Sir Ronnie Flanagan

www.dailymail.co.uk - Cricket has long feared a repeat of the shocking admissions by South African captain Hansie Cronje a decade ago that he agreed to fix matches for profit. More... (Cricket)

England captain Paul Collingwood says players must speak up on match-fixing

www.dailymail.co.uk - On the eve of first Twenty20 match against Pakistan since the spot-fixing allegations, Paul Collingwood says there have always been rumours, but never hard evidence. More... (Cricket)

Yasir Hameed: My Pakistan team-mates were trying to fix almost every match

www.dailymail.co.uk - Pakistan players were accused last night of trying to fix 'almost every match' as batsman Yasir Hameed was claimed to have broken ranks and made allegations against team-mates. More... (Cricket)

Pakistan betting scandal: Sri Lanka player under ICC spotlight

www.guardian.co.uk - Team-mates voice suspicions to possible bookmaker link Paul Collingwood urges players to fight corruption in the game Pakistan trio face 23 ICC charges, newspaper claimsThe International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit has been monitoring the activities of a leading Sri Lanka player since the World Twenty20 in England last year after team-mates became increasingly unsettled by his late-night fraternising with a man they believed to be an illegal bookmaker. They passed on their concerns to the captain, Kumar Sangakkara, who followed ICC protocol by contacting the anti-corruption unit.The player has since been investigated by Sri Lankan police, although no charges have been laid; officials from the ICC's anti-corruption unit are said to be dismayed at the lack of progress. Haroon Lorgat, the ICC's chief executive, has admitted to a general sense of frustration, saying: "The [anti-corruption unit's] working is not that of a policing agency or a newspaper. They have no power to arrest or seize, or carry out a sting operation."Getting international players to question the honesty of one of their own team‑mates is a considerable challenge, but it is essential if the ICC is to root out corruption. England's one-day captain, Paul Collingwood, admitted ahead of today's Twenty20 international in Cardiff the difficulty faced by players in casting aside dressing‑room loyalties by reporting a team‑mate suspected of involvement with a betting scam.As England and Pakistan prepared for the start of the one-day series, in a lingering atmosphere of despondency and mistrust, Collingwood said: "I love this game fondly. It's very hard to say whether you would blag on someone or whatever but I would like to think I would take every decision in the best interests of the game of cricket."No England player, as far as Collingwood is aware, has ever felt the need to phone the ICC's anti-corruption hotline. "In my experience, I would probably say never, but I don't know for certain. You don't know whether players have done it individually and not told anybody else. This is probably stuff that will be done confidentially and kept kind of under the carpet."England also seem to have stopped short of reporting suspicions about opponents. They are regularly implored, as are players from all countries, to pass on all suspicions and leave the anti-corruption unit to investigate, but pointing the finger of suspicion without evidence is not easily done. "From a players' point of view, we pretty much just want to focus on the game in hand and let the authorities deal with it and make strong decisions," Collingwood said. "It may be up to the players to tell the authorities if they think something is going on."Pakistan's new captain, Shahid Afridi, who took over from the suspended Salman Butt, made a remarkable public apology before his side's net session in Cardiff yesterday on behalf of the three players - Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - whose alleged involvement in betting scams is being investigated by the Metropolitan police and who have already been charged under the ICC's code of conduct. Afridi made no attempt to proclaim their innocence. "I think it is very bad news," he said. "On behalf of these players - I know they are not in this series - but on behalf of these boys, I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."The News of the World, which published its exposé into cricket corruption a week ago after a sting operation against the Pakistan players' agent, Mazhar Majeed, provides further evidence over 19 pages today to support its allegations. The newspaper has been praised by the head of the anti-corruption unit, Ronnie Flanagan. The newspaper claims that the Pakistan players face 23 ICC charges between them and that the Metropolitan Police have recovered between £10-15,000 of bills marked by the News of the World from Butt's room.It also states Butt was warned five times that he must report any irregular dealings. It also derides as "rantings" the suggestion by the Pakistan high commissioner in London, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, that the evidence had been faked.Yasir Hameed, who was recalled for the final Test at The Oval - the Test that was the subject of the News of the World sting - is quoted as saying: "They were doing it [fixing] in almost every match. God knows what they were up to." Hameed last night denied he had made the allegations and said he was "deeply disturbed" by them.Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamEngland cricket teamCricketDavid Hoppsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

High praise for Stuart Broad's finest hour does not overstep the mark | Vic Marks

www.guardian.co.uk - Despite the shenanigans at Lord's, England boast a true all-rounder who claimed a brilliant and bona fide centuryStuart Broad played the innings of his life on the Friday of the Lord's Test - or did he? He thinks so. "That was the biggest achievement of my Test career so far," said Broad after the revelations of the News of the World last Sunday morning. "I have absolutely no doubt that Pakistan were giving everything to win that match."It suits Broad to think like that, of course. He does not want his finest hour(s) as a Test cricketer to be devalued. A few news editors preferred to think otherwise. The difference between match-fixing and spot-fixing was happily blurred.Ask any professional cricketers to explain the shenanigans of Lord's and there is a high degree of unanimity. Talking to two familiar old fast bowlers in the immediate aftermath, Jonathan Agnew and Mike Selvey, who understand the mechanics of propelling the ball at pace, they were of the same mind: Mohammad Amir's no-balls were a source of bewilderment before publication of last Sunday's News of the World, a source of despair afterwards.Decent pace bowlers - and Amir is very decent - do not overstep by that much. If they are that much out of kilter as they approach the popping crease, they stop and try again. It is the detail that incriminates. Look also at the eyes of Salman Butt at mid-on staring at Amir's feet as he delivers the ball. Any cricketer fielding at mid-on - and I have done my time there - fixes his eyes on the batsman's bat, not the bowler's feet, as the ball is delivered.Not that Amir or Mohammad Asif would be the first to deliver deliberate no-balls. Mike Procter has confided how he used to overstep deliberately - not for financial gain, but to terrify the life out of lower-order batsmen. He admits that he delivered no-ball bouncers to tail-enders on purpose so that he still had six balls available in the over to bowl them out.That may be contrary to the spirit of the game. Perhaps it is cheating. But in cricket there are peculiarly different degrees of cheating. To cheat in order to win the game is only mildly frowned upon; to cheat for personal gain is a heinous act.Likewise, even though fixing of any kind is a violation, there are also different degrees. It is a major leap from spot-fixing, as alleged at Lord's last weekend, to match-fixing. Inevitably, in the wake of last week's revelations, the sleuths have been eager to re-examine recent Pakistan matches, notably the Sydney Test against Australia last January. Mazhar Majeed was quoted in the News of the World as saying that the match was fixed, netting the gamblers US$1.3m (£850,000). Well, he would say that, wouldn't he? Ricky Ponting thought it was a legitimate Australia victory - he would say that, too.But ask the old players again. The no-balls were simple, isolated acts, easy to perform, which now look dreadful. But throwing an entire game is a far more complex operation. Dropping catches intentionally but without detection is a very difficult undertaking. And why would a player, eager to profit illegitimately from his place in a national team, contrive a high-profile defeat such as Pakistan's against Australia, which was likely to lead to his being dropped? That makes no sense.Which brings us back to Broad and the alleged spot-, not match-, fixing at Lord's. The runs scored by Broad - and Jonathan Trott - surely count. And so does the result of the Test. As Broad pointed out: "Ask the batsmen who were at the crease on Friday morning whether Pakistan were trying or not."So amid the fallout, it is legitimate to draw some cricketing conclusions from the Lord's Test and the entire series, and the most positive one for England is this: they now have an engine room.We can fret about the batsmen, who are prone to collapse. In particular we can fret about Kevin Pietersen, dropped for the first time in his England career. In any other week we would be agonising at length over Pietersen's Ashes prospects, the wisdom of his omission and the wisdom of his tweeting. Suffice to say unless he has an achilles-style sulk, he will be in Brisbane. We can also fret about how the bowlers will cope without their beloved Duke ball in Australia.But at seven, eight and nine England, in the form of Matt Prior, Broad and Graeme Swann, now have a trio of cricketers who have the capacity to somehow dig the others out of the mire: engine-room all-rounders that can bind a side together. Broad, in particular, has reverted to all-rounder status with a brilliant - and bona fide - Test century.Otherwise it is hard to find any beneficiaries after a ghastly week for cricket. I can suggest only the manager of the Holiday Inn in Taunton, whose trade received such an unexpected boost amid the hue and cry.England cricket teamStuart BroadPakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketVic Marksguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Indian judge alleges betting rings are supporting terrorism

www.guardian.co.uk - Senior member of the Indian judiciary has alleged that police are allowing links between organised crime and the sport to flourishSouth Asian betting rings are channelling millions of pounds into terrorism and drug trafficking with the connivance of police officers, a judge in India has warned.As Scotland Yard continues its investigation into the alleged betting scam involving Pakistan cricketers, a senior member of the Indian judiciary has alleged that police are allowing links between organised crime and the sport to flourish.Judge Dharmesh Sharma aired his warning while hearing an appeal last week into a case involving betting on a World Cup match between Australia and South Africa in 2007.British police and the international cricketing authorities are examining allegations of match-fixing involving three Pakistan players and an Indian betting ring after a sting operation by the News of the World.The agent at the centre of the scandal, Mazhar Majeed, is reported to have told undercover investigators that he supplied information about specific incidents during games to an Indian bookmaker, who used the tip-offs to place bets on the fixed outcome.The newspaper published further revelations today. Pakistan Test opener Yasir Hameed allegedly claimed in an interview that his team-mates were involved in fixing "almost every match". Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed later told reporters at the team hotel in Cardiff that Hameed had denied such statements, although there is believed to be video footage of the interview.The News of the World also said the International Cricket Council (ICC) was investigating a fourth Pakistan player, who has not yet been named, over match-fixing claims.Police formally interviewed three Pakistan cricketers involved in the claims on Friday, while the ICC has already charged them under its anti-corruption code.Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Test captain Salman Butt were all questioned by Met officers over allegations that they arranged for three no-balls to be bowled to order in return for cash. Police sources said yesterday that the trio may be summoned back for further questioning this week.Discussions are continuing over whether there is sufficient evidence to charge the cricketers with conspiracy to commit fraud. Some reports have claimed that detectives found bundles of cash in the London hotel rooms of Pakistan players after the revelations last Sunday. Hameed, who played in the fourth Test at the Oval, allegedly told the News of the World: "They've been caught. Only the ones that get caught are branded crooks. They were doing it [fixing] in almost every match. God knows what they were up to. Scotland Yard was after them for ages. It makes me angry because I'm playing my best and they are trying to lose."The newspaper will also carry reports that investigators apparently recovered between £10,000 and £15,000 in marked bank notes in Butt's room. The new allegations follow an apology on behalf of the three players from Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi, who also confirmed that Majeed, and his brother Azhar, were managing the trio involved. Speaking in Cardiff, Afridi said: "On behalf of these boys - I know they're not in this series - I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."Detectives are also believed to be following the money trail of the alleged global betting scam to India, where betting is illegal but remains a massive industry. An estimated £277m alone was gambled on last year's Indian Premier League (IPL). Illegal bookmakers have already taken bets on the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 tournament, which starts in South Africa this Friday.But allegations last week that much of the money was being siphoned into narcotics and terrorism, with the complicity of police officers, has focused the spotlight on the links between organised crime and betting syndicates.Sharma, an additional sessions judge, threw out the case against two men accused of organising betting on the 2007 match, but then launched into a diatribe on the prevalence of gambling in India, describing the escalating involvement of betting rings in cricket as alarming. "The extent of money that it generated is diverted to clandestine and sinister objectives like drug trafficking and terrorist activities," he said.Sharma claimed there were as many as 3,000 illegal bookmakers operating in Delhi alone and that the IPL was the subject of some of the heaviest betting. "This could not be done under the very nose of police without their knowledge," he added.The IPL has been a moneyspinner for top cricketers, but not those from Pakistan, who missed out on the bonanza as a result of the deterioration of relations between the two countries over the Mumbai terrorist attacks of 2008.Although a Pakistan international cricketer might expect to earn about £25,000 a year, that figure is dwarfed by the millions on offer through the IPL. Some commentators this week have suggested that this might be one of the reasons Pakistan's players might have been more open to financial inducements.Amir and Asif, both bowlers, and Butt, Pakistan's captain, have also been suspended from all cricket by the ICC in the wake of the allegations. The reaction in Pakistan was one of initial shock, quickly turning to denial as the scale of the national shame became apparent. Television news was dominated by the scandal, which pushed the country's floods off the top of the agenda.In London, the Pakistan high commissioner, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, criticised the ICC for suspending the players, describing the action as "unhelpful, premature and unnecessary".However, the ICC mounted a robust defence of its actions. Its chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, said on Friday: "We have been clear that we will not tolerate any sort of corruption in the sport and upholding the integrity of cricket is paramount and fundamental to every single one of us."Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistanGlobal terrorismIndiaCricketGamblingMark TownsendGethin Chamberlainguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Rashid Latif exclusive: Where there's cricket, there's corruption

www.dailymail.co.uk - It would not surprise me to learn that every major cricket-playing country in the world has been involved at some time in spot-fixing on matches at international and domestic level. More... (Cricket)

Pakistan cricket scandal: Yasir Hameed in new match-fixing claims

www.guardian.co.uk - Opening batsman claims team-mates involved in fixing 'almost every match', according to News of the WorldPakistan Test opener Yasir Hameed claimed his team-mates were involved in fixing "almost every match", it was reported tonight as fresh allegations threatened to destabilise the cricket world and the Pakistan team.The batsman also claimed that he had been asked by a bookmaker to help fix a Test for £100,000, but turned down the money. Hameed himself could now face censure from the ICC for failing to follow proper procedures. The anti-corruption code of conduct states that it is an offence if a player "fails to disclose to the ACSU (without undue delay) full details of any approaches ... that would amount to a breach of the anti-corruption code".The News of the World also said the International Cricket Council (ICC) was investigating a fourth Pakistan player, who has not yet been named, over match-rigging claims.The newspaper published details of the spot-fixing claims last weekend, with Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir now the subject of police and ICC investigations.The paper has now followed up with an interview with Hameed, who played in the fourth Test at the Oval.He does not name any team-mates, but is quoted in the newspaper as saying: "They've been caught. Only the ones that get caught are branded crooks."They were doing it [fixing] in almost every match. God knows what they were up to. Scotland Yard was after them for ages."It makes me angry because I'm playing my best and they are trying to lose."Tomorrow's edition will also carry reports that investigators recovered between £10,000 and £15,000 of marked bank notes from Butt's hotel room.The new allegations follow an apology on behalf of the three players from Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi earlier today.Afridi also confirmed that the businessman at the heart of the allegations, Mazhar Majeed, and his brother Azhar, were managing the trio involved.Speaking in Cardiff, Afridi said: "On behalf of these boys - I know they're not in this series - I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."He said Mazhar and Azhar Majeed were representing several Pakistan players, adding: "These guys, they are their manager(s)."He [Mazhar] has been travelling with some of the team guys in Australia and the West Indies."I saw him on the tours but didn't know anything about it."The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged the trio of players under their anti-corruption code and provisionally banned them from playing in any match.The three men were released without charge yesterday after being questioned under caution by detectives at Kilburn police station in north-west London.Mr Majeed has also been arrested and released without charge.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamGamblingguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan cricket scandal: Yasir Hameed makes new match-fixing claims

www.guardian.co.uk - Opening batsman claims team-mates involved in fixing 'almost every match', according to News of the WorldPakistan Test opener Yasir Hameed claimed his team-mates were involved in fixing "almost every match", it was reported tonight as fresh allegations threatened to destabilise the cricket world and the Pakistan team.The batsman also claimed that he had been asked by a bookmaker to help fix a Test for £100,000, but turned down the money. Hameed himself could now face censure from the ICC for failing to follow proper procedures. The anti-corruption code of conduct states that it is an offence if a player "fails to disclose to the ACSU (without undue delay) full details of any approaches ... that would amount to a breach of the anti-corruption code".The News of the World also said the International Cricket Council (ICC) was investigating a fourth Pakistan player, who has not yet been named, over match-rigging claims.The newspaper published details of the spot-fixing claims last weekend, with Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir now the subject of police and ICC investigations.The paper has now followed up with an interview with Hameed, who played in the fourth Test at the Oval.He does not name any team-mates, but is quoted in the newspaper as saying: "They've been caught. Only the ones that get caught are branded crooks. They were doing it [fixing] in almost every match. God knows what they were up to. Scotland Yard was after them for ages. It makes me angry because I'm playing my best and they are trying to lose."Tomorrow's edition will also carry reports that investigators recovered between £10,000 and £15,000 of marked bank notes from Butt's hotel room.The new allegations follow an apology on behalf of the three players from Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi earlier today.Afridi also confirmed that the businessman at the heart of the allegations, Mazhar Majeed, and his brother Azhar, were managing the trio involved.Speaking in Cardiff, Afridi said: "On behalf of these boys - I know they're not in this series - I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."He said Mazhar and Azhar Majeed were representing several Pakistan players, adding: "These guys, they are their manager(s). He [Mazhar] has been travelling with some of the team guys in Australia and the West Indies. I saw him on the tours but didn't know anything about it."The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged the trio of players under their anti-corruption code and provisionally banned them from playing in any match.The three men were released without charge yesterday after being questioned under caution by detectives at Kilburn police station in north-west London. Mr Majeed has also been arrested and released without charge.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamGamblingguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

England's axed star Kevin Pietersen is finally back in the runs

www.dailymail.co.uk - Kevin Pietersen, controversially dropped from England's Twenty20 and one-day squads, sent a defiant message to the selectors yesterday when he scored a century for Surrey. More... (Cricket)

Jos Buttler serves up feast of sixes as Somerset stay at home for semi

www.guardian.co.uk - Teenager hits quick-fire 90 in county's record total Kevin Pietersen returns to form with 116 for SurreyWith Pakistan no longer in town, security was relaxed at Taunton. But those sitting in the stands at the County Ground were in peril as the ball was constantly pummelled in their direction by Somerset as they secured a home draw in next week's semi-finals of the Clydesdale Bank 40.Somerset amassed 368 for four, their highest total in 40-over cricket, and 13 sixes rained down upon the crowd. Peter Trego, opening the batting against Glamorgan in Craig Kieswetter's absence, hit five of them on the way to his maiden one-day hundred. His 147 occupied just 89 balls, but was made to look pedestrian by the highly promising 19-year-old Jos Buttler, who smashed 90 in 33 balls with seven sixes. David Harrison had figures to forget: 0-100 from eight overs.James Hildreth hit a gentle half-century and along with Buttler and Trego can expect some sort of recognition from the selectors this winter as they compile their performance squads. Somerset won by 249 runs. Noone could recall them ever winning by a bigger margin in this form of the game.At Hove, the Surrey newcomer Kevin Pietersen was involved in two run outs, but also hit 116 as his side were all out for 240 to draw with Sussex (240-8). How could he tweet about that? Either "Gosh, the selectors were right to send me back to the counties to rediscover the magic", or "Gosh, I told you I was hitting the ball well; the boys may well will miss me in Cardiff".At the start of the day, we knew Yorkshire and Somerset would be in the semi-finals. At Edgbaston, the winner of the match between Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire was bound to produce another semi-finalist.Maybe Nottinghamshire, leaders in the Championship but bundled out cheaply by Durham at Chester-le Street on Friday, are getting jittery. Their batsmen could only muster 192 as the leg-spinner Imran Tahir took four for 27. Warwickshire were shepherded to victory by their England players. Jonathan Trott hit an unbeaten 84 and Ian Bell was back in the groove with a polished half-century as they secured their semi-final slot.At Leeds, Essex knew victory over Yorkshire would secure their continued interest in the competition. The home side were restricted to 209 for eight and without their frontline seam attack - Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad are with England - they could make little headway against Essex.Mark Pettini, invigorated since he gave up the captaincy, scored 82, combining with Alastair Cook, who was undefeated on 101 when Essex knocked off the runs, a victory rendering Gloucestershire's win over Northamptonshire irrelevant.All the other matches were dead before the start, which is one of the weaknesses of this Clydesdale Bank format. Next year, expect fewer qualifying matches and the introduction of quarter-finals. This is about the only source of unanimity among the counties when discussing the vexed topic of the domestic structure of county cricket.At the close of play, this year's semi-finals, which take place on Saturday, were sorted. At Taunton, Somerset will play Essex; at Scarborough, Yorkshire take on Warwickshire.SomersetClydesdale Bank 40CricketVic Marksguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan match-fixing claims highlight cracks in the class divide | Osman Samiuddin

www.guardian.co.uk - Cricket has drawn Pakistani society together but now shows apparently disparate elements are more similar than people thinkDemocracy comes and goes in Pakistan, but to the country's cricket it came after the 1978‑79 series against India and, in all its imperfections, it has since stayed. Of the three players at the centre of the spot-fixing allegations, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif are breathing - and were once exhilarating - proof.Before that India series - more a countrywide party - the Pakistan side was a closed boys' club, essentially a side from Lahore and Karachi; 38 of the 49 Test cricketers born in Pakistan (as opposed to the 30 born in pre-partition India) who played for Pakistan until then came from those two cities. Cricket was an urban game, given to attracting dandy college boys.That contest, which Pakistan won, was watched and followed by millions around the land. Television, new to cricket broadcasting, did its thing and took it further; radio, dying out, had already done what it could. Superstars such as Imran Khan and Javed Miandad were emerging; India was the opponent, but more the enemy: the two had fought a war eight years earlier and not played for 18; money and sponsors were waking up. These were the sparks that lit a revolution.After that series, cricket opened itself up fully to the country; 121 Test cricketers have come since but just under half from the two cities. More and more they have come from all over Punjab, the most populous province, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the north-west. The city boy with access to a good college and some money is nearly gone, replaced by many Amirs and Asifs, who come from villages with pretensions of being small towns.They are not as educated as the players who went before and, even if they were, consider that the public education system ceased producing quality long ago. Asif and Amir, like many others before them, landed up in the big time without connections, without any push and no money, nothing but their skill. That talent was spotted in a system, no matter how decrepit, but a system nonetheless. Both have since made a life for themselves in the big city; if that is not one by-product of democracy, the spotting and rewarding of merit, then what is? This is cricket as the one equaliser in a land of vast disparity.The standard tale is that they come into more money than their families have seen in a lifetime - and quickly, too. They have more power than players of the past ever did; the modern board administrator is a clown, the modern player a public hero. They have more people watching them. They now need to bling it up. A fancy car, or three, is bought, a big house, maybe one for the family as well, who are also brought to the city. Other celebrities multiply around them. A girl, or three, appears on the scene. Suits are at them, wanting to put their faces up in brighter lights. Entire entourages grow around them, of extended families and drop-out friends, who have to be fed, clothed, kept and entertained. Muhammad Ali knew about them a long time ago.These are not unique stories. They are everywhere; ghetto basketballers, working-class footballers, slum-town cricketers. Maybe cricket, currently trying to work out how much money it can make for itself, brings its own context. Money-making has become too serious a business in this business for it to be steered by transparency and accountability.Perhaps Pakistan brings its own context, too. The impermanency of life here breeds a peculiar hoard mentality: get in quick, get rich quicker because you never know when you will be out forever, from a job, from politics, from a team. Over the past 10 years particularly, rampant consumerism has eaten away at urban Pakistan, which has long been sweet on ostentation in any case. Just having wealth is not enough. Showing people you have it is more important.Moreover, gambling, even though illegal, is fine by most people. It is, some will argue, ingrained to an extent. A friend conducted a focus group of boys and young men recently on cricket and was shocked to learn that they were happily taking and placing bets on street matches.And the Pakistan Cricket Board cannot be relied upon to handle an email, so handling the life and career of a boy is out of the question. They will not protect them from anyone; if fans, journalists, politicians and bookies want a piece of a player, the PCB do not get in the way. Neither have players here ever helped themselves; thrice efforts have been made to form a players' association and thrice they have failed. It is the strongest indictment of a culture where every one is out for himself.Nobody is there to warn young players of the ways of this new world they inhabit, because stardom in Pakistan really is the loneliest pursuit. And maybe it is not even as much about the rural-urban shift as much as it is a class shift, from making money to live to making money for money's sake. Their place in life, in the grand unwieldy scheme of society, shifts visibly and firmly.Yet too much can be made of their condition and too little of individual greed. Cricketers have come from places much smaller than Asif and Amir, from poorer backgrounds, and gone through entire lives - let alone a career - without a scandal to stain them.Pakistan's players do not get paid as much as counterparts around the world, it is being said. This is true. They have also missed out on the life-changing riches of the Indian Premier League. But at 250,000 rupees (£1,900), 175,000 rupees and 100,000 rupees per month in the three grades of the PCB's central contracts, they are not paid peanuts. They live in Pakistan, not India, Australia or England, and in this country that kind of salary is seen by very, very few.Add on match fees - roughly the same again as the monthly retainer - and on‑tour fees, board and personal endorsements, salaries from their first-class sides (which are run by organisations such as banks, airlines and power companies, offering the option of a stable, secure job after retirement), deals with counties and league clubs and now Twenty20 domestic sides, and most elite players really are kings of this land.This is why the alleged leadership of Salman Butt is the most difficult aspect to grasp. Amir's errors can too easily be explained by his youth and his background, and Asif has previous, having failed a drug test. But Butt? Whenever there is talk of him it is inevitably of his English-speaking and educated ways. He is a truly urban product, to a degree polished. "He's been brought up well," Bob Woolmer once said of him. Had he not been a cricketer, he could have been nine-to-fiving somewhere and who knows, his floppy locks might have got him into the music gig.Earlier in his career, on the kind of TV show meant to humanise celebrity, he was asked how he felt, as a big-city boy, fitting into a team full of small-town guys. The answer was predictably well-judged, designed to cause no offence: "It's great, you learn about the country, its people," and all that. Amir, Asif and Butt being in one team together is probably Pakistan cricket's greatest democratic triumph. Arguably it is among the country's more significant feats, for in what sphere really do men here stand together regardless of where they come from, what they speak and how much they have?Typical, then, for such a contrary country that somehow this stands to become one of the greatest tragedies, too.Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo.comPakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Shahid Afridi apologises to the cricket world after Pakistan's 'spot-fixing' crisis

www.dailymail.co.uk - Pakistan limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi has apologised to the world of cricket on behalf of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer. More... (Cricket)

Pakistan betting claims: ICC right to suspend players, says Imran Khan

www.guardian.co.uk - Khan: They should pull out until their name is cleared Pakistan's people feel 'extremely humiliated and angry'Pakistan's former cricket captain Imran Khan has supported the International Cricket Council's (ICC) decision to suspend the three players accused of taking part in a betting scam, and said he had never seen Pakistani people "so demoralised" by the events of recent weeks.But he said if the players were found to be involved in betting on the timing of no balls rather than match-fixing they should face a huge fine and suspension rather than a lifetime ban.Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were released without charge yesterday after being questioned under caution by detectives at Kilburn police station in north-west London. The ICC has already charged them under their anti-corruption code and provisionally banned them from playing in any match, a move which Pakistan high commissioner Wajid Hasan said was "shocking, arbitrary and high-handed" and "playing to the public gallery" amid accusations that international cricket's governing body had taken an anti-Pakistan stance.But Khan argued the suspension was the "correct move" for two reasons. He told the BBC: "Whenever someone comes under a huge allegation like that, a devastating allegation like that, I think it's only right they should pull out until their name is cleared." He also said it would have been impossible for the players to play under the "huge pressure" in front of a crowd including the British Pakistani community who were "extremely humiliated and angry".High commissioner Hasan had said yesterday: "I have heard the press briefing by two ICC Representatives today. I have also learnt that ICC has taken Amir's name off from the list of players of the year. What happened to the general principle of law - innocent until proven guilty?"After the shocking, arbitrary and high-handed suspension of the three cricketers through the ICC's uncalled-for action, nothing is coming to me as a surprise. My apprehensions that there is a rat in the whole affair are being strengthened."Khan said while match-fixing should receive an immediate life-ban, bowling no-balls to order was a lesser crime.He said: "In my opinion one crime is much bigger than the other. One crime where you actually betray your country by throwing a match is a life ban. For sport fixing it could be a punishment where you give the signal that crime does not pay, a huge financial loss to the player and then a limited-time ban."Khan said he felt sorry for 18-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Amir but there could be no exceptions in terms of a punishment.He said: "An 18-year-old still knows what is right and what is wrong. In this case my heart goes out for this young cricketer because purely in cricketing terms he is the most exciting young cricketer the cricketing world has seen for a long time. I'm afraid if someone is implicated (in such crimes) you have to give them exemplary punishments to stop this from happening again."Khan also said corruption in cricket reflected a wider corruption in Pakistani society. And he said, with the problem of terrorism in Pakistan and the floods, the betting scandal was "almost the last straw" for the people, adding: "I've never seen people so demoralised."The comments came as the legal adviser of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the three players had confirmed the businessman at the centre of the allegations, Mazhar Majeed, was their agent. Legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi also told private television channels in Pakistan that Butt, Asif and Aamer would have to fight their cases on their own if they appealed against their provisional suspension by the ICC. The players have maintained their innocence amid claims Majeed accepted £150,000 to arrange for Pakistan players to deliberately bowl no-balls during last week's fourth Test against England at Lord's.The Metropolitan Police said it could not confirm whether the players had acknowledged their relationship with Majeed, while an ICC spokesman said it was a matter for the PCB and there was no comment.Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketPakistanguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Shahid Afridi issues apology on behalf of Pakistan's scandal-hit trio

www.guardian.co.uk - 'Sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations' Shahid Afridi speaking 'on behalf of these players'Pakistan's one-day captain, Shahid Afridi, has issued a remarkable public apology on behalf of the three players at the centre of cricket's betting scandal."I think it is very bad news," he said. "On behalf of these players - I know they are not in this series - but on behalf of these boys I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."Afridi was at pains to distance himself from those implicated in the betting scandal - the Test captain, Salman Butt, and the fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif - as he arrived at nets ahead of Pakistan's Twenty20 game against England in Cardiff tomorrow.He made no attempt to proclaim that they were innocent until proven guilty and he also stressed that he had no anger about the investigation into the players. "No," was his emphatic response.Afridi also revealed that the Pakistan agent involved in the affair has travelled regularly with the team. "This guy has been travelling with the guys in the West Indies and in Australia," he said. "I saw him on the tours. I didn't know anything about this."The players are undergoing an investigation by the Metropolitan Police and the International Cricket Council have charged them under cricket's code of conduct.Afridi guaranteed that the two Twenty20s and five ODIs would go ahead whatever further revelations might appear in tomorrow's newspapers."I told the boys don't read the newspapers tomorrow, just focus on cricket. I know the Pakistan people are very upset. We all love cricket. As I team all we can do is to play good, aggressive cricket and maybe when we go back home maybe thew things will settle down."It is a big challenge for me as a captain but I think we are all ready and focused. The boys how important this series is for us. Myself and the coach have already told the boys: 'Don't talk about this issue, we are here to play cricket.'"Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketDavid Hoppsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

ICC warned England against appointing spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed

www.guardian.co.uk - Fomer Pakistan international still 'tainted by corruption' Team director Andy Flower gives colleague full backingEngland's appointment of their spin bowling coach, Mushtaq Ahmed, has come under scrutiny after the International Cricket Council confirmed it had advised the England and Wales Cricket Board against employing the former Pakistan international because he was implicated in a corruption scandal as a player.Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, said it had warned the ECB over its recruiting of Mushtaq at the start of last year but that the England hierarchy had proceeded with the appointment of the 40-year-old.Mushtaq was implicated in the report on match-fixing compiled in Pakistan by Justice Qayyum 10 years ago and Lorgat said the ICC had contacted the ECB about former Sussex spinner, who is not with the England squad before the forthcoming Twenty20 and one-day games against Pakistan but will rejoin them later this autumn to prepare for this winter's Ashes series."We highlight anybody we've got on a list who has been labelled in one way or another, so I wrote to the ECB and issued them with a cautionary suggestion that they had to do due diligence on Mushtaq. But they were satisfied with the appointment," said Lorgat. "We suggested they had to be vigilant around their own changing rooms. We at the ICC do not employ people who have been tainted in the past but the ECB are entitled to make their own decisions."Qayyum's report, published in 2000, stated: "There are sufficient grounds to cast strong doubt on Mushtaq Ahmed. He has brought the name of the Pakistan team into disrepute with, inter alia, associating with gamblers. This commission therefore recommends he be censured, kept under close watch and be not given any office of responsibility [selection or captaincy] in the team or on the board."England have always expressed unwavering belief in Mushtaq's fitness for office and Andy Flower, their team director, did so again yesterday. "I am very comfortable with Mushtaq. He's been a good coach, a good example to our players and support staff, and I'm looking forward to him working with us again when he joins us in Australia. We're very comfortable working with Mushy. He's a lovely man and a good man for our system."England make their first Twenty20 appearance on Sunday since they became world champions in Barbados in May but any thoughts of a grand homecoming have long been submerged by the corruption allegations. T20 has taken hold as a game of fun, invention and youthful optimism. It will struggle to proclaim such ideals on Sunday.If there is one additional requirement Flower expects from his England team in Cardiff as he observes a game in crisis, it is a sense of dignity, something they managed in the empty hours of the Lord's Test after the allegations against three Pakistan players became known, and as a feverish week reaches an end, he expects such standards to be maintained."I thought the players held themselves very well on that last day at Lord's," said Flower. "They did not get into anything untoward under Andrew Strauss's leadership and it will be the same here with Paul Collingwood. They will carry themselves in a dignified way and a way that properly represents their country."It is sad that it's being played amidst all this controversy but the guys are very good at compartmentalising and getting on with the game. The way we have to approach it is certainly not to speculate what might happen this weekend but be prepared to adapt as we always have to. The players' focus must be on being ready to start at 2.30 on Sunday."Judging by that, at least we can be sure that England are turning up. "That's our stance at the moment, absolutely," said Flower, which is as close to a commitment as any sensible man would give. One can only hope that Pakistan will feel the same way. They checked into their Cardiff hotel as expected but, if the situation is further inflamed and anger continues to rise in Pakistan political circles, the last mile to the ground could be the hardest of all.England v Pakistan 2010Andy FlowerEngland cricket teamPakistan cricket teamPakistan cricket betting scandalTwenty20CricketDavid Hoppsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Cricket scandal: Salman Butt pictured at the wheel of fixer's £130,000 Aston Martin before cheat scandal broke

www.dailymail.co.uk - Salman Butt, the Pakistan cricket captain and one of three players suspended by the ICC over spot-fixing allegations, was seen relaxing at the wheel of a £130,000 sports car belonging to the man at the centre of the scandal. More... (Cricket)

ICC put England in a fix over Mushtaq Ahmed's role within the team

www.dailymail.co.uk - Mushtaq Ahmed's role with England is again under scrutiny after it emerged that the ICC advised them not to appoint him because he was tainted by corruption. More... (Cricket)

A real tweet for us all as Kevin Pietersen presents the silly season | Kevin Pietersen

www.guardian.co.uk - Bat him at No5. Beg him to dye his hair. Laugh at everything he says. Pietersen at his best is a triumph of the basically sillyI have always suspected England's batting coach, Graham Gooch, owes some part of his standing to his invention, as a player, of the modern habit of repeatedly muttering "watcha bladdy ball" under his breath while the bowler was running in. Gooch was the first batsman ever to mutter "watcha bladdy ball" and at the time this seemed such a devastating innovation you just assumed he must have within him a great store of vital cricketing knowledge. Although, judging by England's recent collapses, you get the feeling his coaching philosophy may not in fact go much beyond the remit of "watcha bladdy ball".I was thinking about this as the Surrey coach Chris Adams gave his thoughts on the signing-cum-remedial-incarceration of Kevin Pietersen, who has been dropped by England and parked temporarily at The Oval. "It will be exciting to have a player of Kevin's quality," Adams said. "The information and knowledge that exist within him, we have to get out in the time he spends here." This still sounds a bit odd. Pietersen has never shown any sign of having "knowledge within him". Instead he seems to be a man who functions best while in possession of a head that is almost entirely empty. I imagine while he's batting he mainly thinks things like "Zap!" and "Uh-huh", or, "We buy any car! Any! Any! Any! Any!", before looking at the scoreboard and realising it's time to waggle his bat and look awestruck but also gorgeously inauthentic all at the same time.This week, however, it has suddenly become necessary to muse and agonise and chin-stroke over his allegedly complex psychology, given impetus by the hilariously dim, sweary tweet that revealed his dropping by England. Increasingly, Pietersen has been described as man apart. There has even been some cautious talk of "an enigma".At which point I must hold up a quavering palm of interjection. There are standards to be maintained. Enigmas require more than simply underachievement. David Gower was an enigma, but not just because his scores wobbled up and down or because he batted at all times like a man swishing a baguette about at a tipsy country picnic. Gower was also remote and self-contained, where Pietersen is needy and tearfully expressive, like the kind of male friend who will hug you for slightly too long and maybe even nuzzle your neck despite the fact neither of you are drunk, it's 11.30 in the morning and you only came by to borrow a squash racket.Pietersen is something else. He is extremely silly. The moment you remember this - Kevin Pietersen is very silly - he not only starts to make sense again, you also remember what it is you like about him. Watching Pietersen doing his strangely precious tippy-toe prowl around The Oval on Wednesday I remembered the simple joy of his silly walk, the walk of a man always fighting the urge to make a "pyeeow" noise and perform a pistol-draw mime while entering a room, the kind of man who slithered from the womb with his sunglasses already conjoined annoyingly to the top of his head. Pietersen is brilliant as a silly person.Even that period where he kept being photographed smiling next to people in bands at the launch party for an exciting new range of exfoliating male grooming scrub was fine, because Pietersen was still clinchingly, triumphantly silly. Where did it all go? There has been a lot of talk about Pietersen's ongoing swagger-deficit and chest-puff shortfall. But really his problems date back to the period in 2008 when he decided, against type, to become mature; to "grow" as a person and a player. There was a change even in his facial expression, from winking insouciance to a grisly, mannered sensitivity. Before long the idea that Pietersen had "insecurities" was being floated about. He became a strangely racked and poignant figure.All of which was hideously jarring to the contented observer. Nobody wants to turn the page and find Bertie Wooster tiring of the croquet lawn and deciding instead to go around exposing police corruption or becoming involved in a sexually transgressive love triangle.And in the end we just want Pietersen to be like he used to be, like he was during his high-water mark of The Oval 2005: loose and zany and thrillingly physical. This is another function of Pietersen's silliness. He only really makes sense as a batsman if he is the greatest batsman, or at least one who touches peaks beyond the mortal. Without the searing flamingo swipes or the yoga-stretch lunge-sweep (where is it now, the flamingo?) his galvanising silliness congeals.My remedy is simple: this is a man who should never carry any responsibility. Bat him at No5. Beg him to dye his hair again. Laugh at everything he says. Refuse to analyse his behaviour in any way and remember Pietersen at his best is an exhilarating triumph of the basically silly.Kevin PietersenCricketSurreyBarney Ronayguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Letters: Cricket still gives a chance to shine

www.guardian.co.uk - Ed Smith and other correspondents (Letters, 31 August) are absolutely right on insisting that a clear separation exists between the events of the Pakistan "no-ball scandal" and the game itself. In England over the past decade many hundreds of thousands of youngsters - some at schools where not a ball had been bowled, ever - have been inspired by the opportunities they've been offered thanks to the great Chance to Shine scheme. With enthusiastic support from government and cricketing organisations and individuals, many boys - and girls - are now enjoying the sport and finding the experience life-enhancing. After years of public and school pitch closures and sales, and the game diminishing as a sport for all, we are steadily reclaiming it for our young people. We must not allow a headline-grabbing incident, as serious as it is, to in any way damage this fantastic project and other similar enterprises, but encourage their expansion instead. The evidence is there for all to see. Cricket is a positive force for both player and spectator alike. There is no crisis here.Graham BensonVentnor, Isle of Wight For those ticket-holders like myself concerned that the Twenty20 game between England and Pakistan in Cardiff tomorrow may still not go ahead (Three Pakistan players suspended by ICC, 3 September), the nearby Cooper's Field has an excellent supply of early conkers available, provided the squirrels and seagulls don't get them first. Conkers, of course, is a sport where gamesmanship - if not exactly cheating - has long been a way of life.Keith FlettLondonCricketTwenty20guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

This week: Pakistan cricket, The Stig and Kate Moss

www.guardian.co.uk - Lucy Mangan on the people in the spotlight in the last seven days, whether they wanted to be or notPeopleSpot of botherPakistan cricketStop all the clocks. Cut off the telephone. Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone and let us all bow our heads and mourn the death of innocence.Three members of the Pakistan cricket team, including captain Salman Butt, star teenage bowler Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif became the subject of some scrutiny by Scotland Yard and the sport's authorities after allegations that the three delivered deliberate no-balls in return for cash - spot-betting - as part of an international betting racket allegedly run by Mazhar Majeed, agent to several of Pakistan's players. They have now been suspended by the International Cricket Council and charged under its anti-corruption code.Rumours that behind Majeed is the ultimate evil mastermind, The Lady Who Threw the Cat in the Bin Last Week, remain unconfirmed at time of going to press.Helmet offThe StigThe Man in the White Helmet was revealed this week as someone whom we already knew him to be thanks to earlier reports about who he was and a book about his life that he had written for HarperCollins.The BBC applied for a high court injunction against its publication on the grounds that the Beeb made The Stig what he is today - an enigmatic but vital part of one of BBC Worldwide's most valuable brands, Top Gear. In what the publisher called a "victory for free speech" - a claim that would ring less hollow if the publisher weren't a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation - the injunction was denied. So who is The Stig? We wouldn't dream of spoiling the fun. Except that if we don't you might buy the book. So it's a guy called Ben Collins.Top hopKate MossIt's been a beautiful - and, like all the best relationships, lucrative - thing, but it's over. The teeny-tiny pocket person (she's like a model model) and Sir Philip Green, Topshop owner, have parted business ways.Over the last four years Moss has designed a fantastically successful range of clothing for gazelle-thighed adolescent freaks of nature whose clear-eyed, glossy-haired beauty and epidermal firmness makes you weep with joy and fury. But the termination of her contract was announced this week. Maybe the collections weren't selling as well as before, maybe the Moss gloss had passed its shiniest peak, but the news also coincides with Green's 19-year-old daughter, Chloe, coming to work at the family firm. Does she have a covetous eye on the dream designing job in high street fashion? Probably. Do we care? Probably not. Do we still want to cry, now that we've started? Definitely, yesWhat they said"They are trying to portray it as a classic big money move to ITV, when nothing could be further from the truth."Presenter Adrian Chiles claims he wasn't so much running towards a £6m contract as running away from sharing The One Show duties with Chris Evans."Cotswold airport."The new council sign that has gone up on the A429. It's showing the way to Cotswold airport. You probably got that."I look forward to the day when Tony says he's a Milibandite rather than people asking me if I'm a Blairite."David Miliband has a long-term vision.What we've learned Heinz tomato soup is 100 years old this week More than half of 65- to 74-year-olds are online We each have 3lbs of bacteria living in our guts 1,500 people a day are hospitalised through drinking 80% of mothers lie to their children about food to get them to eat healthily August was the coldest for 17 years … and what we haven't Whether Paul McKenna really is going to buy Michael Jackson's £19m mansionPakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamTop GearFactual TVTelevisionBBCPublishingKate MossTopshopLucy Manganguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Dignified England will get on with the game, says Andy Flower

www.guardian.co.uk - 'I am sure the players will carry themselves properly' England coach continues to back role of Mushtaq AhmedEngland make their first Twenty20 appearance on Sunday since they became world champions in Barbados in May, but any thoughts of a grand homecoming have long been submerged by the corruption allegations surrounding their opponents, Pakistan. T20 has taken hold as a game of fun, invention and youthful optimism. It will struggle to proclaim such ideals on Sunday.If there is one additional requirement Andy Flower, England's coach, expects from his England team in Cardiff as he observes a game in crisis, it is a sense of dignity. They maintained it in the final, empty hours of the Lord's Test as the allegations against three Pakistan players became known, and as a feverish week reaches an end, he expects such standards to be maintained."I thought the players held themselves very well on that last day at Lord's," he said. "They did not get into anything untoward under Andrew Strauss's leadership and it will be the same here with Paul Collingwood. They will carry themselves in a dignified way and a way that properly represents their country."It is sad that it's being played amidst all this controversy but the guys are very good at compartmentalising and getting on with the game. The way we have to approach it is certainly not to speculate what might happen this weekend but be prepared to adapt as we always have to. The players' focus must be on being ready to start at 2.30 on Sunday."Judging by that, at least we can be sure that England are turning up. "That's our stance at the moment, absolutely," said Flower, which is as close to a commitment as it any sensible man would give. One can only hope that Pakistan will feel the same way. They checked in to their Cardiff hotel as expected , but if the situation is further inflamed, and anger continues to rise in Pakistan political circles, the last mile to the ground could be the hardest of all.Flower's black-armband protest in the World Cup seven years ago to mourn the death of democracy in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe has entered cricket history. He waved aside suggestions that he might consider another silent protest, calling it a "totally different situation". But where would he draws the line about what constitutes acceptable sledging from his team will be an interested sideshow to the Cardiff fixture."You are looking to find an edge over your opponents but I think cricketers are pretty good at judging what is acceptable and what is not. On that last morning at Lord's I thought they held themselves very well and I think they will do the same again here. There has been a lot of rumour about these things going on for a long time and it's a little bit tricky to discuss it because nothing has been proven yet but if there are things going on then it's best the truth is out there."One of England's backroom staff has had cause this week to remember his own part in cricket's match-fixing history. The appointment two years ago of Mushtaq Ahmed as England's spin‑bowling coach received criticism at the time because of the comments of Justice Qayyum's inquiry a little more than a decade ago. Two players were banned, others were censured and of Mushtaq, the judge wrote: "There are sufficient grounds to cast strong doubt on Mushtaq Ahmed. He has brought the name of the Pakistan team into disrepute with, inter alia, associating with gamblers. This commission therefore recommends he be censured, kept under close watch and be not given any office of responsibility [selection or captaincy] in the team or on the board."England have always expressed unwavering belief in Mushtaq's fitness for office. Flower did so again. "I am very comfortable with Mushtaq. He's been a good coach, a good example to our players and support staff - and I'm looking forward to him working with us again when he joins us in Australia. He's a cricket coach - that's what he is - and we're very comfortable working with Mushy. He's a lovely man, and a good man for our system." Haroon Lorgat, ICC chief executive, said the ICC had raised the issue at the time. "But we would nevere intervene in any board's right to appoint who they wish and to take the opportunity to carry out due diligence."England v Pakistan 2010Andy FlowerEngland cricket teamPakistan cricket teamPakistan cricket betting scandalTwenty20Cricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Leicestershire back their besieged chairman Neil Davidson

www.guardian.co.uk - Board reveals loss of around £300,000 One board member resignsLeicestershire's board have today given their backing to the club's under-fire chairman Neil Davidson, while revealing an annual loss of around £300,000.There were calls for Davidson to resign after he accused the captain, Matthew Hoggard, and the coach, Tim Boon, of setting a bad example to playing staff.Discontent has simmered at the club since an apparent disintegration of the relationship between the chairman and the chief executive, David Smith, culminated in the latter's resignation. However, although one board member resigned at a meeting today, the remaining four and the president, David Wilson, confirmed their "unanimous support" for Davidson.A statement from the club read: "Leicestershire CCC announces that Paul Haywood resigned from the board today. The remaining board members John Allen, Tony Hill, Mike Siddall and Andrew York together with president David Wilson confirmed their unanimous support for chairman Neil Davidson."Losses for the year are expected to be around £300,000 - with an exit in the group stages of the Friends Provident t20 Cup proving costly. They lost seven of their eight home matches in the competition, which they won in 2004 and 2006. The other match was a washout.The statement continued: "By mid-June it was clear to the board that a significant financial loss was developing, which is why the chief executive [Smith] and senior coach [Boon] were asked to explain the team's disappointing home one-day performances."Despite significant expenditure on senior players and the club having some of the finest young cricketers in the country, the team has won only a single one-day home game so far this season."The absence of [the Australian all-rounder] Andrew McDonald [with a shoulder problem] has been a contributory factor but equally all Championship victories have been achieved without his presence."The statement also revealed an "undemocratic takeover" attempt of the club. "It has very recently come to the notice of the board that a sponsorship deal worth £125,000 over five years plus other benefits was rejected by the former CEO in August 2008, for no apparent reason and without reference to the board. Furthermore, a generous offer by the Big Communication Group to help improve the marketing of the club was never followed up."The board has also, very recently, received information of what amounts to a planned undemocratic takeover of the club. The board is carrying out its own investigation but will vigorously resist any such attempts on behalf of the membership."If true, this will not be first time in recent years that this has occurred. In the 2007-08 close season the board foiled such an attempt by one of the individuals alleged to be currently involved. His plan then was to flood the club with new members, infiltrate the board and effectively take over the club."The board used its powers to block such a move and invited the individual to make a formal takeover offer to put to the members if he wished to do so."No such offer was forthcoming and the individual concerned withdrew his board candidature before the 2008 AGM papers were sent to members."Having successfully defended members' interests, the board took the view that there was nothing to be gained by placing this in the public domain at the time. Given recent developments, the board has chosen to do so now."Members of the board acknowledge that these are difficult times but can assure members that they have the best interests of the club at heart. The board welcomes a second request for a special general meeting that has been received this week and the company secretary will be discussing the resolutions with the requisitioners' representative to ensure that the business of the meeting is effective."LeicestershireCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Durham 372 & 361-6 dec, Nottinghamshire 343 & 180 | County Championship match report

www.guardian.co.uk - Durham 372 & 361-6dec, Nottinghamshire 343 & 180 Durham won by 210 runsDurham have found some fight at the death and todaythey left a painful mark on the Nottinghamshire team who expect to take their title before the end of the month. This win, which few could have predicted before the game began, or even as it entered its final day, has spiced up the race for the County Championship.Notts take six points with them in defeat and now lead Somerset by 22 but Yorkshire, a further three adrift in third, are at Trent Bridge next week and a win for them would throw the race wide open, with Somerset due to take on Lancashire, six further back in fourth.Durham are fifth and this fifth win of the season ended any relegation worries, but Nottinghamshire need only five points from two games to deny them the title in a season to forget for a county who began it expecting a third successive championship.That bold ambition disappeared in a cloud of injuries and loss of form weeks ago, but they have been full of venom against the pretenders to their throne. They needed the points here, however, as there is a genuine concern about what sort of team they will be able to send out at Essex next week. Liam Plunkett limped off the field after bowling two overs with the new ball today to join Graham Onions, Steve Harmison, Callum Thorp and Mark Davies on the injured list."If we had Onions and Steve Harmison bowling like they did last summer, we would probably already be champions again," said the Durham head coach, Geoff Cook. "Notts are still hot favourites, but I would suspect they are worried about their bowling situation."I think they have got to get one more win, but where they are going to get that win, I don't know. Without the bowlers, they are struggling. It's the strong bowling teams who win and Somerset have kept going with the same experienced attack. Somerset come here on the last day of the season and I suspect that will be a title decider. We might not be able to win it ourselves, but we're still going to have a huge say in the title race."On a remarkable day Durham, who added 82 in just over an hour in the morning, set Notts 391 to win and then dismissed them with only three bowlers and the part-time all-rounder Ben Harmison. The younger brother of Steve has hardly played in the championship and was only in the team here because Ben Stokes has broken a foot, and only bowled because Davies damaged a nerve in a leg on Wednesday.When he has managed to get a game he has been inconsistent at best but it was hHis three wickets in four balls which blew the game wide open after lunch and set Nottinghamshire on the way to a shock defeat. Alex Hales, Adam Voges and Samit Patel before Harmison returned to the attack to get rid of the Nottinghamshire captain, Chris Read, for a duck. An attacking 64 from Steven Mullaney held up the victory celebrations, but he was the last man out when Scott Borthwick, a 19-year-old leg‑spinner who scored 68 and an unbeaten 46, induced a sweep which the Durham captain, Phil Mustard, ran 20 yards to take.Jimmy Adams played the longest Championship innings of the season for Hampshire, but it was in vain as they suffered defeat to Lancashire in Liverpool that leaves them deep in relegation trouble. Adams, whose marathon had begun late on Wednesday after Hampshire conceded a first-innings lead of 238, was the last man out more than five sessions later after scoring 194 from 507 balls spanning more than 10 hours. But despite three wickets each for James Tomlinson and Chris Wood, Lancashire reached a victory target of 168 with three wickets and a single ball to spare when Mark Chilton drove Dominic Cork through the covers.County Championship Division OneDurhamNottinghamshireCricketLancashireHampshireguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

ICC defends decision to suspend Pakistan cricketers

www.guardian.co.uk - Cricket council rebuts conspiracy charge as players accused of spot-betting scam are interviewed by police under cautionThe International Cricket Council today defended its decision to charge the three Pakistan cricketers accused of being at the centre of an alleged betting scam.The three men were today formally interviewed by police under caution for the firsttime. Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Test captain Salman Butt were interviewed separately throughout the day at Kilburn police station in north London.While police decide whether there is enough evidence to charge the players with conspiracy to commit fraud, the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) is conducting its own parallel investigation. ICC investigators will not question the three players until they receive permission from the police and are finalising an "information sharing protocol" in order to be able to pool evidence where appropriate.The police seized money and mobile phones from the players last Sunday and are investigating any possible link between bank notes found in their possession and the money handed to a middle-man as part of the News of the World sting.But one difficulty Scotland Yard would face in attempting to prosecute the players is proving any money they received from Mazhar Majeed was taken in return for deliberately bowling no-balls.The Pakistani players have told friends they are prepared to tell detectives they did receive payments from Majeed, but this was entirely proper because he was their agent.Majeed, arrested last weekend by police over the News of the World allegations, and by Customs over money-laundering allegations, is the agent for all three players and responsible for organising their sponsorship deals.The players could claim that they believed any money he paid them was from sponsorship deals secured in his role as their agent.At least one of the players did not have a UK bank account and Majeed has represented members of Pakistan's test side in this role for several years.Last night, the ICC moved to provisionally suspend the trio after charging them with "various offences" under the governing body's code of conduct.Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the recently appointed chairman of ACSU, and ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat insisted the offences were not "the tip of the iceberg".But Lorgat conceded that the sport faced its worst crisis since the Hansie Cronje match-fixing affair a decade ago.Pakistan high commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan this morning accused the ICC of "playing to the public gallery" by suspending the three cricketers."They have done the wrong thing. When there's a live police inquiry, this takes precedence over both the ICC, civil or regulatory investigations and any disciplinary investigations," Hasan told the BBC."To take action now is unhelpful, premature and unnecessary considering the players had already voluntarily withdrawn from playing. The ICC had no business to take this action."He said the ICC had "no authority" to intervene and has previously claimed the players were "set up" by the News of the World, which is expected to publish further revelations on Sunday. On the same day, England will face Pakistan in the first of two Twenty20 matches in Cardiff.Lorgat insisted that the proper processes had been followed and denied Hasan's conspiracyThis particular incident with the three players is unrelated to the challenge that we've got in keeping Pakistan involved as a full member of the International Cricket Council," he said. The country has been unable to play at home since a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore last year."So I wouldn't want to link the two, and claims." I certainly wouldn't subscribe to the view that there is some sort of conspiracy around Pakistan cricket."Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketPakistanOwen GibsonVikram Doddguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Kevin Pietersen faces ECB disciplinary hearing over tweet

www.guardian.co.uk - Hearing will take place at end of season England looking at new Twitter guidelinesKevin Pietersen will face an England and Wales Cricket Board disciplinary hearing for his outburst on Twitter after he was left out of the one-day series against Pakistan to rediscover his form before the Ashes.The ECB is unlikely to ban Pietersen for the rest of the season and render his loan deal with Surrey entirely worthless, a move it was at some pains to arrange in a last-ditch attempt to rehabilitate his batting form ahead of the Ashes. But a disciplinary hearing will take place, probably immediately at the end of the season, where his quick apology is likely to encourage a lenient response."He has spoken to me, he says he made a bit of a mistake and I'll take him at his word," said England's coach, Andy Flower. "But still there'll be a disciplinary hearing about that, because we can't have situations like that happening."We want to allow the players to use that form of the media, if that's what they choose to. But with that freedom comes responsibility, so they've got to use it responsibly. This is an example of not using it responsibly. Probably, after a couple of the latest incidents, we have to have a look at the guidelines."While England prepare for life without Pietersen in the opening Twenty20 international against Pakistan in Cardiff on Sunday, the player will be trying to turn his thoughts to two four-day championship matches for Surrey against Glamorgan at The Oval and Gloucestershire at Bristol. He would do well to make runs at The Oval because the Bristol square has been a batting graveyard for much of the summer."It was a difficult call to leave him out," Flower said. "When you're making decisions about people's careers and their lives it always is difficult and you've got to do it responsibly. The reasons behind that non-selection are very simple: in one-day internationals Kevin has under-performed over the last 12 to 24 months."In our opinion it would be more important for Kevin to play two four‑day games for Surrey rather than being involved in limited-overs cricket, with the priority being getting him into form and confidence for the Ashes. Kevin is a superb player and he's going through a hard time at the moment."Pietersen, a Twitter novice, was appalled to discover the comment had become widely available and it was quickly removed. "I was just pretty upset and frustrated with my own form," he said. When he exclaimed "What a fuck‑up!" he was referring to England's decision to drop him but he could easily have been describing his own tweet.Kevin PietersenAndy FlowerEngland cricket teamCricketDavid Hoppsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Twitter rant lands Kevin Pietersen with England disciplinary

www.dailymail.co.uk - Kevin Pietersen will face disciplinary action over his four-letter Twitter post, in which he accidentally announced his dropping from the England team. More... (Cricket)

Andy Flower wants England players to forget spot-fixing drama

www.dailymail.co.uk - England coach Andy Flower has ordered his players to focus on on-field matters and not become embroiled in the ongoing furore surrounding opponents Pakistan. More... (Cricket)

Stuart Broad injured - Ajmal Shahzad called up by England for Pakistan Twenty20 clash

www.dailymail.co.uk - Stuart Broad has given England a scare ahead of the first Twenty20 match with Pakistan by pulling out of practice with a groin injury. Ajmal Shahzad has been called up. More... (Cricket)

Pakistan match-fixing investigation will take months to complete - ICC

www.guardian.co.uk - Suspended players face life ban if found guilty of corruption They face interviews by ICC once police have spoken with themThe fate of the three suspended Pakistan players, whose alleged involvement in a betting scam has thrown cricket into crisis, will hang in the balance for months after the International Cricket Council said today it was likely to take that long to investigate the claims.The players were charged last night under the ICC's anti-corruption code and have been provisionally suspended until their tribunal. They face a potential life ban if the charges are upheld.Admitting that the sport was facing its worst crisis since the Hansie Cronje affair a decade ago, the ICC chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, said that the accused players would not be able to claim ignorance as a defence.He and Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the chairman of the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, said that the Pakistan players, including 18-year-old bowling prodigy Mohammad Amir, had all been educated in the risks of match fixing."They, as all international cricket players, will have been given an education before," said Flanagan. Lorgat said some would have received the same presentation "three or four times".The relatively meagre pay on offer to Pakistan cricketers in comparison to their counterparts in India, England and elsewhere has been offered as one possible reason for why they might agree to take part in "spot fixing" scams. Pakistan have not played international cricket at home since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore last year.But Flanagan said: "Whatever they are paid or not paid is no excuse for criminal or corrupt behaviour."Flanagan refused to confirm the exact charges but said they all related specifically to the Lord's Test and not to wider investigations involving other matches going back two years or more. The bans follow newspaper allegations that a middleman accepted £150,000 to arrange for Pakistan players to deliberately bowl no-balls during the match.Police are investigating whether money found in the possession of the players can be linked to that provided by the News of the World to the middleman, Mazhar Majeed, an agent to seven Pakistan players. The newspaper is promising further revelations this Sunday, the day England face Pakistan in the first of two Twenty20 matches in Cardiff.Majeed was arrested on Sunday and released on bail. Separately, he was also arrested as part of an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs into money laundering through Croydon Athletic, the non-league football club he owns.Flanagan said the ICC would not interview the players in detail until the police had finished their parallel interviews. He said there was an "information sharing protocol" in place with Scotland Yard.Amir was this morning interviewed formally under caution for the first time by police in Kilburn, north London. The other two accused players - Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif - will also be interviewed today.After interviewing the players and examining evidence, including mobile-phone records, the police and prosecutors will then decide whether there is enough evidence to charge the players with conspiracy to commit fraud.When asked how long the ICC's investigation would take, Flanagan said: "It's impossible to give you a timeline because of the difficulty of the criminal investigation. I am certain this will not be resolved within weeks."The Pakistan High Commissioner has claimed the players are innocent and suggested the News of the World set them up, while the Pakistan media has suggested that the fixing claims are part of a conspiracy against its cricketers and the country. But Lorgat said: "I can assure you that there is absolutely no truth to that suggestion."Lorgat and Flanagan admitted that they receive hundreds of tip-offs every year via a 24-hour hotline and said the problem of spot fixing was more serious in cricket because of the multiple opportunities the game provided for betting on seemingly innocuous outcomes.But asked if the case was "the tip of the iceberg", Lorgat insisted: "We don't believe this is widespread."Flanagan said he would be looking into whether the ASCU needed more resources and greater powers in light of the News of the World's revelations but denied the case reflected badly on its ability to police the game."We will look at whether we need to strengthen our unit and re-examine our code," he said. "We will be looking at this case in great detail from that point of view. In terms of our capacity, do we need people with different skills?"He also said he would work more closely with other sports to lobby governments around the world to clamp down on illegal betting syndicates."I don't see this as the tip of an iceberg. We're concentrating on cricket here, but there is a wider problem in terms of betting worldwide," said the former Northern Ireland police chief, who took over from predecessor Lord Condon in June. "I think the model that was put in place for cricket is a model for the sporting world. I intend to be in touch with colleagues in all sports. Perhaps together we can lobby for improved regulation of betting around the world."Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Cricket anti-corruption chief denies failures over Pakistan betting scandal

www.guardian.co.uk - Comments came as cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were being questioned by policeThe head of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit denied today that the ICC was failing to identify corruption within the sport, as the three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of an alleged betting scam were being questioned by police.Speaking for the first time since the allegations surfaced, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the former Northern Ireland police chief who was appointed chair of the cricket governing body's anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU) three months ago, said match-fixing was "not a contagion that's widespread throughout cricket"."If these charges are proven, I congratulate the News of the World," Flanagan said. "They were brought to light in ways the ICC can't engage in; ways the ICC would not like to engage in."There are many instances where ACSU activity has prevented these type of actions occurring. I refute this represents a failing of the ACSU. On the contrary, I have been impressed with what my investigators have done."Flanagan said ICC investigators had worked closely with Metropolitan police officers, who had shared material with them. He confirmed the ICC had laid several charges against Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, all related to last week's Lord's test, but would not give any further details of the charges.The three players are being interviewed by the Metropolitan police for the second time since allegations surfaced that they had agreed to bowl no-balls in specific overs of last week's fourth Test at Lord's, in return for money.They were initially questioned last weekend when the News of the World broke the story and had their mobile phones seized by the police.The ICC's decision to suspend them was criticised today by the Pakistan high commissioner, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, who said there was no reason for the ICC to suspend the players, given that they had already voluntarily withdrawn from the Pakistan squad.He said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat went to see him at 5.30pm yesterday and indicated that the players would not face charges from the sports' governing body. However, he appeared to change his mind after a phone call from the ICC president, Sharad Pawar."The ICC's just trying to play to the public gallery," Hasan told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.The charges were announced after officials from the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU) spent the afternoon at Scotland Yard viewing evidence and seeking a police go-ahead.Hasan said: "They [the ICC] have done the wrong thing. When there is a live police inquiry, this takes precedence over both the ICC, civil or regulatory investigation and indeed any internal disciplinary investigation."To take action now is, of course, unhelpful, premature and unnecessary considering the players had already voluntarily withdrawn from playing."Sitting alongside Flanagan at the ICC press conference, Lorgat rejected Hasan's suggestion that he had led him to believe the ICC would not be taking action against the players prior to conclusion of the police investigation."The very reason I went to see him was to put him on notice [of the charges]," said Lorgat.Hasan claimed yesterday that the players had been "set up" by the News of the World. Asked if they had been framed, he answered "yes", and suggested the newspaper's video evidence could have been filmed after the contentious no-balls had been bowled.The News of the World said it "refuses to respond to such ludicrous allegations". The newspaper is understood to be preparing further revelations for this Sunday.Mazhar Majeed, the 35-year-old middleman the News of the World alleges was at the heart of the betting sting, was arrested on Sunday and released on bail. Separately, he was also arrested as part of an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs into money laundering through Croydon Athletic, the non-league football club he owns.Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketPakistanHaroon Siddiqueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

ICC vow to root out corruption as Mohammad Aamer is questioned by police over 'fixing' allegations

www.dailymail.co.uk - Cricket chiefs have vowed to root out cheats on the day Pakistan bowler Mohammad Aamer was questioned by police over the 'fixing' allegations. More... (Cricket)

Pakistan cricketers re-interviewed by police

www.guardian.co.uk - Butt, Asif and Amir interviewed by the Metropolitan police for the second time over allegations of bowling no-balls at Lord'sThe three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of an alleged betting scam were today being questioned by police.It is the second time Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been interviewed by Metropolitan police since the allegations surfaced that the three had agreed to bowl no-balls in specific overs of last week's fourth Test at Lord's in return for money. They were initially questioned last weekend when News of the World broke the story and had their mobile phones seized by the police.The trio were yesterday suspended by the International Cricket Council, pending a tribunal, despite the ICC having indicated that they would not take any action before the police had concluded their investigation.That decision was criticised today by the Pakistan high commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan, who said there was no reason for the ICC to suspend the players given that the three had already voluntarily withdrawn from the Pakistan squad yesterday morning. He said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat went to see him at 5.30pm yesterday and was initially "sympathetic" but appeared to change his mind after a phone call from ICC president Sharad Pawar"The ICC's just trying to play to the public gallery," Hasan told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.The charges were announced after officials from the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU) spent the afternoon at Scotland Yard viewing evidence and seeking police go-ahead.Hasan said: "They [the ICC] have done the wrong thing. When there is a live police inquiry this takes precedence over both the ICC, civil or regulatory investigation and indeed any internal disciplinary investigation."To take action now is of course unhelpful, premature and unnecessary considering the players had already voluntarily withdrawn from playing."ICC investigators, who had been examining spot-fixing allegations against Pakistan for some time, have been in London since Monday. Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the former Northern Ireland police chief who was appointed chairman of the ACSU three months ago, arrived from Abu Dhabi to join them, while its chief investigator, Ravi Sawani, met police.Hasan claimed yesterday that the players had been "set up" by the News of the World. Asked if they had been framed, he answered "yes" and suggested the newspaper's video evidence could have been filmed after the contentious no-balls had been bowled.The News of the World said it "refuses to respond to such ludicrous allegations". The newspaper is understood to be preparing further revelations for Sunday.After the Pakistani high commissioner's meeting with the three accused players yesterday, Pakistani journalists repeatedly asked Hasan whether the team was a victim of a conspiracy. Pakistan's sports minister, Ijaz Jakhrani, also suggested there could be another explanation for the apparently damning News of the World evidence."Let's wait until the report comes. After that we will be in a position to see if it is spot fixing, if it is match fixing or if it is a conspiracy against these players or against the country," he told the Indian news channel CNN-IBN.Mazhar Majeed, the 35-year-old middleman the News of the World alleges was at the heart of the betting sting, was arrested on Sunday and released on bail. Separately, he was also arrested as part of an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs into money laundering through Croydon Athletic, the non-league football club he owns.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamLondonPakistanguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan betting scandal - live | Andy Wilson, Simon Williams and Owen Gibson

www.guardian.co.uk - Three Pakistan players suspended by ICC Leading Pakistani diplomat says ICC action is 'wrong' Rob Bagchi on the legacy of entrapment The latest from Durham v Notts at Chester-le-Street Watch county cricket video highlights10.32am: Hello from sunny Aigburth, writes Andy Wilson (who has switched games in readiness for his rugby league commitments later and has left the Chester-le-Street coverage baton with Simon Williams), where the Championship game between Lancashire and Hampshire could bubble into a fascinating finish. Hampshire, who were apparently down and out after conceding a first innings lead of 238, will resume with a lead of 37 and five second innings wickets remaining - including that of Jimmy Adams, whose unbeaten 109 yesterday has been described by the journalists who were here in the press tent as one of the best knocks they've seen. Adams was mentioned to me at Durham yesterday by a journo who usually knows these things as a possible bolter for the Ashes tour, although the England selectors' recent record suggests they are more likely to stick with the established pecking order in which he is behind his Hampshire opening partner Michael Carberry. This ground will stage the majority of Lancashire's home Championship matches next season when Old Trafford is being redeveloped, and it's looking a picture this morning. It's obligatory to mention early in every visit that Don Bradman spoke highly of Aigburth, and specifically its pristine outfield, when he played here, and the green-gabled pavilion is as handsome as ever.10.30am: Our sports news correspondent Owen Gibson will be tweeting from Lord's this morning: Action moves from Kensington to Lord's today in ongoing cricket drama - ICC anti corruption chief Sir Ronnie Flanagan to face media at 11...10.10am: The Pakistan high commissioner, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, has accused the International Cricket Council of "trying to play to the public gallery" by suspending the three players allegedly involved in a spot-fixing scam. Here's our report.10.00am: Yes, last night the ICC suspended the three Pakistan players alleged to be involved in the operation. Below is an extract from Owen Gibson's piece. For the full story click here. The three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of an alleged betting scam that has thrown world cricket into crisis were last night charged under the anti-corruption code of the game's governing body and provisionally suspended.After a day that began with the Pakistan Cricket Board agreeing to omit the players from the team for the rest of the tour, and the Pakistan high commissioner claiming they were "set-up" by the News of the World, the ICC suspended the three pending a tribunal.Outside the west London hotel in which Test captain Salman Butt, fast bowler Mohammad Asif and brilliant teenage prospect Mohammad Amir are also staying, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat provided the swift action many in the game had demanded."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," he said."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. It is important, however, that we do not pre-judge the guilt of these three players. That is for the independent tribunal alone to decide."9.30am: Morning. What a week. Tuesday: KP's mis-texted tweet, Derbyshire 44 all out. Wednesday: KP's CB40 Div 2 debut. Gloucestershire 70 all out. Thursday: a whirl of briefings, a touch of pomposity and the day ending with suspensions for the Pakistan Three. And even Warwickshire won a game. What's today? The climax at Chester-le-Street as Notts push for an unlikely win to all-but seal the title, and - what's this you say? - a hurriedly arranged ICC media conference at Lord's, at 11am, with ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, ICC anti-corruption and security unit chairman Sir Ronnie Flanagan and ICC general manager ACSU, Ravi Sawani? We'll be there.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketAndy WilsonOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

ICC's suspension of Pakistan players is 'wrong' - leading diplomat

www.guardian.co.uk - Asif, Amir and Butt banned by governing body last night High Commissioner accuses ICC of 'playing to public gallery'The Pakistan high commissioner, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, has accused the International Cricket Council of "trying to play to the public gallery" by suspending the three players allegedly involved in a spot-fixing scam.The ICC last night charged Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir "under Article 2 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code for Players and Player Support Personnel relating to alleged irregular behaviour during, and in relation to, the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's last month".In accordance with the provisions of that code, Butt, Asif and Amir have been immediately barred from participating in all cricket and related activities until the case has been concluded.But having already voluntarily stepped down from the remainder of the tour of England as they seek to clear their names, and with a police investigation currently active - the players are being questioned by the Metropolitan Police today - Hasan suggested the ICC's intervention was unnecessary and also hinted at an anti-Pakistan stance."The ICC had no business to take this action, they are trying to play to the public gallery," he told the BBC. "When [ICC chief executive] Haroon Lorgat came to see me yesterday evening he was very sympathetic and supportive. He said in order to eliminate corruption from cricket the ICC will have to act but in this case he said he was satisfied that Scotland Yard and the British police were proceeding according to law and investigating the matter and would just issue notices for explanation and not go beyond that."But then he got a phone call from ICC president Sharad Pawar from India and he talks to him. Mr Lorgat goes and then the person who does not have any documents prepares a document of five pages and pushes this on the doormats of the players at their hotel."They [the ICC] have done the wrong thing. When there is a live police inquiry this takes precedence over both the ICC, civil or regulatory investigation and indeed any internal disciplinary investigation."To take action now is of course unhelpful, premature and unnecessary considering the players had already voluntarily withdrawn from playing."Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

County cricket - live | Andy Wilson, Simon Williams and Owen Gibson

www.guardian.co.uk - The day's play from around the grounds plus the very latest from the Pakistan betting scandal. Click here to see live scores and county cricket video highlights9.32am: Yes, last night the ICC suspended the three Pakistan players alleged to be involved in the operation. Below is an extract from Owen Gibson's piece. For the full story click here. The three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of an alleged betting scam that has thrown world cricket into crisis were last night charged under the anti-corruption code of the game's governing body and provisionally suspended.After a day that began with the Pakistan Cricket Board agreeing to omit the players from the team for the rest of the tour, and the Pakistan high commissioner claiming they were "set-up" by the News of the World, the ICC suspended the three pending a tribunal.Outside the west London hotel in which Test captain Salman Butt, fast bowler Mohammad Asif and brilliant teenage prospect Mohammad Amir are also staying, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat provided the swift action many in the game had demanded."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," he said."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. It is important, however, that we do not pre-judge the guilt of these three players. That is for the independent tribunal alone to decide."9.30am: Morning. What a week. Tuesday: KP's mis-texted tweet, Derbyshire 44 all out. Wednesday: KP's CB40 Div 2 debut. Gloucestershire 70 all out. Thursday: a whirl of briefings, a touch of pomposity and the day ending with suspensions for the Pakistan Three. And even Warwickshire won a game. What's today? The climax at Chester-le-Street as Notts push for an unlikely win to all-but seal the title, and - what's this you say? - a hurriedly arranged ICC media conference at Lord's, at 11am, with ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, ICC anti-corruption and security unit chairman Sir Ronnie Flanagan and ICC general manager ACSU, Ravi Sawani? We'll be there.CricketNottinghamshireDurhamPakistan cricket betting scandalAndy WilsonOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Cricket fixer's cash trail leads to Pakistan captain Salman Butt as players are suspended

www.dailymail.co.uk - Cash used in the cricket betting scandal is understood to have been found in the belongings of the Pakistani captain Salman Butt, the Daily Mail has learned. More... (Cricket)

Legacy of entrapment is a record of great stories with few convictions

www.guardian.co.uk - The very nature of tabloid stings means it is tough to make the evidence stickThe News of the World's story about the involvement of members of the Pakistan cricket team in spot-fixing is the most recent in a long line of the newspaper's exclusives about prominent sports stars alleging criminal activity.This latest story follows four of the most remarkable coups in the world of sport. Two of these - the supposed extortion of the England football captain David Beckham by a gang said to be plotting to kidnap his wife and transcripts of conversations with the jockey Kieren Fallon said to implicate him in deliberately losing a race - ended up in court before both cases were thrown out. And now, lawyers feel, last Sunday's investigation into the activities of Mazhar Majeed, and his suggestions that Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt had conspired with him to bowl deliberate no-balls during the fourth Test at Lord's, is also unlikely to end in criminal charges for the players.Neill Blundell, head of the fraud group at law firm Eversheds, said: "What they often have difficulty doing is evidentially linking what is going on with the betting. If all you've got is one person saying certain things, it can be very difficult to link that behaviour to what is going on the pitch, even if it seems logical to do so."At the heart of all the cases lies the legal problems around the notion of entrapment. In 1999 the England rugby union captain Lawrence Dallaglio was forced to resign after appearing to admit to being a drug dealer during his youth but no police action was taken against him. And this year's story alleging snooker's world No1, John Higgins, would lose frames in a purported new tournament will be addressed at a tribunal next week.1 The Lawrence Dallaglio drug claims scandalOn 23 May 1999 the News of the World published a story in which Dallaglio told two undercover reporters, who were entertaining him under the guise of Gillette executives offering a £500,000 sponsorship deal, that he had been a drug dealer when he had been aged "18 or 19".The newspaper published transcripts from the conversation, with the England back-rower saying: "I used to drive from one end of London to the other with five or six ounces of it [cocaine]. That's how I used to make money before I took up rugby."There were other revelations, but the headline story was Dallaglio's account of "an all-day party" he participated in to celebrate the British and Irish Lions series victory on the 1997 South Africa tour. He said that he and two other players "dropped an E and then a couple of wraps of coke and we celebrated winning the Test series. We got absolutely mullered."Dallaglio resigned the captaincy the following day after a three-hour meeting with the Rugby Football Union but said he "categorically denied" the principal feature of the story that he had dealt in drugs. "I lied to these people," he said. "I made up stories to impress these people. A lot of it was fabrication and I'm sure a lot of what they said was fabrication."A three-month investigation by the RFU ended with a disrepute charge and another for taking drugs during the Lions tour. The drugs charge was dropped but he was fined £15,000 and made to pay costs of £10,000 after admitting he had initially lied about his presence at a party in Johannesburg during the 1997 tour. The then England head coach, Clive Woodward, said the former captain had been guilty of nothing more than "naivety, stupidity and foolishness" and had behaved as a "complete prat". No criminal charges were made.2 The Victoria Beckham kidnap plotOn 3 November 2002, the day after five arrests had been made following an undercover investigation, the front page was devoted to a story by Mazher Mahmood alleging a criminal conspiracy to kidnap Victoria Beckham had been foiled by the newspaper. The News of the World said one of its reporters had infiltrated the gang then tipped off the Metropolitan police. It quoted one of the conspirators saying: "If the kids are with her, it's even better. We ask David Beckham for £5m. It's 100% he pays. But if something happens and he don't pay, Victoria is going to die."A reporter revealed his role was to be the getaway driver for the ambush outside the Beckhams' Hertfordshire home, during which Victoria would be sedated and taken to a house in Brixton, where she would be held until the ransom was paid.Scotland Yard's serious and organised crime command (SO7) questioned the five men over allegations of conspiracy to kidnap and theft. Later that month they were charged with theft and conspiracy to rob and the four Romanians and one Kosovan Albanian were charged with conspiracy to kidnap the following February.In June 2003 at a hearing at Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court the case against the accused was thrown out by the judge, when it emerged that the News of the World had paid £10,000 to the prosecution's key witness, the convicted criminal, Florim Gashi, who had been involved with the accused from the start.The judge reported the newspaper to the attorney general "to consider the temptations that money being offered in return for stories concerning celebrities give rise to" but no action was taken. The Press Complaints Commission found that the no rules had been broken and that the story had been in the public interest.3 The Kieren Fallon race-fixing caseOn 7 March 2004, in a story the paper called "the sports scandal of the decade", the six-times champion jockey was said to have told its undercover team led by Mazher Mahmood that he would lose a race at Lingfield on 2 March and named the horse that would win. In that race Fallon's horse Ballinger Ridge was ahead by a huge margin but slowed near the winning post and was beaten by Rye at the line.Fallon had been recorded the weekend before the race telling reporters posing as a Middle-Eastern gambling syndicate: "I'm actually down as the favourite. It's not very good. The horse of Jamie Osborne's is going to win. A horse called Rye."Fallon's solicitor said his client had merely offered advice to people he had been led to believe were members of the public. "As many jockeys do on TV on a daily basis, he gave them his views as to the chances of horses he was riding. He received no money for this and the way he rode the horses was in no way influenced by the information he had imparted."He was due to appear before a Jockey Club inquiry that autumn to account for the story but he was arrested on 1 September along with two jockeys and three others as part of a police investigation into the perversion of scores of races. Fallon was charged in 2006 and the case began in October 2007 with him accused by the prosecution of "systematic corruption to protect the interests of a fraudulent betting syndicate". The Ballinger Ridge ride was a key part of the prosecution's case.Two months after the prosecution case opened, Mr Justice Forbes ruled that there was no case to answer. He said the evidence was characterised by "very significant limitations and shortcomings".4 The John Higgins video over thrown framesOn 2 May 2010 Mazher Mahmood reported that the 2009 world snooker champion John Higgins had been captured on video allegedly agreeing to lose frames in a World Snooker Series that was supposedly to be organised by the team he had met. The meeting took place in Kiev days after the world No1 had been knocked out of the 2010 World Championship. The sum of €300,000 was brought up as the fee for his complicity and he is reported to have discussed with his agent, Pat Mooney, the mechanics of payment."I've got a property in Spain," he is alleged to have said. "I'm thinking to myself … is there any way … if you get a small mortgage or something on the property and you can pay it off. Would they look me out if you paid it off in a lump sum?"Following the publication of the story, Barry Hearn, the chairman of snooker's governing body, announced Higgins' suspension from the sport. Mooney resigned from the WPBSA board. Higgins issued a statement on the same day. "I didn't know if this was the Russian mafia or who we were dealing with," he said. "At that stage I felt the best course of action was just to play along with these guys and get out of Russia."The journalist Nick Harris on his website sportingintelligence.com has cast serious doubts over the video evidence, questioning its editing and that some words attributed to Higgins were not actually said by him on the footage. The WPBSA investigation headed by David Douglas was completed in July and a tribunal hearing under the aegis of an independent dispute resolution broker, Sport Resolutions UK, is due to be heard next week.Pakistan cricket betting scandalCricketPakistan cricket teamNews of the Worldguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Cricket feels burden of proof in a far from open and shut case | Mike Selvey

www.guardian.co.uk - With criminal convictions looking increasingly unlikely, the game's corruption unit will pick up the investigation into the Pakistan betting scandalAll day it bubbled up until finally it boiled over. Claim, counterclaim, allegation, denial, counter-accusation. It followed a familiar pattern. A deal was brokered but reluctantly on the part of Pakistan. Had they left themselves room for some clever point-scoring manoeuvring at a later date? Finally, late last night, in what looks like a fit of exasperation, the International Cricket Council, so often regarded as toothless, fitted its shiny choppers, flexed some muscle and intervened. Enough, it was saying, was enough. Never mind all that had gone before; it was irrelevant. The Pakistan three, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, were to be suspended forthwith from all cricket under the ICC anti-corruption code of practice pending further investigation into various allegations.Until the ICC intervention, the outcome had been pretty much what we all expected. Butt, Asif and Amir would take no further part in the tour and were to be replaced. The reasonings may sound semantic but they are rooted in the legalities of the matter. Thus, they had not been suspended, because that would carry the implication of a pre-judgment of guilt in an investigation that is still continuing. Nor had they been dropped, for that, presumably, would be challengeable in court given the status of the three players within the Pakistan side.Instead, they had been encouraged to withdraw, on the grounds that after the events of the past few days, they would neither be in a fit state mentally nor physically prepared for the forthcoming series of Twenty20 and one-day internationals.Pakistan, or more realistically their lawyers, would have fought tooth and claw for the status quo, but that was never an option. For the series to go ahead with any shred of integrity in the public eye (never mind that the cases have yet to be proven), it was non-negotiable that Butt, Asif and Amir should not be part of the team, however it was achieved.Had Pakistan been insistent, the England and Wales Cricket Board would almost certainly have pulled the plug on the series and taken a massive financial hit in the process, knowing that the England cricketers would have taken advice from their players' association as to whether it was appropriate for them to withdraw their labour in any case. Given the manner in which the ECB has worked hard to facilitate the continuation of Pakistan's international commitments despite their being unable to stage matches in their own country, it is hard to see how the Pakistan Cricket Board could do other than cede the ground.What happens to the three Pakistan cricketers under investigation is another matter. On the face of it, the News of the World appeared to have managed a perfect sting, where the subject Mazhar Majeed seemed able to satisfy that paper of his ability to manipulate events within matches. The no-balls at Lord's, apparently to order, appeared to verify this. However, anyone who has had a cursory look at the 2005 Gambling Act will understand the difficulty in converting allegations into convictions, given the demand for hard evidence that, say, the bowling of such no-balls is directly associated with the sort of criminal gambling activities that are also alleged. There has to be a paper trail.It may well be argued, for example, that Majeed, for whatever purpose, has apparently been demonstrating his capacity to control some players, this the man, do not forget, who suggested he was able to wake a young international cricket star, and call him a "fucker" just to demonstrate that he can. Allegations of match-rigging in Sydney are on shaky ground, too: not too hard to brag about something that has already happened, to try to prove a point. This is not necessarily to pass judgment either way on the News of the World case, which looked compelling enough as far as it went, but merely to point out the challenges facing any attempted prosecution. In printing their exclusive, incidentally, the News of the World appear to have spiked the guns of an unconnected long term investigation into Majeed by Revenue & Customs.So those hoping for criminal convictions look likely to be disappointed. These are a rarity in sport, despite some recent high-profile cases involving, for example, snooker and horse racing. These are a rarity in sport, despite some recent high profile cases involving, for example, snooker and horse racing.My guess is that if they have any further evidence, any punishment is unlikely to be of the extreme one-size-fits-all kind advocated by many. It is instructive to have a look at section 142 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which addresses the principles of sentencing, for while this may not be dealing with proven criminality it holds good just the same. It says in its preamble: "Any court dealing with an offender in respect of his offence must have regard to the following purposes of sentencing." It then outlines punishment; deterrence; reformation and rehabilitation; protection; and retribution. Thus, even if they were able to establish a case, which is not clear at the moment, the age, inexperience and malleability of Amir might and should be set aside previous behaviour or the position of authority held by Butt. There is nothing straightforward or clear cut about any of this.Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamEngland Cricket TeamCricketMike Selveyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Three Pakistan players suspended by ICC and charged under anti-corruption code

www.guardian.co.uk - Captain and two bowlers protest their innocence as players are to be interviewed by police under cautionThe three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of an alleged betting scam that has thrown world cricket into crisis were tonight charged under the anti-corruption code of the game's governing body and provisionally suspended.After a day that began with the Pakistan Cricket Board agreeing to omit the players from the team for the rest of the tour, and the Pakistan high commissioner claiming the newspaper claims were a "set-up", the ICC suspended the three pending a tribunal.Outside the west London hotel in which Test captain Salman Butt, fast bowler Mohammad Asif and brilliant teenage prospect Mohammad Amir are also staying, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat provided the swift action many in the game had demanded."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," he said."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. It is important, however, that we do not pre-judge the guilt of these three players. That is for the independent tribunal alone to decide."Under tougher new rules brought in last year by the ICC, the players can be suspended provisionally ahead of any hearing if it is in the interests of the game.The row was triggered by allegations in the News of the World that the three had agreed to bowl no-balls in specific overs of last week's fourth Test at Lord's in return for money.The charges were announced after officials from the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU) spent the afternoon at Scotland Yard viewing evidence and seeking police go-ahead. The police are conducting a parallel criminal inquiry.The three players will tomorrow be interviewed under police caution for the first time. Earlier they had agreed to withdraw from the rest of the tour citing the "mental torture" they had been placed under by the allegations. They protested their innocence and the Pakistani high commissioner suggested they might have been "set up" by the News of the World.While their team-mates were turning out against Somerset 160 miles away in Taunton, the accused three were being whisked into their country's high commission in London amid a flurry of claims and top level political negotiations.ICC investigators, who had been examining spot-fixing allegations against Pakistan for some time, have been in London since Monday. Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the former Northern Ireland police chief who was appointed chairman of the ACSU three months ago, arrived from Abu Dhabi to join them, while its chief investigator, Ravi Sawani, met police.But despite withdrawing the players from the tour, following pressure behind the scenes from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the sport's global governing body, the Pakistan camp remained bullish.The high commissioner, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, claimed the players had been "set up" by the News of the World. Asked if they had been framed, he answered "yes" and suggested the newspaper's video evidence could have been filmed after the contentious no-balls had been bowled.The News of the World said it "refuses to respond to such ludicrous allegations". The newspaper is understood to be preparing further revelations for Sunday.Hasan said of the three players: "They are extremely disturbed about what has happened in the past week, particularly in regards to their alleged involvement in the crime. They mentioned they are entirely innocent and shall defend their innocence as such."They further maintain that on account of the mental torture that has affected them they are not in right frame of mind to play the remaining matches."Pakistani journalists repeatedly asked whether the team was a victim of a conspiracy and Pakistan's sports minister, Ijaz Jakhrani, also suggested there could be another explanation for the apparently damning News of the World evidence."Let's wait until the report comes. After that we will be in a position to see if it is spot fixing, if it is match fixing or if it is a conspiracy against these players or against the country," he told the Indian news channel CNN-IBN.After the three wary-looking players arrived to a media posse and a small knot of 20 or so protesters, officials from the Pakistan high commission handed out copies of an article by the journalist and academic Roy Greenslade.The piece was highly critical of the methods used in previous stings by Mazher Mahmood - the so-called "Fake Sheikh" behind the sensational News of the World claim that a middleman accepted £150,000 to correctly predict the exact time when no-balls would be bowled.Although Hasan insisted the three players were "not running away" - they will remain in England and their passports are being held by the team manager - they were whisked out of a side door and departed in a people carrier while the car in which they arrived acted as a decoy.Mazhar Majeed, the 35-year-old middleman the News of the World alleges was at the heart of the betting sting, was arrested on Sunday and released on bail. Separately, he was also arrested as part of an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs into money laundering through Croydon Athletic, the non-league football club he owns.Both the ECB and the ICC felt the intense focus on and public clamour for action had made it impossible for the three players to play any further part in the tour. The ICC was under pressure to act before Sunday's Twenty20 match between England and Pakistan in Cardiff.Sources had indicated all week that a negotiated withdrawal was the most likely solution, but a last minute intervention from PCB chairman, Ijaz Butt, threw a spanner in the works. His insistence that the players might still play was seen as an attempt to reassure the Pakistani public that it was not capitulating.Giles Clarke, the ECB's chairman, and David Collier, its more quietly diplomatic chief executive, were heavily involved in persuading the Pakistan contingent that the tour could not continue without the withdrawal of the three players.Clarke is chairman of the ICC's Pakistan task team, charged with helping Test cricket return to the country, which has not hosted any international cricket since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in March last year.Sport, pages 1-3 Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketPakistanDavid HoppsOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan 'spot-fix' trio Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif banned as cash is found among captain's possessions

www.dailymail.co.uk - Pakistani cricket was thrown into its deepest crisis yet as the Daily Mail revealed banknotes used in the Test betting scandal are understood to have been found among Salman Butt's possessions. More... (Cricket)

MARTIN SAMUEL: The storm is raging, but all they want in Taunton is cold ale, sun and a crossword

www.dailymail.co.uk - As scandals go, it could have been worse. It could have been a sport people care about. There is feeling for cricket. How does that song go? 'I don't like cricket, oh no, I love it.' More... (Cricket)

Quick delivery: Gordon Muchall ton stuns champions-elect Nottinghamshire

www.dailymail.co.uk - Durham's Gordon Muchall hit a fine 111 as the champions eased to a 308-run lead over champions elect Nottinghamshire with five wickets in hand at Chester-le-Street. More... (Cricket)

Wanted: Pakistan players without baggage! Tourists seek reinforcements for ODIs with England

www.dailymail.co.uk - Pakistan will soldier on with a 13-man squad for the two Twenty20 internationals against England, but plan to call up reinforcements for the five one-day internationals. More... (Cricket)

ICC finally get tough and issue life-ban threat over alleged Pakistan spot-fixing

www.dailymail.co.uk - Cricket's governing body finally flexed their muscles and threatened the Pakistan players accused of corruption with life bans if their guilt in established. More... (Cricket)

Giles Clarke offers plan to help Pakistan but ICC slow to give backing

www.guardian.co.uk - ECB chairman says Pakistan cricket needs 'a proper plan' But Clarke's move risks fuelling resentment in PakistanGiles Clarke, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, yesterday offered to help restructure Pakistan cricket in the wake of the illegal betting scandal after England successfully pressed for the three players under police investigation to be withdrawn from the one-day series.Pakistan's announcement yesterday that Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir will not play in the two Twenty20 internationals and five ODIs has removed the prospect that the ECB will be forced to cancel the tour at an estimated cost of £12m.But Clarke's ambitions at his moment of triumph seemed to stretch far beyond a temporary political compromise as he revealed a high-risk strategy to help introduce a "proper plan" for the future of Pakistan cricket. He can only have been emboldened by the International Cricket Council's announcement last night that it had charged and provisionally suspended the Pakistan trio pending a tribunal under section two of cricket's code of conduct, which deals with on-field corruption.Clarke is chairman of the ICC's Pakistan task force, which is charged with planning an ordered return of international cricket to the country. Pakistan has not staged a home Test or one-day international since a terrorist attack on coaches carrying the Sri Lanka team and match officials to a Test in Lahore in March last year.The ICC was at pains to point out last night that Clarke's remit was limited to security concerns, but the events of the past week have convinced him of the need for wider reforms.Clarke said: "As chairman of the ICC's Pakistan task team, I look forward to working with Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, Ijaz Butt, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and everybody involved in Pakistan cricket in taking forward cricket in Pakistan so that a proper plan exists for the whole of Pakistan cricket, given all the many and varied issues which have addressed it."We naturally have many challenges to face, Cricket fans across the world can be assured that we will be doing so." he added. Clarke's offer is made with good intentions but any assumption of a wider brief risks fuelling resentment in Pakistan, where national pride has been shaken by the allegations.Yesterday the sports minister, Ijaz Jakhrani, said in Lahore that until the police report was received he could not rule out that the affair was a "conspiracy against the players and Pakistan".Such is the febrile atmosphere in Pakistan that a plot inspired by India to ruin the country's cricketing reputation is widely suspected.England Cricket TeamPakistan cricket teamECBCricketDavid Hoppsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan win despite Lewis Gregory's triple-wicket maiden for Somerset

www.guardian.co.uk - Pakistan 264; Somerset 256-9 Pakistan won by eight runsPakistan's squad for the first Twenty20 international against England in Cardiff on Sunday was officially down to 13 players after the withdrawal of the three players under suspicion of involvement in the spot-fixing scandal. Pessimists reckoned that ten players was more accurate. Reinforcements may be urgently needed.Abdul Razzaq did not bowl after injuring his back and must be the most serious doubt for Sunday, Umar Akmal was struck in the face in the nets before start of play and there was also talk that Wahab Riaz had a dodgy shoulder, not that it was possible to ascertain how bad this was as Somerset's stand-in captain, Peter Trego, refused to let him bowl on the grounds that he was a substitute.Trego's stance might not have shown much sympathy to a touring side in turmoil, but it was based on good principles. Lewis Gregory, an 18-year-old from Plymouth, pulled off a triple-wicket maiden on debut - such things are the stuff of legend - and if Trego had allowed a Pakistan substitute to bowl, Gregory's heroics would have been expunged from the records. He would not have deserved that.Razzaq fell first ball of the over to James Hildreth's excellent catch in the deep, Umar Gul edged the fourth ball to the wicketkeeper and Saeed Ajmal was lbw to the last."I was worried about the legitimacy of the game," Trego said. "My understanding of it is that the game started as a List A game - and to my knowledge, you're not allowed to play 12 players in a List A game. I was concerned if we played 12 it would be deemed a friendly and that Lewis would lose his four wickets."Lewis would be savage if he got those figures taken away from him. A triple-wicket maiden inside a powerplay - fair play to him."Pakistan's 264 owed everything to a fourth-wicket stand of 169 in 31 overs between Shahzaib Hasan and Fawad Alam. At 199 for three, and 65 needed at nine an over, Somerset had a chance of an upset but Trego was stumped, the lower order fell away and Zander de Bruyn's unbeaten 122 from 142 balls was to no avail.CricketPakistan cricket teamSomersetDavid Hoppsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Darren Pattinson injury adds to Nottinghamshire's bowler shortage

www.guardian.co.uk - Pattinson sprains ankle as Durham fight back England call up Ryan Sidebottom for one-day dutyIt is a good job Nottinghamshire have a decent cushion at the top of the Championship table, because they are starting to run out of bowlers. Ryan Sidebottom has almost certainly made his last appearance for the county having been called away, after two days of this game, on England one-day duty for the next two weeks, and his nominated replacement, Darren Pattinson, then sprained an ankle bowling his first ball in Durham's second innings.The over had to be completed by Andre Adams as Pattinson left the field for treatment. Although the best-known former Grimsby roofer in history returned for another crack after lunch, he could manage only two feeble overs that went for 26 before calling it quits. With Charlie Shreck and Andy Carter also injured, and Stuart Broad otherwise engaged, Notts could well be down to three fit seamers not only for the rest of this match but for next week's game against title rivals Yorkshire at Trent Bridge.However, they are only a reasonable batting performance away from a draw here that would secure nine points and extend their lead over second-placed Somerset to 25, with Yorkshire a further three points back.So draws from their remaining two games, against Yorkshire and then Lancashire at Old Trafford in the last round of matches starting on Monday week, would almost certainly be enough to regain the Championship title they last won in 2005.Pattinson played his part with the bat as they restricted Durham to a first innings lead of 29, resuming the innings Sidebottom had started late on Wednesday and blocking sensibly for most of the morning session until he was last out for a season's best 19. That allowed the three remaining fit seamers - Paul Franks, Adams and Luke Fletcher - to play some shots as Notts added 84 for the last three wickets after Steven Mullaney had gone to Liam Plunkett in the first over of the day.The admirable Adams then dismissed Durham's left-handed openers cheaply, but Gordon Muchall took the game away from Notts with his attack on the hobbling Pattinson after lunch. The tall 27-year-old, who was in line for a new contract before this innings even though he has still to fulfil his potential consistently in the nine seasons since he made his debut, raced to 50 from 52 balls and completed his 10th first-class century with his 16th boundary.Durham will resume on the last day with a lead of 308 after Dale Benkenstein and Ian Blackwell each reached 50, but the injury that has ruled Mark Davies out of their attack for the rest of the match is likely to rule out any bold declaration by the champions, who are not yet mathematically safe from relegation.Warwickshire took a huge step towards avoiding the drop by polishing off Kent to complete their second consecutive victory. The England Lions seamer Chris Woakes ended with match figures of 11 for 97 in addition to making two crucial contributions with the bat as the Bears climbed 18 points clear of Kent, who are now in the relegation zone with Essex.NottinghamshireDurhamCricketAndy Wilsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Cricket)

Pakistan put spot-fixing allegations to one side with Somerset warm-up win

www.dailymail.co.uk - Pakistan overcame setbacks on and off the field to beat Somerset by eight runs in a limited-overs warm-up match at Taunton. But the side suffered two injury blows. More... (Cricket)

Accused Pakistan trio Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer insist they are innocent

www.dailymail.co.uk - Cricket's huge scandal took a new twist today when the Pakistan High Commissioner cast doubt on the video footage that sparked the allegations over fixing. More... (Cricket)

Ashes blow for Graham Onions as bowler is ruled out for nine months

www.dailymail.co.uk - England bowler Graham Onions will have surgery on his back next week and is expected to be ruled out of all cricket for up to nine months, the ECB have announced. More... (Cricket)