Friday 18 March 2011

Pakistan 'spot-fixers' bailed to appear at Southwark crown court in May

The three Pakistan cricketers accused of spot fixing, and the agent accused of accepting £150,000 to arrange for no-balls to be bowled at specific points in a Test match, have been bailed to appear at Southwark crown court in May.
The former captain Salman Butt, 26, and the fast bowlers Mohammad Asif, 28, and Mohammad Amir, 18, attended Westminster magistrates court on Thursday accused of cheating and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments.
The players – who gave addresses in Pakistan, although Asif is staying with friends in England – were given unconditional bail. The agent Mazhar Majeed, 35, of Croydon, south London, was told to surrender his passport and not to apply for international travel documents. All four are due to appear on 20 May.
The district judge, Howard Riddle, dismissed the Crown's application for conditional bail for the three men, despite the fact that Britain has no extradition treaty with Pakistan. "Failing to attend these proceedings would destroy any possibility of playing a cricket international in the future," he said. "Their reputation is of the utmost importance. They have a very strong incentive to attend trial and defend the proceedings."
Amir's lawyer Gareth Peirce said her client had to deal with problems with British immigration in order to attend hearing, proving his determination to defend himself against the charges.
Majeed is accused of accepting £150,000 from an undercover reporter from the News of the World to conspire with the players to bowl no-balls at specific points during the fourth Test at Lord's last August.
The allegations precipitated a crisis in the world of international cricket, the shockwaves from which are still reverberating.
The three players, who appeared in court wearing dark suits and dark open-necked shirts, and Majeed face up to seven years in prison if found guilty.
The players have already appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in Lausanne, against bans imposed by the International Cricket Council.

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