Pakistan stumped by fixing furore

ENGLAND’s cricket series victory yesterday over Pakistan was marred by allegations that their opponents were involved in match-fixing.

Mazhar Majeed, a cricket agent, is in custody and four Pakistan players, including captain Salman Butt, have given statements to police over claims surrounding the Lord’s Test.

The allegations centre on the timing of “no balls” delivered during the game.

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed said bowlers Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif and wicket keeper Kamran Akmal were the other players questioned by police.

Butt, Asif and Aamer had their mobile phones confiscated by police as part of the investigation, he added.

The claims caused shockwaves across the sporting world with pressure mounting on the Pakistan Cricket Board to act following this, the latest in a string of match-fixing allegations to dog the team since the 1990s.

Undercover reporters from the News of the World allegedly paid a middleman £150,000 (€180,000) and in return were told exact details relating to play during the following day.

The paper said it was able to buy its way into a match-fixing ring by posing as Far Eastern businessmen.

The reporting team claims it was told exactly when three no balls would be bowled during the current Test. The controversy ensured the final day of the Test was played out in a subdued atmosphere.

Struggling with the pressure, the Pakistan team unusually refused the chance to warm up on the famous Lord’s pitch prior to the start of play.

England made short work of their opponents when Pakistan finally emerged from the dressing room, winning the series 3-1 as the tourists slumped to an innings defeat.

Scotland Yard said a 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers and was being held at a London police station.

Saeed said police questioned his players at the team hotel in north London last night.

“We got to the hotel at about 7.30pm last night and I was just settling into my room when I got a message that Scotland Yard officers are here and would like to see me.

“They said ‘on a tip-off we want to investigate some of your players’.

He added: “If anybody is guilty he is guilty and should be punished.”

Mazhar Majeed’s brother and business partner Azhar, insisted that the allegations were “just rubbish”.

In video footage released by the News of the World, Mazhar Majeed is apparently seen with a pile of money in front of him.

Saeed told the international cricket website Cricinfo that the Majeed brothers were agents representing a number of Pakistan players.

He said: “When we started this tour, I told the players they should not be entertaining these two in their hotel rooms. These boys are their agents and, anywhere we tour in the world, we tell our players that they are not allowed to have agents in their hotel rooms. It is the policy on the tour.”

Pakistan captain Butt claimed yesterday that he has seen no evidence that he is implicated in any of the allegations, saying: “These are just allegations. Anybody can stand up and say things about you – it doesn’t make them true.

“They include quite a few people. They are still ongoing, and we will see what happens.

“There is nothing I have seen, or been shown, that involves me.”