One of the three members of the independent tribunal who will decide the fates of the three Pakistan players accused in last summer's spot-fixing scandal has said the credibility of cricket is at stake.
As the tribunal got under way in the Qatari capital of Doha, Sharad Rao, a former acting attorney general in Kenya, said the hearing was "important for the future of cricket". He added that it was critical the sport's image was "very clean, where we can rely on the results".
The former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and the bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif are facing a range of charges under the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption code in the wake of newspaper allegations that they agreed to bowl no-balls at specific points during last summer's Fourth Test at Lord's. If they are found guilty they could face life bans.
"This is a question of my career and I've been through some tough days," the 18-year-old fast bowler Amir told the website Cricinfo following the opening day of the tribunal. "I've overcome them and I will hopefully overcome more in the future. We've prepared well for the case and put in our effort."
All three players are expected to plead not guilty but it is not clear what form their defence will take. Reports leaked to the Pakistani media over Christmas from the former Pakistan team security manager Major Khawaja Najam Javed claimed that, when police searched Butt's hotel room, they found more than £42,000 in cash. Butt has maintained the money was for expenses and fees.
He also alleged that Butt's agent Mazhar Majeed, the alleged fixer filmed apparently accepting £150,000 by the News of the World, was a familiar face around the team hotel.
Majeed, also facing a money laundering investigation in the UK from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, is not expected to give evidence.Meanwhile the Crown Prosecution Service has yet to decide whether to press charges against the three men.
The ICC today outlined its opening arguments and the players are expected to give evidence tomorrow or Saturday.
Alexander Cameron, the barrister brother of the prime minister, will represent Asif, with his fellow British barrister Yasin Patel representing Butt and Shahid Karim representing Amir.
Butt, who is being represented by his third different lawyer since the charges were filed in September, failed in a recent bid to have the hearing postponed.
