‘Salman Butt could face long ban by ICC tribunal’

 A special tribunal of the International Cricket Council (ICC) opened an appeal hearing on Thursday for the three Pakistan players who face possible life bans if found guilty of spot-fixing.

The suspended Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif, who have previously declared their innocence, made no comments as they entered the hearing room here. But Sharad Rao, a member of the three-member panel overseeing the proceedings and headed by British lawyer Michael Beloff and also includes Justice Albie Sachs from South Africa, said the credibility of the sport was at stake.

“This is an important hearing for the future of cricket,” stated Rao, a former acting attorney general in Kenya, adding that it`s critical the sport`s image is “very clean where we can rely on the results.”

Rao felt the future of cricket was bright, saying: “The future of cricket is good because I think that`s what this exercise is about.”

Significantly, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not backing the trio and sources in Pakistan said Salman could face the heaviest ban.

They said Salman`s defence was weakened by the fact that they had already changed his lawyers twice while Aamir and Asif would argue that they were following instructions because they feared they would be dropped otherwise.

“The indications are that Salman will get a long ban while Asif and Aamir may escape with shorter ones, like two-year bans each,” one source said.

The trio was alleged to have accepted payment for bowling no-balls at prearranged times in a Test against England in August at Lord`s to fix spot betting markets.

On the closed hearing`s first day, which lasted 7 hours, charges were read and the ICC began presenting its evidence including several witnesses.

The ICC refused to provide any details about what evidence was presented. The hearings in Doha could last until next week.

After the first day, the youngest of the trio, 18-year-old fast bowler Aamir, told a sports website that recent months have been “tough” for him.

“This is a question of my career and I`ve been through some tough days,” he told the website. “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.”

Aamir`s lawyer Shahid Karim hinted he may try to use the player’s youth to argue for leniency should he be found guilty.

“If you look at the ICC code, there could be some advantage with that,” Shahid said. “He [Aamir] is very important to the future of Pakistan and the response we have gotten from people so far, I am very hopeful. You can call our case strong or whatever but I am hopeful.” News of the World

The Dubai-based ICC, which has described the allegations as the sport`s biggest fixing scandal in decades, charged the trio with corruption in September after a British tabloid, the , alleged the players received payments from businessman Mazhar Majeed.

Mazhar, who was also arrested and questioned by police, appeared to accept 150,000 pounds ($241,000) from reporters posing as frontmen for a Far East gambling cartel.

The ICC on Sept 2 charged the players with various offences under its anti-corruption code relating to “alleged irregular behaviour” during the fourth Test against England — charges that could lead to life bans.—Agencies

Cricket-ICC tribunal to give verdict on Pakistan trio on Feb. 5

Jan 11 (Reuters) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal will give its verdict on the threePakistan players accused of spot-fixing on Feb. 5, tribunal chairman Michael Beloff said on Tuesday.

Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif will remain suspended, the ICC said.

Pakistan need 1992 attitude to win World Cup: Miandad

Former captain and Director General Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Javed Miandad believes that Pakistan’s current set of players are talented enough to take their team to a respectable position in the upcoming World Cup, provided they adopt the 1992 attitude towards the game.
“We have some very talented boys in our side who can propel the team to glory. But what they need at present is aggression, motivation and the unconventional strategy of 1992 to excel in the World Cup,” he told newsmen on Monday.

The master batsman said Pakistan could perform well in the mega event even without fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, currently suspended by the ICC in a spot-fixing scam.

“I think Pakistan’s other players are also very talented and can be a threat to any side provided they grab the opportunities and play to their full potential,” he said.

Miandad said he was happy that his work with the boys during the camp for New Zealand tour yielded results as Pakistan outplayed the Kiwis in the first Test at Hamilton.

“Pakistan played brilliantly in that match. It is not easy to defeat New Zealand at their home ground. I hope the win will boost morale of our players and they will maintain the performance,” he remarked.

Miandad added that during the camp, he helped the players to identify the grey areas and overcome their weaknesses.

“But Pakistan must focus on the next match and should not relax as winning the series is very important for them.”

Spot-fixing tribunal member says cricket's image must be 'very clean'

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.

Selectors to finalise ODI squad on Wednesday

: The national selection committee will meet here on Wednesday to finalise a 15-member national squad for the upcoming six-match One-day International series against New Zealand.

Along with the announcement, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is to name the captain for the ODI series starting in New Zealand from Jan 22.

It is learnt that though the selectors have almost finalised the names for Pakistan’s last ODI assignment before the all-important World Cup, a final discussion in this regard will be held on Wednesday for the squad’s formal announcement after PCB chairman Ijaz Butt’s approval.

The PCB has already sought visas of maximum players, who have the chances to be selected in the team.

Though all-rounder Shahid Afridi led Pakistan in the three-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand last month, he has yet to receive a green signal from the board to continue to lead the team in the one-day series too.

This has raised doubts over his captaincy as the PCB chairman in his last meeting with Afridi cautioned him to bring improvement in his conduct and individual performance on the field.

Meanwhile, sources said though veteran middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf has been included in the list of 30 probables for the World Cup, his selection for the New Zealand ODIs seems very much unlikely.

Sources added since the PCB has no information about Yousuf’s recent form and physical fitness, picking him for the said series will be a risk. And if Yousuf fails to find a place in the team for the New Zealand ODIs his chances to be included in the World Cup squad will be bleak.

As the PCB has decided to retain, for the World Cup, almost the same team which will be selected for the series against the Kiwis, adjusting Yousuf in the team for the 2011 extravaganza (if he is not chosen for the New Zealand games) will be tough for the selectors, sources said further.

Dream come true for Imran Tahir

Imran Tahir's is an extraordinary story — it's the story of a cricket nomad from Pakistan who came to South Africa in 2006 to marry the woman he loved and stayed to earn a call-up to the World Cup squad as a leg-spinner.

“It's a very big honour for me, it's the only dream I've had,” said the 31-year-old Tahir, who on Monday was added to South Africa's preliminary World Cup squad, making him almost a certainty to be picked for the tournament in the sub-continent.

“It's every cricketer's dream to play in the World Cup,” he added.

“If I am in the top 30, I am very pleased. Hopefully, I get picked and I will give my 100 per cent for the country.”

Tahir, who was first called up over a year ago against England and then withdrawn because of uncertainty over his eligibility, has been a consistent first class performer.

He has 547 wickets at an average of 24.93, having represented the Dolphins, the Titans, and the Easterns in South Africa, and Hampshire, Middlesex, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire in English county cricket. His first team was Lahore.

Tahir' s recent form — 42 wickets in five first class games and 15 wickets in the 40-over competition at an average of 17 — has encouraged South Africa to pick him as soon as he became eligible. He will have the opportunity to prove his ability at the international level in the five-match series against India.

“It's always tough for a spinner to bowl against India,” said Tahir, who once had a master-class with Shane Warne in Hampshire.

“I've got nothing to lose. I've been bowling well the whole season. If I put in good energy and take it with me, when I get the opportunity, hopefully I can do well. I have always been an attacking bowler. I am more than happy to go for a few runs and get a few wickets.”

Both South Africa and India practised at Kingsmead on Monday. The first ODI is scheduled to be played here on Wednesday.

Zaheer wants Misbah as ODI skipper

 Former Pakistan skipper and stylish batsman Zaheer Abbas is impressed with captaincy skill of newly-appointed test skipper of Pakistan cricket team Misbah-ul-Haq and has said that he should be given captaincy in one day internationals as well.

Pakistan cricket team have played well under the captaincy of Misbah in the last three test matches where two test matches ended in a draw against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and they won the first test match against New Zealand on Sunday by 10 wickets.

Pakistan known to be the weaker team in test format of the cricket and to draw a series against current world number two team in the ICC test rankings is itself some achievement.

Misbah impressed everyone with his captaincy during the three test matches and also made important contributions with the bat in all the three test matches.

Asian Bradman Zaheer Abbas was also impressed with captaincy of Misbah and said, “The way Misbah is captaining the Pakistan team in test matches; Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should appoint him as captain for ODI series against New Zealand and also in ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.”

“His own performance with the bat is also very impressive which adds to the team confidence,” Zaheer added.

PCB is due to announce one day squad for six-match ODI series against Black Caps and final squad for World Cup and the way Misbah is performing, there are chances that PCB may appoint him as ODI skipper.