Spot fixing

HonalD

Interesting end to the case today. Any comments?

Dozen Wicked Words

A great shame, but once the news came out that Amir had pleaded guilty, it looks like the right verdict was reached.

I just hope Mohammad Amir gets a much reduced sentence, maybe even avoiding jail for having the common sense and courage to admit his guilt while the other two tried to weasel their way out of it, disgustingly.

Amir is young enough to have a career at the end of the ICC ban, I think and hope that Butt and Asif are finished.

Maximum sentence is 7 years, I would expect 2 or 3 years max for Butt/Asif, 18 months/suspended for Amir (complete guess!)

brucechan

http://www.whinge.ie/whinging/cricket/cheating/#p361

Dozen Wicked Words

Whats your take on it HonalD, do tell.

brucechan

a cheat is a cheat. if theyre caught, boot 'em out!

HonalD

I'm not surprised by verdicts myself. The no balls were huge - I understand that at the time the umpires spoke about at least one of the no balls. They surmised that it was a ploy to change the lengths of deliveries but were a long way over crease.

From a sporting point of view, if your captain is involved with spot fixing, the team has to suffer. I think Pakistan collapsed a few times in the tests and didn't make 100 in at least one innings but also won one test.

I acknowledge that Amir is potentially a great player but as mentioned above, a cheat is not just for Christmas - it's for life. I'd prefer for lifetime bans otherwise it would condone the actions.

Dozen Wicked Words

HonalD wrote: »

I acknowledge that Amir is potentially a great player but as mentioned above, a cheat is not just for Christmas - it's for life. I'd prefer for lifetime bans otherwise it would condone the actions.

Yeah true enough, regardless of cricket sanctions, and you may well be right, legally he should definitely expect a lighter sentence.

Rjd2

Kamran Akmal will be very nervous...



The ICC will consider new corruption investigations into Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz in light of the spot fixing trial in London.

Alan Peacock, an ACSU senior investigator, is liaising with Scotland Yard officers to gather all the files from their investigation and the criminal trial.

They will be reviewed by anti-corruption chiefs to see whether any new evidence has come to light which warrants a formal inquiry into Akmal, Riaz and other players allegedly linked to the racket.

However The Cricketer can reveal that potentially critical files were lost after police failed to search the offices of Mazhar Majeed, the agent at the centre of the conspiracy.

The court heard that Majeed fobbed off police officers when they arrested him by claiming he did not have the keys to his office in Croydon, south London, because it was being renovated. Majeed then secretly organized for confidential files to be removed from the office and destroyed, it is believed, including a filing cabinet of accounts and documents marked “Pakistan team”. The material could have been crucial in following the money trial of the fixing racket.

Majeed told an undercover journalist there were seven players he “controlled” – Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, Kamran and Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz and Imran Farhat.

The prosecution at the spot-fixing trial said that Kamran Akmal had “led a charmed life” and added that he and bowler Riaz had “deeply, deeply suspicious” links to the alleged corruption racket.

Akmal’s name was mentioned on almost every day at the trial as one of the cricketers closest to Majeed and Butt. Majeed named him several times to the journalist conducting the sting by posing as a corrupt Indian businessman.

At one meeting the agent said: “The three boys who are very very clever at this are Salman, Kamran and Asif.”

On another occasion, when discussing a fixed maiden over, he added: “If you want I’ll even call Kamran Akmal and tell him to do something as well. “

The wicketkeeper became the focus of rumour and an investigation after Pakistan’s disastrous tour of Australia in 2009/10.

At the New Year Test in Sydney, Pakistan lost from a commanding position. Akmal dropped Michael Hussey three times off the bowling of Danish Kaneria, and also missed a straightforward run-out opportunity. As a result, Hussey and Peter Siddle added an unlikely 123 for the ninth wicket in Australia’s second innings. Pakistan then collapsed to 139 all out, chasing 176 to win.

Majeed told the undercover journalist: “That one we made $1.3 million”.

An ICC investigation claimed that it was a “dysfunctional” Pakistan tour, but found no evidence of any “financial fix”.

Ironically, after the Australia tour, Majeed was texted by an unidentified friend saying: “Pls be careful if you are dealing with any financial matter with Kami. I am sure you are aware he and one other player is very much into match fixing allegations”.

Akmal has not played a Test since Lord’s last year and was dropped from one day squads recently, then had his central contract terminated.

However his brother Umar Akmal, Riaz and Farhat are all still part of the Pakistan squad.

After the News of the World expose, which included a photograph of Butt and Akmal driving Majeed’s Aston Martin convertible, police took the decision to narrow their investigation to solely prove the case of the no balls being bowled at Lord’s, a source said. Although Akmal was questioned, he was not deemed part of that conspiracy.

Riaz, meanwhile, was pictured wearing Majeed’s jacket, which had a £10,000 bung in an inside pocket relating to a failed attempt to fix the Oval Test match. Again he was questioned but not charged.

In his closing speech, Aftab Jafferjee, prosecuting, said: “The role of Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz raises deep, deep suspicions.” But the prosecution could not have presented a case “beyond reasonable doubt”, as is required to prove them guilty in court, he added.



http://blog.thecricketer.com/?p=33479

Dozen Wicked Words

Sentencing taking a while, Majeed the agent also pleaded guilty pretrial and his lawyer has said he expects jail.

Majeed has said he gave £77500 of News of World money to players. Amir got 2500. Butt got £10,000. Asif got £65,000


Edit: According to court tweets, sentencing may not even be until tomorrow.

Dozen Wicked Words

Amir's lawyer: "The world of Pakistani cricket had plainly become corrupted"

No shit sherlock.

Corsendonk

dooferoaks wrote: »

Amir's lawyer: "The world of Pakistani cricket had plainly become corrupted"

No shit sherlock.

Was that 20 years ago?

Genuinely sorry for Amir, from what I read he seems to come from a piss poor family compared to the others and you notice he got the lowest payout too.

Gordon Gecko

Hopefully Butt/Asif grasses up some of the other cheats from that Pakistan team in return for a lighter sentence.

TrueDub

Butt: 15 months
Asif: 12 months
Amir: 6 months
Agent: 2 years & 8 months

Fair enough I say.

Dozen Wicked Words

TrueDub wrote: »

Butt: 15 months
Asif: 12 months
Amir: 6 months
Agent: 2 years & 8 months

Fair enough I say.

Butt got 2 and a half, although as you say he will only do 15 months. Presumably the others will do less than their sentences too. They have appealed, Judge has said not out.

HonalD

Two things remain curious. Akmal when playing in Australia in one test match was extremely suspicious, I think he dropped hussey a couple of times and remember him making a huge deal out of a missed run out.
Second thing is if Amir got 2,500 why did he do it? I know he's young and could be manipulated but it seems a very low cut to me.

Corsendonk

HonalD wrote: »

Two things remain curious. Akmal when playing in Australia in one test match was extremely suspicious, I think he dropped hussey a couple of times and remember him making a huge deal out of a missed run out.
Second thing is if Amir got 2,500 why did he do it? I know he's young and could be manipulated but it seems a very low cut to me.

From what I remember of one of the Pakistan commentators saying before the whole betting scandal broke Amir comes from a very poor background. It seems cricket in Pakistan is full of class levels with very few players making it through the ranks from Amir background so 2,500 is a hell of alot of money for his family.

The Guardian is reporting that Butt has spent all his legit cricket earnings of £1million on his defence so now bankrupt. I wonder how much side earnings he has hidden away.

dfx-

HonalD wrote: »

Interesting end to the case today. Any comments?

I still remember watching the Sydney test between Australia and Pakistan and still am aggrieved over Pakistan's performance. I don't think Aamer was playing in that game..but Kamran Akmal was and his performance on the 4th day was truly appalling.

But the fifth day and setting back the field to Hussey and Bollinger...Yousuf, what the hell? And then the collapse..still bitter about that from that squad:D

Zatman

Dont think Akmal is corrupt he is just a really **** wicketkeeper