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Agent Held Over Cricket Test 'Betting Scam'
1:43pm UK, Sunday August 29, 2010
Tom Parmenter, Sky News correspondent
A cricket agent has been arrested after allegedly being caught offering to fix part of England's latest Test match against Pakistan. Mazhar Majeed, 35, allegedly offered to bribe certain Pakistani bowlers to manipulate the game, according to the News of the World (NOTW).
Secret filming appears to show Majeed counting out £150,000 given to him by the newspaper in a London hotel the night before the fourth Test at Lord's.
He then allegedly offers to ask certain bowlers to make sure they bowl 'no-balls' at specific points in the match.
Posing as businessmen from the Far East, investigators allegedly from the paper told Majeed that they were planning to bet on when no-balls occurred.
The paper claims three no-balls were delivered to order by bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif during the Test match exactly as described in the video footage.
A 'no-ball' is an illegal delivery where a bowler's foot crosses the line. A run is awarded to the opposing team and another ball must be bowled.



Mohammad Amir throws a no-ball (Pic: Sky Sports)

Betting on when 'no balls' happen in cricket, or how many are made, is a form of gambling called spot-betting.
It refers to betting on certain events taking place in a game, rather than the result.
Amir and Asif as well as Pakistan's captain Salman Butt and wicket keeper Kamran Akmal were questioned by officers from Scotland Yard, team manager Yawar Saeed confirmed.
It is thought they were spoken to by detectives at the team's London hotel.
Bags were also seen being taken away from the premises - it is not clear what the bags contained.
Majeed was arrested in Surrey. His brother and business partner said the allegations were "just rubbish" and "laughable".
Azhar Majeed confirmed his sibling was detained by police in relation to the newspaper's sting.


Mazhar Majeed (pictured left) and Pakistan captain Salman Butt



Mr Saeed told the international cricket website Cricinfo that Mazhar and Azhar Majeed 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."
Mazhar Majeed's arrest took the shine off England's performance as they won the match on day four by an innings and 225 runs. It was Pakistan's heaviest test defeat.



The News of The World front page



On the previous day, the home side took 14 Pakistan wickets to leave them well-placed for victory. The hosts claimed the test series 3-1, and Amir was named Pakistan's man of the series.
Former England fast bowler Angus Fraser told Sky News: "Everyone with a deep love or interest for the game will be absolutely appalled by these allegations."
He added: "Cricket has got to get a grip, a sport cannot afford to be surrounded by such a controversy."
Michael Vaughan, former England cricket captain, wrote on social networking site twitter: "Anger is my thoughts at the moment.
"I don't see how they can get out of this one ... it's just a great shame why this has to happen. Very sad."



Pakistan players on their bus as it headed to Lord's


The NOTW's managing editor Bill Akass told Sky News: "Earlier this month, we received very compelling evidence that an individual, Majeed, was involved in fixing matches.
"We set out to infiltrate his network and that investigation was led by our investigations editor Mazher Mahmood."
Mr Akass alleged: "(Mr Mahmood) was successful in persuading Majeed to accept him into his network and to give us information that would prove he could, indeed, rig matches."
The investigation has been passed to the police who in turn have alerted the International Cricket Council (ICC), the game's ruling body.
Scotland Yard said: "Following information received from the News of the World, we have... arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers."
The ICC, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said: "No players nor team officials have been arrested in relation to this incident."

The Pakistani side has been dogged by match fixing allegations since the 1990s.
In May, this year, the ICC's anti-corruption unit looked at the team's poor performance after being heavily beaten by Australia during a tour of the country.
The Pakistani cricket board banned former captain Younus Khan and tour captain Mohammad Yousuf for an indefinite period.
Former captain Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved ul Hasan were banned for one year and fined heavily.
Last year, a committee of Pakistan's parliament summoned senior figures from the team to discuss allegations that they deliberately lost a Champions Trophy match to prevent India from reaching the semi-finals.
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Very big news over here.
Big blow for cricket, aparantly
Link here

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