UK charges Pakistan trio with 'spot-fixing'

British prosecutors charged former Pakistan Ttest captain and opening bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir on Friday with taking bribes to fix incidents in the fourth Test against England at Lord’s last year.

The trio are accused of arranging incidents, such as bowling no-balls at pre-agreed times, during the match.

Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said the trio, along with a fourth man, 35-year-old sports agent Mazhar Majeed of Croydon, England, had been charged with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and with conspiracy to cheat.

“These charges relate to allegations that Mr Majeed accepted money from a third party to arrange for the players to bowl ‘no balls’ on 26 and 27 August 2010, during Pakistan’s fourth Test at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London,” said Simon Clements, head of the CPS Special Crime Division.

He said Majeed had been ordered to appear at London’s City of Westminster Magistrates Court on March 17.

“Summonses for the same court date have been issued for the three players and they have been asked to return to this country voluntarily, as they agreed to do in September last year,” Clements said.

“Their extradition will be sought should they fail to return.”

The three players will learn on Saturday if they are facing sporting sanctions when they hear the verdict of an independent anti-corruption tribunal, convened by the International Cricket Council, in Doha.

A three-member anti-corruption tribunal heard the case against the trio last month for more than 45 hours spread over six days, poring over oral and written testimonies, watching video recordings and listening to tapes and forensic submissions.

The cricketers face possible life bans if they are found guilty.

All three have consistently denied wrongdoing.

Obtaining and accepting corrupt payments carries a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment while cheating carries a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, the CPS said.