Police investigation will focus on currency notes Spot-fixing controversy

Spot-fixing controversy

Police investigation will focus on currency notes

Investigators will focus on the currency notes handed over by the News Of The World (NOTW) to Mazhar Majeed as they look for evidence of spot fixing in the Lord's Test involving Pakistani cricketers. Majeed was arrested by Scotland Yard on Saturday night and the investigators will try and determine if the currency notes bear resemblance to those found in the hotel rooms of several Pakistani players.

The NOTW claimed Majeed was paid £150,000 to arrange a fix involving Pakistan's new-ball bowlers, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, whom he allegedly asked to bowl no-balls at specific moments of the match. It also alleged that Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal, the captain and vice-captain respectively, were the kingpins in the deal, which involved a total of seven players.

Butt sidestepped the issue at the post-match press conference on Sunday, saying investigations were on. However, a source familiar with such investigations said he would be hard pressed to explain the currency notes allegedly found in his hotel room if they matched those given to Majeed by NOTW.

"If the notes are the same it would be something serious. It would be direct evidence linking him to what has been claimed by [Majeed]," the source said.

The most serious aspect of the issue, the source said, was Butt's alleged involvement, and Majeed's claim that he knew Butt's bowling plan. "The fact that specific overs are to be bowled by specific bowlers and that they get to bowl those overs…then the specific ball as suggested is the kind of ball they offered are issues that raise considerable concern ," the source said.

What will follow now, the source said, is intensive interrogation by Scotland Yard. "I don't think they will make an arrest unless they have some very credible evidence linking the player(s) to this," he said.

The United Kingdom has a specific law under the Gambling Act that criminalises any offence involving cheating in sport and brings such cases immediately under police jurisdiction.

Butt was handed the Test captaincy in a crisis situation in July after Shahid Afridi's sudden retirement from the five-day game following the Lord's Test against Australia. Butt immediately led Pakistan to a thrilling victory over Australia at Headingley, their first in 15 years. A week ago at The Oval, he was once again victorious when Pakistan beat England in another close finish. The weekend's developments, however, have cast a cloud over those achievements.

Spot-fixing controversy Nervous Butt faces the media

Spot-fixing controversy

Nervous Butt faces the media

Salman Butt was seen saying his prayers as he walked from the Pavilion to the media conference in the Thomas Lord Suite. It was the first time the fans had been able to see him at close quarters on a black day for him and his team. With blood-shot eyes and unshaven, Butt was clearly restless and nervous. He was flanked on either side by Yawar Saeed (senior manager) and Shafqat Rana (associate manager) along with the ICC media manager and the team's security officer. Usually a fluent speaker, Butt stuttered and failed to build clear sentences at various times during a 12-minute-long media session, with most of the questions intended for him being intercepted by the manager Yawar. The following is the transcript of the media session.

How serious are the allegations?
Yawar Saeed Allegations are only one thing. They are all serious - small or big. There is nothing that I can say about them as far as these allegations are concerned.

What was the feeling in the Pakistan dressing room coming into today's game with all these allegations going on?
Saeed Obviously we are not delighted about it. We are sad. It was a very sober feeling the dressing room.

Salman, are these allegations true? The evidence looks pretty damning in the paper this morning
Saeed No allegations are true till they proved either way. So at this point of time they are just allegations.

Salman, are you going to resign as Test captain in the wake of these allegations?
Salman Butt Why? Pakistan won a Test match against Australia after 15 years and against England after nine years, so does that make me resign from this current situation?

But what about after the serious allegations?
Saeed I don't think you should ask [him] to resign [based] on allegations. Let us wait till the case is completed.

The team surrendered quite meekly this morning as wickets fell quickly. Was that because of what happened in the morning and was that playing on their minds?
Butt We didn't play good cricket. England played a lot better cricket in this game. The point is you can't connect what happened in the morning's display because even yesterday the team collapsed for 74 runs. So today was a bit better than that. The guys tried their best but it was just England's game. They played the better game.

Yawar, did you ask Salman if the allegations are true. And in view of these allegations will the ODI series take place?
Saeed As far as I'm concerned the one-day series is on. We are moving to the West Country after [Tuesday] and will play the one-dayers and the T20s. As far as the allegations are concerned I would still call them allegations, as it is not really for me within 24 hours to pass a judgment whether they are true or not.

Why can't Salman say whether are the allegations are true or not?
Butt These are just allegations and anybody can stand out and say anything, it doesn't mean they are true. They include quite a few people and they are still ongoing. We'll see what happens.

The allegations involving you - are they true or false?
Butt I haven't heard any allegation except someone just taking my name. There is nothing that I've seen or shown on TV, nothing that involves me.

Yawar, have you spoken to the PCB today? Have they asked you for a report?
Saeed As a manager whether they ask or not I will give my report. I have not been speaking to them today because we came to the ground. Now the Test match is over. The series is over. Now I shall certainly talk to them.

And how quickly have they asked you for a report?
Saeed The chairman of PCB is in town. I will be seeing him his afternoon and giving him my report.

Salman, can you reassure the Pakistan fans that you have given 100% effort at every moment in this Test series?
Butt Definitely we have given our best that we could do on the days. We've tried our best. It has just been the conditions have been difficult for the batsmen. Remember that this has been a very inexperienced team, especially the batting which has been the main thing has not matched expectations. We all expected that [to happen] as I've been saying in all my press conferences, that the guys are young with the least experience, and in these difficult conditions they might struggle.

Did the bowlers give 100% every ball of this Test series?
Butt I will say every person in my team has given his 100% and has given all the efforts he could, but not every time you go out do you achieve what you want to. All you can do is try, and the rest is beyond your control.

You seem tired and weary and seem to have had a sleepless night?
Butt Obviously when some allegations are thrown at you, how can you have satisfaction? Because it is an allegation levelled against you, so unless and until it becomes clear in black and white, until then it is never easy.

Mohammad Amir, just 18, won the Man-of-the-Series award for Pakistan. Is he upset by the allegations?
Saeed Mohammad Amir is a bowler who has done well so far in his career all over the world. Certainly he is a little disappointed because his name has come through but we and he will wait until the investigations are over. If he comes through clean there is nothing better than that.

If he doesn't come through clean, what then?
Saeed Then let's wait until that time comes.

Why did the Pakistanis not come out to practise in the morning?
Saeed It is a good question. We did not have even a cup of coffee in the morning. But we did not warm up because I was talking to the team. A lot had happened overnight and it was my duty to talk to them, get them focussed back into the match. There is no other reason.

The newspaper report that makes these allegations describes you as the ring leader. Can you confirm that? Also can you confirm whether or not the police searched your room?
Saeed I have read it too in the press. As far as the Scotland Yard investigations are concerned I would not like to say anything more until we go along with it because it is not right for us to make the allegations. As for the room search, I said this last night, too, the Scotland Yard officers came. They interviewed, they came to my room as well. They went to his [Butt's] room and two other rooms and they were there for about two to three hours. After that I asked if there is anything we can do, they said no. "We are doing our investigations," they said. "There is nothing more for you people to do".

Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at Cricinfo

Salman Butt will be part of the Pakistan squad travelling to Taunton on Monday © PA Photos

Salman Butt will be part of the Pakistan squad travelling to Taunton on Monday © PA Photos

Spot-fixing controversy Mazhar Majeed released on bail

Spot-fixing controversy

Mazhar Majeed released on bail

Mazhar Majeed, the man at the centre of the Pakistan team's spot-fixing scandal, was released on bail by Scotland Yard on Monday, but will have to appear before the police at a later date. The police force refused to discuss the bail conditions or details of their investigative interviews with Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, whose mobile phones they had confiscated.

"He is obliged to return for further questioning at a specified date," a Scotland Yard spokesman told Cricinfo. However, he refused to confirm what date that would be.

Majeed had been arrested on Saturday, following the expose that claimed he was paid £150,000 to arrange a fix with the Pakistan team. He was caught on camera by the News of the World claiming to have bribed Pakistan's bowlers to bowl no-balls at previously agreed moments during the Lord's Test.

A Pakistan team official confirmed to Cricinfo that the whole squad would be leaving London on Monday to travel to Taunton - a day earlier than scheduled after the four-day finish to the final Test - to prepare for the limited-overs matches. They are due to play a warm-up match against Somerset on Thursday before travelling to Cardiff for the first of two Twenty20 internationals on September 5.

Richard Gould, the Somerset chief executive, said the county was preparing as normal for the team's arrival. "We are expecting them in the next 12-24 hours," he told Cricinfo. "They are due to train on Wednesday, but if they need anything before then they'll have the use of the indoor school and gym. We hope to give them the best chance to prepare for the one-day series."

Gould added that the club would be implementing the security plans they used during the World Twenty20 last year when Taunton hosted the women's group matches, but that wasn't a response to events of the last 24 hours.

"We aren't looking at increasing the security presence," he said. "We had already decided to implement the plans from last year because it was a high-profile side visiting and the model we used at the World Twenty20 was drawn up to cater for such events."

There are a number of fresh faces joining up with the squad for the one-day leg of the tour, including Shahid Afridi who returns as captain in place of Salman Butt having given up the leadership following the first Test against Australia, at Lord's, in July. Six players who aren't involved are returning to Pakistan with Imran Farhat, Raza Hasan, Shoaib Malik, Tanvir Ahmed, Umar Amin and Yasir Hameed not included for the Twenty20 and ODIs.

Sharad Pawar, the ICC president, said the game's governing body would wait for the police report on the issue before deciding on a course of action. "Until and unless the process of investigation is over, it is improper for me to react," Pawar said on Monday. "We have discussed it within the ICC and have decided to wait for the police's investigation report. After that we have to take a viewpoint of the two boards."

Pawar is scheduled to hold a conference call with other board chiefs later on Monday.

Many boards have already reacted, some of them airing concerns over the fate of planned series against Pakistan. New Zealand Cricket appealed for a swift resolution to the issue to avoid any fallout on Pakistan's year-end tour of the country . "Justice needs to be done, but also swiftly to stop this dragging on," New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan told TV3 News. "It's very important that we have their best team and that we prepare as well as possible for the World Cup which immediately follows the tour."

Pakistan will play three Twenty20 matches, two Tests and six one-day internationals against New Zealand between December 26 and early February.

The BCCI said the matter was for the PCB and ICC to handle. "The BCCI has got nothing to do with it," its media and finance committee chairman Rajiv Shukla said. "Even if some Indian bookies are involved, the Indian police will look into the matter."

Yawar Saeed, the touring side's manager denied that the allegations proved that Pakistan cricket was institutionally corrupt. "I would not like to say that. Yes, one has heard and one has read [the allegations], but I would not like to go that far," said Saeed, insisting that the tour itinerary would continue as planned.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd

Mazhar Majeed takes £10,000 down payment for spot fixing at Lords

Match-fixing scam: Who Is Mazhar Majeed?

New Delhi:  So who is the man at the centre of allegations of the latest spot betting scandal, with such great contacts in the Pakistan team and able to literally get them dancing to his tune. Here is all about the bookie who triggered the spot fixing controversy in the Pakistan cricket camp.

Mazhar is a 35-year-old property tycoon, who also owns Croydon Athletic Football Club. 

He also told the News Of The World reporter how he launders match-fixing money through the football club. "The only reason I bought a football club is to do that," he said. 

He lives in a £1.8 million home in Croydon, with his wife and two daughters. He and owns a Range Rover, a black Jaguar and VW Golf and an Aston Martin

coutesy

NDTV Correspondent, Updated: August 29, 2010 22:38 IST

Mazhar Majeed

Mazhar and players on ACSU lists

Mon, 30 Aug 08:46:28 2010

Less than a day after the News of the World sent Pakistan cricket heading towards another crisis more skeletons were tumbling out of the closet as it emerged that "several" of Pakistan's players have been monitored by the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) for some time.

Cricinfo understands that Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal are part of a group of players the watchdog has been keeping a close eye on.

Added to this, influential sources close to the Pakistan team have said Mazhar Majeed, the man at the centre of the spot-fixing scandal that erupted at Lord's, has also been on the ACSU watchlist but investigations were hindered because he is an agent.

"He has been under the scanner for some time.

But he is the commercial agent to various players," said the source.

"They are their official player agents who are doing all these endorsements.

In that case nobody can question their presence." And the source added: "There are a number of Pakistan players that have been under the ACSU scanner for a while now." He pointed out that the exercise was not only a reaction to Pakistan's ignominious tour of Australia earlier this year where they lost every match, including the controversial second Test at Sydney.

At one stage Australia were just 49 ahead with only two wickets in hand, but managed to extend their advantage to 176.

Pakistan then floundered badly and raised more than a few eyebrows by the manner in which they folded.

Kamran had also managed to drop four catches along with a missed run-out opportunity during Australia's second innings, and during the post-tour inquiry committee set up by the PCB Inthikab Alam and Aaqib Javed, the head coach and the assistant coach on the tour, raised doubts over Kamran's gloverwork.

That lead to suspicions of match-fixing and Lord Paul Condon, the former head of the ACSU, said that series was being investigated.

"We are satisfied that that was a totally dysfunctional tour from a Pakistani point of view, and that dysfunctionality in the dressing room led to players not performing well, and maybe making them potentially underperform deliberately," Condon told Cricinfo before he retired.

"What we still need to establish is whether that was because rival camps wanted to do down captains or potential captains, or whether it was something more serious, doing it for a financial fix." As disclosed by the NOTW, Majeed allegedly said that Sydney was the last instance where he was involved in fixing a match.

"Let me tell you the last Test we did.

It was the second Test against Australia in Sydney," he told the undercover reporter.

"Australia had two more wickets left.

They had a lead of 10 runs, yeah.

And Pakistan had all their wickets remaining.

The odds for Pakistan to lose that match, for Australia to win that match, were I think 40 to 1.

"We let them get up to 150 then everyone lost their wickets," Majeed revealed.

''That one we made £1.3 [million].

But that's what I mean, you can get up to a million.

Tests is where the biggest money is because those situations arise.''