23 Dec 2010

ICC rejects Butt's plea to delay hearing

12:06 pm on 23 December 2010

Cricket authorities have rejected a plea by Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt to delay a hearing scheduled for next month into a spot-fixing scandal which rocked the sport.

The International Cricket Council's anti-corruption tribunal made the decision in a teleconference held by code of conduct commissioner Michael Beloff QC, after the suspended Salman had asked for time to deal with another possible criminal case.

Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, two other players suspended when the scandal broke, had not backed the postponement of the January 6th to 11th hearing in Qatar which will determine whether the three players are banned or exonerated.

The trio were provisionally suspended by the ICC on charges of spot-fixing during Pakistan's Lord's Test against England in August -- a charge which carries a maximum life ban, and a minimum of five years, under the ICC code of conduct.

British tabloid the News of the World claimed several Pakistani players, including the suspended trio, were given money to take instructions during the Lord's Test from alleged bookmaker Mazhar Majeed.

Salman and Aamer had their appeals against the suspensions rejected in October. Asif withdrew his appeal before initially deciding to challenge the sanction.