ICC hearing on spot-fixing allegations in 40 days

-Players file responses

KARACHI, (Reuters) – The International Cricket  Council (ICC) will convene a preliminary hearing into allegations of spot fixing against three Pakistani players in 40 days time, the legal adviser to the country’s cricket board said yesterday.

Tafazzul Rizvi told Reuters that the players, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, had exercised their right to a  preliminary hearing against their suspension over the scandal and filed responses.

The players had asked for a hearing to hear their point of  view, Rizvi said. “The ICC will now convene a hearing in 40 days  time.”

The three players were suspended on Sept 4 by the ICC for  their alleged involvement in spot-fixing during the fourth test  against England at Lords.

Team manager Yawar Saeed said earlier English police had  delayed until Wednesday the questioning of a fourth player, fast  bowler Wahab Riaz, over the scandal.

Riaz was originally summoned by Scotland Yard for Tuesday  but Saeed told Geo super channel the questioning had been  delayed by one day.   “Wahab will be going on Wednesday as there was some prior  commitment he had to deal with first,” Saeed said, without  elaborating.

Riaz, 25, a left-armer, claimed five wickets on his debut in  the third test against England and was a member of Pakistan’s  squad for the five-match one-day series, but he did not play in  the first two.

London police have already interviewed test captain Butt and  pace bowlers Amir and Asif, who were suspended by the ICC over  allegations they were involved in fixing incidents, such as  no-balls, in a betting scam during the test series.

The trio have returned to Pakistan but on the condition they  would be available for police questioning when required.

Rizvi said the tour selection committee took the decision  not to select Riaz for the one day matches, denying it was a  result of ICC or Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pressure.

“He is available for selection as any other player in the  touring squad,” Rizvi said.

England won the test series 3-1 and are 2-0 up in the  one-day matches.