Justice!

[Yorkshire Blue]

Asif and Butt unanimously convicted of conspiring to cheat

 

[number11]

Asif and Butt unanimously convicted of conspiring to cheat

Such a shame that the game is abused in this way. Glad there might finally be some proper punishments. The way people like Azharuddin are still honoured by the game despite being cheats is dispicable.

Couple of questions you may know the answer to.....
1. Why is Amir not facing this trial?
2. How the hell has Kamran Akmal not been implicated in any of this....surely his woeful keeping cannot be down to just incompetance?!! The Pakistan Australia game of early last year has to be one of the most iffy results ever!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I presume Amir has already pleaded guilty, but they couldn't publicise this as it would prejudice Asif and Butt's trial.

From what I've read of the trial, neither Kamran Akmal or Wahab Riaz have any credibility remaining. I would be disappointed if either of them played for Pakistan again, but I'm expecting to be disappointed.

I'm hoping that Butt gets the full 7 years. It's unlikely, but we'd then have the prospect of the ICC (who have only banned him for 5 years, with a further 5 years suspended) clearing him to play whilst he was still in prison for his role in the match-fixing. It would be a beautifully simple statement about the ICC's failings in tackling match-fixing.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

neither Kamran Akmal or Wahab Riaz have any credibility remaining

Riaz played for K*nt last season so he obviously has none :winking:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It's now been confirmed that Amir did indeed plead guilty.

Butt and Asif were found guilty on all charges, namely: conspiracy to cheat (unanimous verdict in both cases) and receiving corrupt payments (both 10-2 majority verdicts). It looks as if it was the receiving corrupt payments charges which held up the final verdicts.

Amir's lost any symapthy he might have had from me by claiming it was only the two no-balls, despite deeply incriminating phone evidence that shows he was up to his neck in it.

I'd have had a lot more respect for the "I'm from a village" and "I was pressured into it" defences if he'd have shopped those pressuring him and had owned up to the full extent of his match-fixing. His phone records are incredibly damning and it sounds as if the trial judge was highly sceptical that this was the limit of his involvement.

"Prosecution evidence, however, suggested that rather than being an innocent, naïve rookie who was taken advantage of, Amir seemed a willing conspirator, with text messages of fixing talk sent to two different Pakistan numbers that were recovered by police."

It looks as if much of that summer's cricket was fixed.

The evidence revealed on Kamran Akmal and Riaz was similarly damning and they must surely be banned by the ICC.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

It's all totally bloody heartbreaking, isn't it? I don't expect my sporting heroes (most of whom are cricketers) to be saints; but I do expect them not to be cheats.

What a sad, sad day. YB - do these offences normally have a custodial tarriff?

 

[canveyshrimper]

It's all totally bloody heartbreaking, isn't it? I don't expect my sporting heroes (most of whom are cricketers) to be saints; but I do expect them not to be cheats.

What a sad, sad day. YB - do these offences normally have a custodial tarriff?

I agree with you Matt. I remember the comment that Richie Benaud made when earlier match fixing allegations were made, he said he'd spent most of his life working out how to win cricket matches, yet these b*stards are working out how to lose them.

 

[Bluesmanager]

Custodial tarrif (assuming you mean "how many years in jail are they looking at?") is 7 years max for one offence and 2 years max for the other, but I can't remember which way round they are, so maximum of the best part of a decade in jail.

The thing that gets my goat is, if we'd have known about the NotW's own antics that summer, how much credence wouls we have given this?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It's a happy day as the cheats have got caught. Well, some of them.

The maximum is 7 years for receiving corrupt payments and 2 years for conspiracy to cheat, but I've no idea of what's normal for a case like this (if there's even been a case like this).

Amir's getting a Newton hearing tomorrow and Thursday, and I suppose his case will depend on that. At a guess, he's probably pleaded guilty in the hope of getting a suspended sentence.

I hope that Asif and Butt being bailed isn't a sign.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Shouldn't be allowed to ever play cricket again, scum!

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Sentencing adjourned until 2pm .. i say the extra time is so they can rig the gallows for a sundown kick off :witch Hunt:

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

all 4 defendants, the 3 players and the agent, are in the dock which has been locked to the outside world for the first time since the trial started* .. al have overnight bags with them and its expected their sentences will be announced shortly and they are almost certainly going to be custodial

* to clarify there are two ways out of the dock, one to freedom which the players have used up to now .. that door is now locked and the only way to go is through the other door and jail

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Pakistan's squad for the ODIs against the Lankans has been announced and there's no Wahab Riaz or Kamran Akmal.

I couldn't think of a more appropriate thread to report this on.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Mazhar Majeed has revealed he received £140,000 in cash in return for the no balls, he passed £2,500 to Amir £10,000 to Butt and £65,000 to Asif .. the rest was his share, some £62,500

 

[MrB]

http://twitter.com/#!/pearcesport

Good way to follow it here.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

http://twitter.com/#!/pearcesport

Good way to follow it here.

Brilliant, thanks

Waiting for SSN to update while they witter on about a load of crap they've mentioned a million times over already is tedium itself

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

this is like a book you can't put down !!!

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

some rather interesting points ...

Pearcesport James Pearce
Majeed says that Sanjay the bookmaker boasted about contacts with other cricketers who weren't playing for Asian nations. Plot widens

Pearcesport James Pearce
Judge says he's sure the press will report this responsibly. Of course we will. Butt's team stand up to deny he received £10,000

.. Re; the £10k .. i wonder whos lying ???

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Try also Cricketer_RDJ

The thing is we all knew it was happening.

Everyone knew the Sydney test was fixed. Everyone knew the Ireland defeat was fixed. We were ostriches with our heads in the sand. We shouldn't be surprised at these revelations as we knew it was happening. We just didn't want to believe them.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

I've always suspected certain results, but unless its England or Essex i don't really follow it that closely

Earlier this summer i saw Ravi score 178 .. within 2 hours David Masters had 8 wickets either bowled, LBW or caught in the slips ... meaning the ball was moving all over or the batsmen weren't trying ??? i'd hate to think that a journeyman pro and a genuinely nice guy like David Masters glorious day in the sun was as some part of an elaborate plot .. it sends shivers through me