Spot-fixing: Tainted Pak trio seek legal help for filing reply to ICC

Lahore, Sep 26 (ANI): Pakistan's tainted trio, Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, have consulted their lawyers for filing a reply to the notice sent to them by the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding spot-fixing allegations.

The trio, who were interrogated by the Scotland Yard before returning to Pakistan in the middle of the England tour, were given a 14-day notice to respond to the charges levelled against them, but later got a time extension from the ICC, the Daily Times reported.

"Now they are busy preparing their detailed reply to the notices sent to them by the ICC as they feel the suspensions on them are not justified," said PCB's legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi.

He noted that once the players sent their individual replies to the ICC, the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit would then convene a preliminary hearing over evidences against the players, to decide if the suspensions were justified.

"If the matter goes beyond the preliminary hearing then it would be heard by the commissioner of the code of conduct commission of the ICC in 40 days time," he added.

According to sources, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt had told his legal team to start pushing for the preliminary hearing so that selectors could be clear on the availability of the three players for upcoming tours and the 2011 World Cup.

" Pakistan is next up against South Africa in the UAE from next month and then tour New Zealand, the selectors want to know which of the players would be available for selection for these tours," the source said.

Butt had instructed the legal team to get the ICC either give a preliminary hearing date or have the suspensions revoked, the source revealed, adding, "The Board is also anxiously waiting for the report of the prosecutor's office on the Scotland Yard investigations into the allegations against the three players. If the prosecutor's office clears them then ICC would also not be in a position to continue the suspension for long."

The three Pakistani players were suspended by the ICC following allegations made by a British tabloid that they had taken money to bowl no-balls during the fourth Test at Lord's. (ANI)