PCB lawyer says money could have come from sponsorship deals

Pakistan Cricket Board lawyer says money recovered from players' rooms does not make them criminals. Funds could have come from sponsorship deals brokered by agent Mazhar

The lawyer of the three cricketers at the centre of the Pakistani match-fixing scandal said on Saturday that the money recovered from his clients doesn't prove any wrongdoing.



Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif who protest their innocence are battling charges under the International Cricket Council's (ICC) anti-corruption code and have been barred from playing any further matches pending the outcome of their case.

The allegations relate to the fourth and final Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's, which ended last week with an England victory, in which a tabloid newspaper said deliberate no-balls had been bowled.

The News of the World newspaper alleged that it paid Mazhar Majeed, an agent for several Pakistan players, 150,000 pounds (185,000 euros, 230,000 dollars) in return for advance knowledge of the balls, which could then be bet upon.

Reports in British newspapers last week suggested that 50,000 pounds was recovered from Butt by police.

"Majeed is their marketing agent and the money recovered from players could be paid on sponsorship deals and it doesn't prove a crime," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi told AFP from London.

Majeed, an agent for several Pakistan players, was arrested following the News of the World's allegations but later released on police bail.

Rizvi said the PCB was not involved in the appointment of players' agents.

"Players themselves appoint their agents, and once they make a deal they get good money in sponsorship and have regular meetings," said Rizvi.

When asked about text messages exchanged between the players and Majeed, Rizvi said: "This is usual between players and agents." Rizvi said the players, who were released on Friday without charge, had not been arrested.

"The players themselves went to the police station voluntarily and will always be available for interrogation as and when required," he said.

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