Spot-fixing hearing: ‘Salman not involved in conspiracy’

Defence lawyer insists banned cricketer had no knowledge of plan to bowl no-balls.

LONDON: Banned Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt found himself accused of spot-fixing only after a former agent and friend “grossly abused” his trust, heard the court on the ninth day of the spot-fixing hearing.

Prosecutors allege that agent Mazhar Majeed conspired with Salman Butt and fast-bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif to deliver three deliberate no-balls during last August’s Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England, in return for bribes. The two cricketers deny the charges.

Ali Bajwa, defending Butt, said that the former captain only found himself embroiled in the whole saga because of Majeed.

“Butt only finds himself here on trial because of the words of his former friend and agent, Majeed,” he told court.

Bajwa said Butt told the police in an interview that the fact that the no-balls were bowled exactly when Majeed said they would be was a “freakish coincidence”.

“That’s not, and has never been, part of Butt’s defence.” Bajwa told the jury. “I anticipate that everyone in this case will agree that there was at the very least a criminal conspiracy between Majeed and Amir. It’s Butt’s case that he didn’t know of the existence of a conspiracy to bowl no-balls at Lord’s and he would never have allowed himself to become party to it.

“Just consider the evidence. Majeed told [the undercover journalist Mazhar] Mahmood when Amir would bowl his no-balls. Then Majeed calls Amir and said we’ve spoken about everything before. Then the next day Amir duly bowled one of the two no-balls that had been promised. Rain prevented the other.

“On August 26 [the next day] he sent Amir a text saying after you finish your first over, then in your third over. Amir, the next day bowled a no-ball off the third ball of his third over. We concede that there’s strong evidence against Majeed and Amir,” said Bajwa.

But he asked the jury “if you do decide there was a criminal conspiracy to bowl no-balls, was Butt party to that conspiracy? Butt didn’t know of any conspiracy to bowl no-balls at Lord’s.”

Butt cross-examined

The former captain spoke of his pride at being selected for the national side.

“To represent Pakistan was the greatest honour of my life,” he said.

Explaining why police found nine mobile phone sim cards in his hotel room after the scandal broke, Butt said it was cheaper to buy local phone cards when he was on tour overseas.

The cricketer also said he brought about $12,000 in cash with him to England last year with the aim of buying a special edition-watch costing around £8,000.

Butt revealed to the court that he had earned approximately £1.2 million ever since he started playing for Pakistan in 2003. Butt also said that he confronted Majeed about text messages he had sent him to fix elements of a Twenty20 match against South Africa at the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup

The case continues.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2011.