Riaz to face questioning over scandal

LAHORE: Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz will stay in Britain to be interviewed by police over the alleged spot-fixing scandal, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt said on Thursday.

"We have arranged for his interview as we will continue to cooperate and we want to get to the bottom of the matter," Butt told a press conference.

The News of the World tabloid published a video report showing Riaz taking a jacket from bookmaker Mazhar Majeed -- the alleged middleman in the spot-fixing scam -- which had £10,000 ($15,400) in it. Three other players under investigation in Britain over the matter can return home as no charges had been brought against them, Butt said.

Pakistan Test team captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif have been interrogated by police over claims that they took money to deliberately bowl no-balls against England at Lord's last month.

The newspaper reported it had paid £150,000 for advance knowledge of no-balls to be bowled by Pakistan in the Test, which could then be bet upon.

"Since the players have not been charged we have informed Scotland Yard that they will be travelling back to Pakistan within the next few days," Butt said.

Butt, who has been derided as an incompetent PCB chief by cricket fans in Pakistan, returned home to an angry reception at Lahore airport on Wednesday, with protestors chanting slogans against him. Butt said a British police raid on the team's London hotel should not have taken place without the PCB's knowledge and that money recovered from the accused did not prove their guilt.

"(Salman) Butt got some cash for inaugurating an ice cream parlour and Aamer had £1,500 ($2,300) with him, so that was not incriminating evidence," he said.

A report in the Guardian, quoted Butt as saying that he believed the players would be cleared. "I personally feel that if the police had anything there they would have arrested them. They have not arrested them. We have now told them the boys should be able to come to Pakistan."

The Guardian further reports that Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed, who is preparing his team for the one-day series against England, was unaware of Riaz's appointment with Scotland Yard.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has provisionally suspended captain Butt and bowlers Aamer and Asif for violating a players' code of conduct over the corruption claims.