Cricket: PCB to review evidence in Kaneria case

The 32-year-old Kaneria was last year banned for life by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for spot fixing.

LAHORE: Pakistan cricket officials agreed Tuesday to review evidence provided by former captain Rashid Latif in his bid to help banned spinner Danish Kaneria.

The 32-year-old Kaneria, Pakistan's most successful spinner with 261 Test wickets, was last year banned for life by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for spot fixing.

Kaneria was named as the middle man in a fixing deal between his Essex team-mate Marvyn Westfiled and alleged Indian bookie Anu Bhatt during a 2009 county match.

Latif, a well-known campaigner against corruption in cricket, is backing Kaneria's fight to overturn the ban and has handed information to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Latif had irked officials by saying that Bhatt had been a PCB guest on some tours and during 2005 and 2006 home series. The PCB rubbished the claim and sought an apology from Latif.

The Board said Tuesday that its officials had met Latif and would review the evidence provided by him.

"During the meeting Latif submitted certain material pertaining to Kaneria's case, which shall be reviewed in detail by the PCB and in case the need arises another meeting will be scheduled in the near future," it said in a statement.

Kaneria has had two appeals against the ban and a third looking to reduce the ban rejected earlier this year.

Last month he filed another appeal in a London commercial court and vowed to carry on his fight.

Latif has accused the ECB of making Kaneria a scapegoat to save county cricket.

Pakistan is the country worst hit by allegations of match fixing. It was forced to ban former captain Salim Malik and paceman Ata-ur Rehman after a judicial inquiry in 2000.

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer are also serving five-year bans in connection with a 2010 spot-fixing case.