ICC hints at lesser penalty for Amir as Pakistan trio prepare separate defences

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

EXCLUSIVE: THE APPEALS

THE three Pakistani players accused of fixing are all expected to make separate defences in their hearings, with teenage paceman Mohammad Amir set to draw the lowest charge and have the option of returning to cricket if he is found guilty.

The moment the International Cricket Council had waited for since suspending Amir, Pakistani Test captain Salman Butt and quick Mohammad Asif came on Wednesday when Butt appealed against his suspension. The other two have also lodged appeals since. Now the ICC can pull together all the evidence it has on the trio, and present it at the hearings. It's understood the three players have hired different legal teams, suggesting they will argue separate cases. It is the first sign that the alleged clique is unravelling.

Already reports have emerged of a teary Amir confessing to team management and laying the blame squarely on Butt, who is expected to be charged with the worst offence and faces a life ban if the allegations are proven.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said that without the players' appeals, his organisation had no way of exposing the brief of evidence compiled by anti-corruption officers. Now there will be a wait to set hearing dates, which can only happen once police have also finalised criminal investigations, in order not to prejudice their work. Lorgat told The Sun-Herald that the players would likely be treated different, as skipper Butt would have far more influence than 18-year-old Amir. ''Once we present the charges we will be asking for proportionate sanctions,'' Lorgat said.

''There is still some work to be done, on exactly [what penalties are appropriate] for bowling a no-ball, and instructing a no-ball. We said to Butt we have got evidence upon which we said we're charging you because we want to protect the integrity of the game. We believe there is a very strong case which justified our actions [to suspend him], and there is nothing we can do until he appeals.''

Asif is likely to fall into the more serious charge category given his long list of previous indiscretions and his experience.

Many have argued that Amir should be allowed to return to the game if he is found guilty because of his naivety and youth. He is reportedly set to turn on his captain, the alleged team ringleader who co-ordinated spot-fixing with his agent Mazhar Majeed, who was arrested over the incident and remains under investigation.

Pakistani media quoted a team source as saying: ''Amir told the team management that he wasn't aware of the gravity of the situation and also claimed that he just followed Butt's instructions. Amir told [Shahid] Afridi as well as the team manager that he was completely unaware of what was going on. He asked them to help him get out of the mess.''

The lowest penalty for a player found guilty of being approached by a fixer and not reporting it is a six-month ban. As a guide, West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels was suspended for two years for taking money from a bookie, after a hotel bill of about $1200 was paid for him. Samuels maintained his innocence and has returned to the game.

Lorgat strenuously opposed claims that corruption was so widespread the ICC intentionally ignores it so as not to cripple cricket.

''That is absolute nonsense,'' he said. ''Every lead we have picked up in the past, we have followed through. I don't believe it is widespread because of all the incidents that have been avoided, where players have done the right thing. There have been many, many [such] instances [which we do not publicise] because we don't want to break confidence.''