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Amir’s confession of spot-fixing…?
September 23, 2011
Mohammad Amir, young left-arm fast bowler who reveres cricket legend Wasim Akram has confessed to his involvement in spot-fixing after one year during Pakistan’s test series at England in 2010.
Amir had been picked out as a special talent by Wasim Akram himself at a pace camp he oversaw in Lahore in May 2007 and become the hottest pace bowling prospect around the world in 2009 and 2010- but within months his career was in ruins following charges of spot-fixing. He began in 2009 with an impressive showing on the domestic circuit, impressing with his whippy pace and swing. He took 55 wickets for National Bank of Pakistan in his debut season, and earned selection to the Pakistan World Twenty20 squad.
The tabloid had alleged that Muhammad Amir along with fellow fast bowler bowler Mohammad Asif deliberately bowled no-balls at specific times during Pakistan’s 2010 tour of England in return for payment from a betting syndicate. The News of the World alleged that an agent affiliated with some of the Pakistani players, later identified as Mazhar Majeed, accepted a bribe from an undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood for information.
Banned fast bowler submitted his written confession through his British lawyer Gareth Pierce’s firm Birnberg Peirce and Partners in the London’s Southwark Crown Court which admitting that left arm fast bowler was coerced into his actions, rather than acting out of greed.
But Amir`s admission of his involvement in spot-fixing scandal before a court in England has not only brought a bad name to the country, but also proved that the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s decision on the matter was correct. This is also a big question that why Amir confessed after one year….?. The ongoing hearings are part of a criminal case, however, and therefore the prospect of jail, rather than their cricket careers, is at stake. Amir may have been offered a plea bargain.
One reason of Amir’s Confession that some one makes open the doors for him for this admission may reduce the length of a possible prison sentence. The three players are charged on two counts. Firstly, with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, which falls under the 1906 Corruption Act, and carries a maximum sentence of seven years. They are also charged with conspiracy to cheat, under the 2005 Gambling Act, which carries a two-year maximum sentence.
Pakistan’s former test cricketers also unhappy with the attitude of Amir, saying that they were saying time and again that there is a fault of Pakistani cricketers and they are involved in match-fixing as the white people don’t put allegations on any one without any reason.
Former fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz said that after the confession of Amir, it is proved that the Scotland Yard would have handed over very solid evidence to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the basis of which the ICC took such a strict action. “This statement will defiantly gave positive points for Amir to relax his punishment by the International Cricket Council, he added
Former opening batsman Aamir Sohail said the confession would place Pakistan cricket in lot of trouble. “After this confession he has not only tarnished the image of Pakistan cricket, but also has ridiculed the whole nation,” he said.
Boxing: Mayweather inspires O'Meara
Steve O'Meara aims to take inspiration from Floyd Mayweather Jnr when he steps into the ring for his Southern Area light middleweight title bout against Ryan Toms.
O'Meara features as chief support to the Commonwealth Super-Featherweight clash between Liam Walsh and Paul Appleby at the York Hall, Bethnal Green on September 30.
Last year, ahead of his appearance in Prizefighter, O'Meara, along with former British Super-Middleweight Champion James DeGale, had some sparring sessions with Mayweather at the American's gym.
"The physical experience of sparring with him (Floyd Mayweather) was unbelievable and it is something I will always remember," said the West Drayton fighter.
"It also had an affect on me mentally sharing a ring with him. Floyd Mayweather is obviously the biggest name but I've sparred a lot of good fighters and I've always felt I've done well.
"Whenever I'm coming up for a fight or I need that mental strength, the sparring with Floyd Mayweather, Carl Froch, DeGale and Darren Barker, spending time in the ring with these types of fighters makes you mentally strong."
O'Meara has had two loses on his record but has bounced back strongly after both and looks to continue his winning ways after victory last time out against Andrew Alan Lowe.
"I've tasted defeat and know what it feels like, I'm not scared of losing, I just want to win. Hopefully on September 30 I can show I'm a few levels above Southern Area title standard," said the 27-year-old.
"I watched Ryan's last match against Pat McAleese, there's some good stuff but having watched him I feel like it is my fight to lose. He's unbeaten and no fight against an unbeaten fighter is going to be easy because he doesn't know how to use yet, but unfortunately I'll be the one to show him."
‘Zimbabwe whitewash can`t be benchmark for judging Pakistan’s performance’
As Pakistan celebrates its tour whitewash of Zimbabwe, former medium pacer Jalaluddin has said that it was a contest between two ‘mismatched teams’, and advised the team management to devise a long-term strategy ahead of the ‘tougher’ series against Sri Lanka in the UAE, starting next month.
Pakistan clinched the one-off Test and the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series before winning the two Twenty20s against Zimbabwe, an achievement that drew widespread appreciation.
“It’s a good achievement. However, it must be remembered that Zimbabwe cannot be the benchmark for judging Pakistan’s performance. We should appreciate the results and our target has been accomplished. But there is a tougher series coming up,” a leading daily quoted Jalal, as saying.
The former Pakistan fast bowler said that while there were a few positives from the Zimbabwe tour, a long-term strategy needed to be worked out.
He was also sceptical of the performance of all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who bagged four man-of-the-match awards in six matches on the tour, and said that a tour of Zimbabwe cannot assess the real quality of a player.
“Hafeez did remarkably well on the tour, but Zimbabwe are easy opponents. He needs to do better against tougher teams to show his true qualities,” Jalal said.
“Aizaz Cheema was definitely among the positives. He performed in the absence of the other fast-bowlers and that was good to see. But the team management needs to work out a long-term plan for Pakistan cricket,” he added.
Cycling: Boom wins Tour of Britain
The Dutchman, riding for the Rabobank team, landed the general classification title but it was also a positive day for British riders, with Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) winning the final stage and Steve Cummings (Team Sky) edging up to second place overall.
Boom took second place in stage 8a, the individual time trial, and then held his position in the afternoon circuit race, stage 8b, where Cavendish's powerful sprint saw him cross the line first.
Team Sky's Geraint Thomas secured the points jersey, while Cavendish's performance, as he finished runner-up to his fellow British rider, delighted HTC-Highroad sport director Allan Peiper.
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