ICC could probe Sydney Test

Flanagan: leading investigation

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The International Cricket Council has acknowledged that the current investigation into 'spot-fixing' allegations at Lord's could be extended to look at Pakistan's dramatic collapse against Australia in Sydney earlier this year.

The match in question was the second Test of Pakistan's three-Test tour of Australia which took place in January and saw Australia claim an unlikely victory.

The hosts held an 80-run lead with only two wickets in hand at the start of day four of the Test before Mike Hussey hit an unbeaten 134 to set Pakistan a victory target of 176.

Spinner Nathan Hauritz then tore through the tourists' batting line-up to seal a 36-run win for Australia in a match which at one point looked destined to give Pakistan a comprehensive victory.

Sir Ronnie Flanagan, chairman of the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit, said on Friday any evidence brought to the governing body linking the Sydney Test to the 'spot-fixing' investigation would be examined thoroughly.

Examining all evidence

"We will be examining all the evidence that is brought before us in this particular case, we will go where the evidential trail takes us," Flanagan explained.

"If there is new evidence then we will examine that with the investigative countries at any given country and that could be the case with Australia."

When asked about whether the investigation would be looking at the News of the World's claims involving the Sydney Test, Flanagan said: "We will be examining all that.

"We are in the process of examining that in great detail and if that evidential trail takes us back to a re-examination then that is exactly what we will engage in."

Pakistan captain Salman Butt and seamers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were questioned by police yesterday in relation to a criminal investigation which was launched after claims made in the Sunday tabloid they were part of a 'spot-fixing' scam aimed at defrauding illegal bookmakers in the fourth Test against England.

Protested their innocence

Pakistan high commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan has revealed that the players had protested their innocence to him.

The ICC decided to charge the trio under "various offences" under the governing body's code of conduct and will take no part in the rest of the tour, although they were given 14 days to appeal the decision.

Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan had earlier criticised the decision and accused the ICC of a "conspiracy" against the cricket-mad nation that has been stripped of its right to co-host the 2011 World Cup and has to play its "home" games abroad due to security fears.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat rejected those claims at a joint press conference with Flanagan at Lord's on Friday.

Lorgat said: "This particular incident with the three players is unrelated to the challenge that we've got in keeping Pakistan involved as a full member of the International Cricket Council.

"So I wouldn't want to link the two, and I certainly wouldn't subscribe to the view that there is some sort of conspiracy around Pakistan cricket."