Alastair Cook happy to face Mohammad Amir but feels match-fixers should face lifetime bans
Thursday 9 June 2016 09:01, UK
Alastair Cook has no issues facing Mohammad Amir during the Test series against Pakistan but feels convicted match-fixers should be banned for life.
Amir is set to make a return to Test cricket in England this summer and, should he be selected for the first Test at Lord's, his comeback game would be at the venue his indiscretion took place.
Left-arm fast bowler Amir, now 24, spent three months in jail and was banned from all cricket for five years after he was found guilty of purposely bowling no-balls at the Home of Cricket in 2010.
Some team-mates railed against Amir being recalled to the Pakistan team, but he is part of their travelling squad for the four-Test series which starts at Lord's on July 14.
Speaking before the final Test against Sri Lanka, which also takes place at Lord's, Cook said: "It's kind of ironic that his first Test match back will probably be here at Lord's.
"He's served his time. He was punished for what he did, and quite rightly so - because we've got to protect the integrity of the game.
"I have no problem playing against him at all."
But Cook is firmly in favour of lifetime bans for any players who are caught for similar offences, harsher than those handed down to then teenager Amir and co-conspirators Mohammad Asif (banned for seven years) and Salman Butt (10 years).
He added: "My only one thing is that I think if you get caught match-fixing you should be banned for life.
"The punishment should be that hard, because we've got to protect the integrity [of the game].
"That's not to say Amir should not come back, because the rules were probably different then.
"From my point of view the punishment should be harsher...but that's from now on...if I had any say in it."
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