Kaneria applies for British visa to attend ECB hearing – Cricket News Update
Pakistan’s out-of-favour leg-spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c749 and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), scheduled to be held this month in relation to the spot-fixing charges for which
the leg-spinner has been under investigation.
“Mervyn Westfield and Danish Kaneria have been notified that an ECB disciplinary panel hearing will take place at which charges will be heard relating to their alleged breaches of the ECB's anti-corruption directives,” read a statement issued by the ECB
last month.
The bowler first became associated with the scandal in 2010, when he, along with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Essex-c783 teammate Mervyn Westfield, was charged with and arrested by the Essex police in relation to spot-fixing. Though he was later released owing to insufficient evidence, his
name was dragged back into the case again during Westfield’s trial earlier this year.
The young pacer’s lawyers named Kaneria as the middle-man who had approached Westfield with the proposition to accept corrupt payments for agreeing to deliberately underperform during an Essex v http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Durham-c782 Pro40 match in September 2009.
Westfield was sentenced to four months in prison, and the ECB launched an inquiry into the matter, later issuing summons to both Kaneria and Westfield for a disciplinary hearing.
The hearing, at which players such as Tony Palladino, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Varun-Chopra-c2745, and Essex skipper Mark Pettini are expected to provide testimony, could put an end to Kaneria’s career. Already having been sidelined by the PCB (the integrity committee of which has yet
to clear him) and ignored by national selectors since September 2010, his current career in domestic cricket is also under threat, since http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 rules dictate that any sanctions and bans imposed by the ECB are automatically applicable to all other boards.
Kaneria however, has repeatedly maintained his innocence, and his brother confirmed that the 31-year-old plans to fight to clear his name.
“We have sent our preliminary reply through our lawyers in London,” the cricketer’s brother Vicky said, adding the Kaneria had pleaded not guilty, and would be appearing for the hearing from May 21.
“Our lawyers have also pointed out that there was no evidence except another person's statement in the case and it was unjust to charge Danish because of this,” Vicky added. “We want this hearing to be held because we see it as the best way to get Danish's
name cleared once and for all from this spot-fixing case.”
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