| PCB expects no leniency over allegations • Ijaz Butt insists PCB is fully supportive of ICC suspensions• 'If anything is found in investigation, there will be no tolerance'The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ijaz Butt, said the governing body fully supports the decision to suspend three players in the wake of spot-fixing allegations and will not expect leniency for any of the trio if found guilty.Butt met the International Cricket Council president, Sharad Pawar, today in New Delhi, with the recent allegations which have shaken the sport high on the agenda.Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif have been suspended by the ICC after claims the trio were involved in spot-fixing during the fourth Test against England were published in the News of the World last month.The trio, along with the fast bowler Wahab Riaz, have been questioned by Scotland Yard over the allegations.Although Butt was unable to discuss the issue in detail, he confirmed the PCB is behind any inquiry into the claims. "This matter is under investigation with Scotland Yard. The process is ongoing and until it is finished neither we nor the ICC can comment on it," he said. "The ICC has charged them and unless that suspension is revoked, they cannot play."There is no disappointment with the provisional suspension, though. We had asked the ICC about the matter of the suspension and they replied, saying they have asked the players to respond individually to the charges."Butt denied reports the PCB has asked for leniency in the case of 18-year-old Amir because of his age. "No demand has been given [for leniency]," he said. "If there is anything found in the investigation, then as far as we are concerned, there will be no tolerance."Pawar maintains the PCB has done all it can to assist in the investigation. "The ICC is not a separate organisation," he said. "It is a collective organisation formed by the boards of all cricket playing nations – including the Pakistan board."Any decisions taken by the ICC is done so via policy. It is made collectively and only after proper deliberations. As far as the question of wrongdoing in cricket is concerned, the ICC and member boards – including the PCB – will never tolerate any nonsense or any corruption of cricket."We'd like to maintain the sanctity of the game. And in the interest of maintaining sanctity, every board, including the PCB is fully supportive of the ICC."Prima facie there was an allegation and that is the only reason the ICC has suspended the players. After the initial inquiry the players were allowed to fly back home. But at the same time the PCB has said they are ready to send the players back for further inquiries any time. Nobody wants to hide anything. The ICC will take ruthless action if spot-fixing proved."Pakistan cricket betting scandalPakistan cricket teamCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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O'Loughlin hopes pressure will help • Victory essential after opening defeat by New Zealand• 'If we don't win our chance is over,' says loose forwardThe England loose forward Sean O'Loughlin is banking on the team thriving on the pressure of Sunday's match with Australia to keep their Four Nations hopes alive.Last Saturday's 24-10 defeat by New Zealand in Wellington has raised the stakes for England's fixture with the Kangaroos at AAMI Park, Melbourne, where another defeat would render their final round-robin match against Papua New Guinea in Auckland a wooden spoon decider."Everyone is aware of the fact that, if we don't win this week, our chance is over," said O'Loughlin."We know it's a must-win game and that puts us under a bit of pressure but hopefully everyone can react to that pressure and it can bring a little bit more to everyone's game."There is probably no better place to come and get a win than over here. It's going to be tough but I think everybody is looking forward to it."England trained at the new AAMI Park this morning as the coach, Steve McNamara, stepped up preparations to face the Kangaroos, who remain something of an unknown quantity for the Wigan captain, O'Loughlin."We don't get too much chance to see the NRL back home but the staff have done a lot of homework on them," said O'Loughlin, who is confident that, even without the injured captains Jamie Peacock and Adrian Morley, England have the players to win the crucial forward battle."We definitely feel we've got a strong enough squad with good forwards who played well all year."Meanwhile England were making arrangements for the centre Michael Shenton to return home after having his Four Nations campaign cut short by injury.The 24-year-old Shenton, who suffered ankle ligament damage during England's opening match, will stay on to watch Sunday's game before flying home to complete his recovery."It's pretty upsetting from a personal point of view but it gives an opportunity to someone else in the team," he said. "That's why you take a 24-man squad.Shenton, who will play for St Helens in 2011 after completing a move from his home-town club Castleford, will not need to undergo surgery and should be ready to take part in pre-season training under the new Saints coach, Royce Simmons, next month."I just need to rest it," he said. "It's only a few weeks' injury. Unfortunately the tournament is only short, otherwise I might have been able to get back in time."England rugby league teamFour NationsRugby leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |