Mohammad Asif loses match-fixing appeal

[abdul2]

Three Court of Appeal judges in London on Wednesday rejected an appeal by Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif against his conviction for spot-fixing.


In their ruling, the judges said they were “not persuaded that there are any grounds, arguable or otherwise, for attacking the safety of the convictions of this applicant (Asif)”.


“The renewed applications are accordingly dismissed,” they added.


Fast bowler Asif, 30, was released from jail in May last year after serving half of a 12-month sentence for his part in a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in a Test match against England at Lord’s in 2010.


Former captain Salman Butt was jailed for 30 months, while promising young bowler Mohammad Aamer was detained for six months in a young offenders’ institution.


The International Cricket Council (ICC) governing body also banned the trio from cricket for five years.


Asif and Butt both challenged the ICC bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but the Lausanne-based body in April rejected their appeals.


The spot-fixing plot, which was uncovered by the now-defunct News of the World newspaper, was one of the biggest scandals to hit cricket in years and also led to the conviction of their London-based agent.


The Court of Appeal rejected challenges by Butt and Aamer against their sentences in November 2011.


In his ruling Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge, the head of the judiciary in England and Wales, said the players had “betrayed the country which they had the honour to represent and betrayed the sport that had given them their distinction – and of course betrayed all the very many followers of the game throughout the world”.

Mohammad Asif loses match-fixing appeal

 

[Jaanbaz]

Three Court of Appeal judges in London on Wednesday rejected an appeal by Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif against his conviction for spot-fixing.


In their ruling, the judges said they were “not persuaded that there are any grounds, arguable or otherwise, for attacking the safety of the convictions of this applicant (Asif)”.


“The renewed applications are accordingly dismissed,” they added.


Fast bowler Asif, 30, was released from jail in May last year after serving half of a 12-month sentence for his part in a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in a Test match against England at Lord’s in 2010.


Former captain Salman Butt was jailed for 30 months, while promising young bowler Mohammad Aamer was detained for six months in a young offenders’ institution.


The International Cricket Council (ICC) governing body also banned the trio from cricket for five years.


Asif and Butt both challenged the ICC bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but the Lausanne-based body in April rejected their appeals.


The spot-fixing plot, which was uncovered by the now-defunct News of the World newspaper, was one of the biggest scandals to hit cricket in years and also led to the conviction of their London-based agent.


The Court of Appeal rejected challenges by Butt and Aamer against their sentences in November 2011.


In his ruling Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge, the head of the judiciary in England and Wales, said the players had “betrayed the country which they had the honour to represent and betrayed the sport that had given them their distinction – and of course betrayed all the very many followers of the game throughout the world”.

Mohammad Asif loses match-fixing appeal

Good, should be banned for life. Anyone involved in match fixing in anyway should never be allowed to play Cricket as a professional.

 

[ejaz007]

Asif’s spot-fixing appeal rejected

LONDON: The appeal of Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Asif over the spot-fixing conviction was rejected by the Royal Court of Justice on Wednesday.

In their ruling, the judges said they were “not persuaded that there are any grounds, arguable or otherwise, for attacking the safety of the convictions of this applicant (Asif)”.

“The renewed applications are accordingly dismissed,” they added.

Asif was released from prison last May after serving half of his 12-month sentence for the fixing scandal which rocked the cricketing world. The seamer was among two other Pakistani players imprisoned after a plot to bowl no-balls deliberately during the 2010 Lord’s test against England was unearthed during an undercover investigation by the now defunct News of the World.

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was jailed for 30 months while fast bowelr Mohammad Amir was detained for six months in a young offenders institution. All three players have been barred from playing as a result of a five year ban imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Asif

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

The funniest aspect of this is that they got punished for winning the game. Their life ban is on calls that do not effect the outcome of the game. The won the game for their country. Had they intentionally lost I would have said Life ban was justified.

However , negotiated behavior on field , vs agreeing to loose a game are two different thing.

If the bookie had made a bet , will Asif run his hand thru his hair 10 times ? would you consider that as an event worthy of life ban? I probably would not

Negotiated behavior is not same as , dishonesty to loose a match intentionally and that is why I don't think they should be given life bans

Their intent was not to loose the game !! and I think their lawyer failed to represent them well with that claim

When you have a case where a player UNDER PERFORMS to loose a match his country looses , and they should get banned for life

However , for a "BEHAVIORAL" act of no-ball which does not effects the outcome of game
they were not cheating because they won the game for their nation

I think the LIFE ban sentence was bit harsh and UNJUST

Then you compare that to "PLAYERS TAKING MONEY TO LOOSE A MATCH" like in IPL etc that should be ban worthy of life time ban ..

However , for No Ball , this should have been a stern warning to players as first offense

WHEN YOU ARE GIVEN THE BALL , its your WILL as bowler to throw the ball in any direction
If I choose to throw 6 no balls , its my choice as a bowler

ICC CANNOT dictate - how a player should throw a ball , because then they are interfering with the "freedom" of player to bowl with tactic

In Baseball , sometimes players intentionally hit the player with ball or intentionally WALK a player .. do they get LIFE BAN ? No its called tactic

 

[muse]

However , negotiated behavior on field , vs agreeing to loose a game are two different thing.

So, Cheating is actually two different things?

 

[alibaz]

Good, should be banned for life. Anyone involved in match fixing in anyway should never be allowed to play Cricket as a professional.

If they are given five years ban and were also jailed after that there should be no bar on their playing. Actually after five year of ban these two won't be at an age and fitness standard to play international cricket but I do have a soft corner for Aamir. The guy deserved lesser punishment but unfortunately there was no lesser punishment in ICC code.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

So, Cheating is actually two different things?

It would be cheating had he intentionally lost the game

What he does with a ball , is his own will ...
Some bowlers ball 2 slow balls and then quickie , some ball 4 slow balls and then intentional erratic ball its part of game

To get a life ban for a no ball is "confusing" because , his team did not loose and they actually won the series


Example:
In exam , you have to write an english essay , you can write the text slanted and connected letters or you can write it disconnected so its more readible , or you can buy the exam sheet for 20 dollars outside and submit

The first two cases are not "Cheating" because the writer is using his will to write and express himself
vs buying the exam and getting 10 out of 10

Same with these cricketers, they had chance to bowl and they decided to confusing the opponent or perhaps intentionally went harder to gain a wicket resulting in a no ball , its NOT CHEATING unless ... you lose intentionally

If you could be PAID to win ... then every bookie would pay players so they win every game... but we all know that is not PRACTICAL ....

My personal opinion is that because Pakistan team won in the historic ground some of the cricketers names went on the board of stadium for their achievement, and some of the locals did not appreciate this achievement, which resulted in the case. Some records were broken by likes young Teen bowler. Their performance resulted in large losses to bookies community financially so they framed these bowlers


No ball -> Did not effect the outcome of the game so they should have simply been warned

Had they accepted they intentional bowled low quality in the game , that is against the spirit of the game but our players performed GREAT in the series infact over turned the result

But as far as I know all the bowlers took many wickets and were the main reason Pakistan Won the Series


From tactic perspective , an occasional no ball , while it gives 1 free run , does distracts the batsman's concentration , and many times its happens that the very next ball the batsmen is out ... due to extra time to face the ball or loss in concentation

No Balls and ocassional intentional no ball is part of the game and tactics


Imagine another example:
A batsmen was waiting for bowler to bowl and then he waved with his hand he is not ready and he did that 3 times in game

Do you ban the batsmen for life for that ?

Life ban is reasonable if you "under performed" ... life ban is never given when you win a game or win a series ..

From my point I think someone in upper class England did not like Pakistani team winning in that history ground so someone had to get punished and made example of


Worse case scenario:
Probation should have been ordered for 3 cricketers and stern fine nothing more due to lack of evidence suggesting , attempt to loose intentionally

 

[livingdead]

It would be cheating had he intentionally lost the game

What he does with a ball , is his own will ...
Some bowlers ball 2 slow balls and then quickie , some ball 4 slow balls and then intentional erratic ball its part of game


To get a life ban for a no ball is "confusing" because , his team did not loose and they actually won the series

they could have lost for that no ball, you gave 1 run to other side and gave another ball. Your action was against your own team, the final outcome is immaterial.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Again its superficial if I am a bowler , and I choose to no ball 3-4 times its my decision because its my over just like as a batsmen he can choose to took took it , hoof it for 6 or play a defensive shot ...


If Misbah plays 1000 tuk tuk , I can go put a bet he would play 99 tuk tuk , so does that means he is conspiring with me

Some batsme play 3-4 defensive shots when they get to crease .... some bookie can say oh they are in coohoots with me ... but these are part of game ... 2-3 defensive strokes are not match rigging

But if you need 20 runs to win and 10 overs to go and then your batsment plays TUK TUK for 17 overs then yes you can say there is a case of "UNDER PERFORMANCE"

I think life Ban would have been justified for "offence : Under Performing "

The offense they committed was more or less a probationary offense.

Did their action effect England ? No
Did their action effect Pakistan ? No

Did they under-perform ? No
Did they won the game for their country ? Yes, infact man of match & Man of series


So with out intent to loose how can life Ban which is reserved for "SERIOUS" offense was imposed?

Also you judge the time of offence, did the free run came in key areas of game ? No it did not it was in middle useless overs ... so it did not effect the game's outcome.....DOES NOT MERITS a life ban

Also since it was the first offense, the penalty should have been probation and financial fine


Summary:
No Balls only caused time delay or discomfort to batsmen
Did not under perform
Did not loose the game
First offense
No history of crime or criminal record

Most other sports : If someone is caught doping (performance enhancement) they get 2-3 years ban at most .

Had these players been involved in intentional losses not getting wickets , or not scoring runs then you can see their was concern of under performance

What would have been reasonable

Mohammed Asif : 1 Year suspension
Mohammed Asim: 4 month Probation , and Education courses
Salman Butt : Removal of Captaincy for bad judgement , and ban of 1 Year

All three would have to go thru Education and Probationary period before being reintroduced into the game

 

[tarrar]

Mohammed Aamir & Mohammed Asif were replacements for Shoaib AKhtar, wasim & Waqar but both destroyed their own career when they could have achieved wonders in the world of Cricket.

Then's PCB run by old dog Izag Butt could had saved all three players by calling them back but he along with other incompetent old fools didn't even bother to help them.

The good thing is Mohammed Aamir will INSHAALLAH come back & fill the gap of missing talanted pace bowler & he will lead Pak pace attack.