Ban ’spot-fixers’ for life, says Vettori

AUCKLAND - Calling for extreme steps to defend “the spirit of the game”, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has said that life bans should be imposed on the three Pakistan players if the ’spot-fixing- charges against them are proved.

Vettori insists that the allegations against Pakistan skipper Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir had undermined cricket’s credibility.

“If you’re caught, you have to be banned for life. That’s the only way that you are going to stamp it out, and if these allegations are proven to be true there has to be a precedent set,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Vettori, as saying.

“We’re talking about the game’s integrity, and if you’re willing to subvert part of it, then is there any reason why you wouldn’t go a step further?” he added.

He further said that if the trio can prove their innocence, it would be the best result for the sport.

“If a clean up can come from it then hopefully it will make cricket as squeaky clean as it can possibly be,” Vettori said.

British tabloid The News of the World has claimed that fast bowlers Amir and Asif had bowled pre-arranged ‘no-balls’ in the Lord’s Test, which England won by an innings and 225 runs.

The tabloid also claimed that the cricketers were part of a 150,000-pound betting scam with Butt and London-based agent Mazhar Majeed. (ANI)