ECB Hands Danish Kaneria Life Ban For Corruption

The England & Wales Cricket Board has handed former Pakistan international Danish Kaneria a life ban and banned Mervyn Westfield for five years for breaching its anti-corruption code.

A three-man disciplinary panel had earlier found Kaneria guilty of two breaches and Westfield one, before sentencing them later in the day.

The charges relate to a match between Essex and Durham in 2009, where fast bowler Mervyn Westfield has admitted to accepting a bribe to underperform by conceding a minimum number of runs in his first over.

During Westfield's trial in February, where he pleaded guilty to charges of corruptly accepting or obtaining, or agreeing to accept or obtain, corrupt payments, and was subsequently handed an interim suspension from all cricket by the ECB, Kaneria was named as his 'corrupter'.

At the ECB Disciplinary hearing, Westfield, who is serving a four-month sentence, was also found guilty of one charge of breaching the anti-corruption code.

Kaneria was charged with encouraging, or attempting to induce or encourage Westfield to underperform and conducting himself in a manner which brings the game into disrepute by so doing.

Westfield was charged with receiving a reward that could bring him or the game into disrepute.

"We regard Danish Kaneria as a grave danger to the game of cricket and we must take every approach to protect our game from his corrupt activities," a statement from the panel said.

"Accordingly, we are unanimously of the view that the only appropriate sanction in relation to both charges is one of suspension for life and that is the sanction we impose.

"This means from today Danish Kaneria is suspended from any involvement in the playing, organisation or administration of any cricket under the jurisdiction of the ECB."

Under the penalties imposed by the ECB, Westfield will be allowed to play club cricket having served three years of his ban but there was no leniency for Kaneria.

Unless he manages a successful appeal, he will not play cricket in England again.

© Cricket world 2012