ECB Finds Kaneria And Westfield Guilty Of Breaching Anti-Corruption Code

Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has been found guilty of two breaches of the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) anti-corruption code by its disciplinary panel following a contested hearing.

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.

The panel, comprising Gerard Elias QC, David Gabbitass and Jamie Dalrymple, concluded:

"Danish Kaneria knowingly induced or encouraged Mervyn Westfield not to perform on his merits in the Durham match such that the first charge against him is made out.

"Further, it is self evident that such conduct brings the game of cricket and cricketers into disrepute and thus Charge 2 is also proved.

"Later today we shall consider submissions in relation to the appropriate penalties to be applied."

© Cricket World 2012