Flip-flops continue as Butt takes aggressive stand again

Karachi:

Continuing his flip-flops, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt on Monday said that he was in no mood to back down from his strong statements against the ECB and ICC on spot-fixing allegations against Pakistan cricket team.

The statement comes after Butt did a U-turn where he said that he never accused the England team of match-fixing, barely a day after suggesting that English players had thrown the Oval ODI and that they should be investigated by the ICC. (Read: Never accused England team of fixing: Butt)

"We will no longer tolerate this effort to humiliate our players. We have a strong case of a conspiracy against our team," Butt said.

The ECB in a statement, while rejecting Butt's accusations, said it will take all legal and disciplinary action following his comments. (Read: England-Pak series to continue, ECB warns action against Butt)

Butt, however, said that ECB could take legal action if they wanted to but the PCB was prepared for it and would give a fitting reply.

"We are prepared and we also have a strong case against the ECB," he said.

The PCB chief also lashed out at the ICC for holding parallel investigations into spot-fixing allegations against three Pakistan players -- Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohamamd Asif. (Read: Ban Pakistan from cricket, says Botham)

Scotland Yard is investigating newspaper reports that the trio had been paid to bowl deliberate no-balls during last month's Lord's Test.

Butt, who is in Dubai, said that the ICC had caused great damage to the Pakistan team by suspending its three key players.

"They suspended our players despite the absence of evidence against them. Scotland Yard is still investigating the case and have not charged the players," Butt said.

The PCB chief claimed that the Scotland Yard had made it clear that until they completed their investigations no other inquiry should be held.

"But the ICC started a parallel investigation into the allegations and suspended our players.

"If this is not enough to conclude there is a conspiracy against our players then what is," Butt said.

Butt had yesterday irked ECB officials by stating that the ICC should investigate how England lost the third one-dayer at the Oval and that he had heard from bookmakers that some English players took money to lose the match.

The PCB chief's remarks came after the ICC had launched investigations into the third one-dayer after it received information from an English newspaper alleging that bookies were aware of certain scoring patters during the match.