ICC has a solid case against tainted Pak trio: Lorgat

London:

International Cricket Council Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat says that the ICC has a solid case against the three Pakistan players accused of spot-fixing and they would not be shown any leniency if found guilty.

Lorgat said the legal team of the ICC has prepared a case which "should stand the test of scrutiny."

"We've worked hard at collecting all the evidence that we would require to make the charges stand. I'm confident that our guys have worked very hard in ensuring they have got a case they can present which should stand the test of scrutiny," he said.

ICC provisionally suspended Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir after a 'News of the World' sting expose showed bookie Mazhar Majeed claiming that the trio were involved in spot-fixing in the fourth Test against England at Lord's in late August.

They were also questioned by Scotland Yard detectives and the Metropolitan Police has provided a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service to help them decide whether or not to lay criminal charges against the trio.

Butt and Amir later lost their appeals to the ICC over the provisional bans, while Asif withdrew his appeal. An independent tribunal will now decide the fate of the trio in January 6-11, 2011.

Michael Beloff QC, the man who chaired the Code of Conduct Commission that rejected those appeals, will chair January's full hearing along with Justice Albie Sachs of South Africa and Kenya's Sharad Rao.

Lorgat said that if found guilty the trio will be dealt with firmly.

"We need to send out a strong message and that is part of what we want to achieve. We would want to be proportional but at the same time we do not want to show any leniency," Lorgat told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"These are severe issues and integrity of the game is absolutely fundamental and we would not want to tolerate any of that in the sport," he said.

The ICC CEO, however, admitted the trio were entitled to appeal any ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"My understanding is that any matter that we decide on in a disciplinary process is always open to contest in the Court of Arbitration for Sport."

Lorgat said the ICC was pleased at measures put in place by PCB and other ICC members to rid the game of corruption.

"I am confident the (anti-corruption) steps that have been taken in recent months and weeks and the task team we have in place is working exceptionally well," said Lorgat.

"PCB are now determined to put in place all procedures and processes necessary to ensure from the bottom up they have a system in place that will educate their players that will prevent the sort of issues we do not want within the game.

"Also there was an important step that we decided as a board on November 21 that every single member will domestically install an anti-corruption code that will mirror that of the ICC."