Pakistanis face second probe

London: Two Pakistan cricketers have been ordered to hand over their mobile telephone records as it emerged they are the subject of a second investigation into spot-fixing.

Wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal and suspended captain Salman Butt were contacted by cricket's ruling body, the ICC, after suspicions arose during the Asia Cup.

The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit have demanded they release details of their telephone activity during the summer tournament in Sri Lanka. They expect the full cooperation of both players but have yet to receive a response from the Pakistan camp.

The demand came in a letter, dated August 21, which was sent to the two players before details of the News of the World expose surrounding the no-ball scandal at the Lord's Test against England.

Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been banned by the ICC pending the investigation into that scandal and could face life bans, if found guilty, but Akmal was due to face England at Cardiff in a Twenty20 international yesterday. Pakistan officials refused to be drawn on the latest revelations last night.

The news will dismay the England players and the ECB, who made it clear to the Pakistan board and the ICC last week that they were not prepared to play Pakistan in the current limited-overs series if the players accused of corruption were still in the opposing line-up.

Butt, Asif and Amir are still under investigation by the Metropolitan Police over the Lord's matter but are unlikely to face criminal charges.

Instead they will face heavy punishment from the game's governing body if they are found guilty by an independent panel of manipulating the Lord's Test by Asif and Amir bowling deliberate no balls at the instigation of Butt.

The ICC are investigating Australia's victory over Pakistan in the Sydney Test in January but they are satisfied the match was not fixed.

Their probe centres on what Sir Ronnie Flanagan, head of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit, calls a "dysfunctional tour".

Dispute

The ICC believe some players might have under-performed in that Test but they did so because they were in dispute with captain Mohammad Yousuf.

Amir, 18, will be told he could avoid a life ban if he gives evidence against his teammates in the Lord's inquiry. Shafqat Rana, the Pakistan associate manager, last night said of the latest investigation: "You will have to ask the ICC or the players themselves."