admina court has heard.
Salman Butt was named by agent Mazhar Majeed as one of several players allegedly involved in a scheme to fix parts of the Lord’s match last summer, Southwark Crown Court was told.
Ali Bajwa QC, defending Butt, said he was only on trial because of the words of his former friend and agent.
Butt (27) denies match fixing.
Prosecutors allege that agent Majeed conspired with Butt and bowler Mohammad Asif (28) to fix parts of the match between Pakistan and England by delivering three deliberate no-balls. Both Butt and Asif deny charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.
The case stems from a sting operation by the former News of the World newspaper which prompted claims that the men accepted bribes to fix parts of the match.
Defending Butt, Bajwa said: “We say Salman Butt only finds himself here on trial accused of these charges because of the words of his former friend and agent, Mazhar Majeed. We say Mazhar Majeed has grossly abused the trust that Mr Butt placed in him by naming him, Mr Butt, to the journalist as a person involved in match fixing.”
Bajwa also explained why Butt told police in an interview that it was a “freakish coincidence” that the no-balls were bowled exactly when Majeed said they would be.
He told the court: “That is not, and has never been, part of Mr Butt’s defence. We suggest to you that Mr Butt advanced that as a possible explanation, not as a statement of fact.”
Butt said he first met Majeed on a tour of England in 2006, although he initially signed up to be managed by the agent’s brother, Azhar, the court heard. He estimated that he earned £1,2m over a seven-year period,
including around £750 000 in 2007 to 2010 alone.
Explaining why police found nine mobile phone Sim cards in his hotel room after the match-fixing scandal broke, Butt said it was cheaper to buy local phone cards when he was on tour overseas. The cricketer also said
he brought about US$12 000 (£7 600) in cash with him to England last year with the aim of buying a special edition brown Breitling watch costing around £8 000.
The case continues. – BBC Sport.
Online Reporter