Cricketer admits spot bet charge

12 January 2012 Last updated at 12:49 ET

Westfield agreed to allow a certain number of runs during his first over

A former Essex county cricketer has admitted a corruption charge relating to a 40-over one-day game against Durham.

Mervyn Westfield, 23, admitted accepting or obtaining a corrupt payment to aid spot betting on a match on 5 September 2009.

The Old Bailey heard he agreed to bowl his first over in a way that would let Durham score a set number of runs.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said the case "sent a message".

Westfield was warned he could face jail when he is sentenced in February.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

'Offered £6,000'

He was granted unconditional bail until sentencing on 10 February.

A separate charge of assisting another person to cheat at gambling was ordered to lie on file.

Judge Anthony Morris told the court he understood Westfield had agreed to concede 12 runs in exchange for £6,000 but only 10 runs were in fact conceded during the first over.

The judge also said the person who offered Westfield the money was known by people involved in cricket.

Westfield is the first English cricketer to be guilty of spot fixing.

His case follows the jailing of three Pakistani cricketers and an agent last year over spot fixing during a Test Match between England and Pakistan.

Spot betting involves wagers on specific events or incidents in a game and is very popular with gamblers across the world.

However an illegal element called spot fixing developed when sports people were bribed to fix events so a few people in the know could place bets at high odds to make money by cheating.

In a press statement, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said the case had shown there could be no complacency to the potential threat posed by "corrupt activities" at all levels of sport.

"This case sends out a clear message to all players and officials that spot or match fixing is a criminal activity and punishable in law," it said.

"We will, of course, continue to do our utmost to ensure that cricket is free from any corrupt activity."

'Think again'

Essex and Kent police investigated allegations that this activity was being carried out in county cricket.

In the Westfield case the police forces said they were helped by the International Cricket Council, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Essex County Cricket Club and the UK Gambling Commission.

A spokesman said the prosecution was the first use of prevention of corruption legislation relating to a sporting event.

Det Sgt Paul Lopez said: "This was a ground breaking case and highly complex.

"We are pleased that Mervyn Westfield has admitted the charge and we hope that this sends a strong message to professional sportsmen and women around the country.

"If they intend to get involved in spot fixing, or think that match fixing is not a crime, then they need to think again."

Angus Porter, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, said: "The world has moved on quite a long way since he committed those offences.

"We've invested a huge amount in educating players as to their responsibilities, but I think that none of us can be complacent.

"I think that we are all very mindful of the need to make sure that sport is played properly."

Essex County Cricket Club declined to comment on Westfield's case at this stage.

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Nato admits Pakistan troop deaths

26 November 2011 Last updated at 14:46 ET

Brigadier-General Carsten Jacobson says the incident will be thoroughly investigated

It is "highly likely" that Nato aircraft were behind a deadly overnight raid on a Pakistani border checkpoint, a Nato spokesman has told the BBC.

Brigadier-General Carsten Jacobson said Nato was investigating how the incident occurred and sent condolences.

Pakistan says at least 24 soldiers were killed. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called it "outrageous".

Pakistan retaliated by blocking Nato supply convoys, and ordering a review of co-operation with the US and Nato.

It also demanded the US vacate the remote Shamsi airbase - though it has made a similar demand before and the base may already be empty of US personnel, a BBC correspondent says.

Investigation

The night-time attack took place at the Salala checkpoint, about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) from the Afghan border, at around 02:00 local time (21:00 GMT).

Gen Jacobson said a combined force of Afghan and Nato troops were in the area when "a tactical situation developed on the ground", though he gave no more details.

He said close air support was called in, and "we're aware it's highly likely this caused casualties".

He said it was a high priority for Nato to "find out what happened".

Military sources told the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Paktika province in Afghanistan that a US-Afghan special forces mission came under fire from a position within Pakistan.

They received permission from the headquarters of Nato's Isaf mission to fire back at what they believed was a suspected Taliban training camp.

The Pakistani army said in a statement that two border posts had been attacked by helicopters and fighter aircraft, killing 24 people and leaving 13 injured.

It said Pakistani troops fired back as best they could.

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had strongly condemned the "blatant and unacceptable act", and demanded "strong and urgent action be taken against those responsible for this aggression", the military said.

'Sincere condolences'

A senior Pakistani military officer told Reuters the attack came "without any reasons" and that soldiers were asleep at the time.

Pakistani officials have told the BBC there was no militant activity in the area at the time.

In a statement, Isaf commander Gen John R Allen said the incident "has my highest personal attention and my commitment to thoroughly investigate it to determine the facts".

"My most sincere and personal heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of any members of Pakistan Security Forces who may have been killed or injured."

The incident looks set to deal a fresh blow to US-Pakistan relations, which had only just begun to recover following a unilateral US raid that killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in May.

Prime Minister Gilani cut short a visit to his hometown to return to Islamabad, where he called an emergency meeting of the cabinet.

A foreign ministry statement said he was taking up the matter with Nato and the US "in the strongest terms".

Following the attack, lorries and fuel tankers were being stopped at Jamrud town in the Khyber tribal region near the city of Peshawar, officials and local media said - part of a key route supplying Nato equipment to Afghanistan.

"We have halted the supplies and some 40 tankers and trucks have been returned from the check post in Jamrud," Mutahir Zeb, a senior government official, told Reuters.

Pakistani troops are involved in fighting the Taliban in the crucial border region area. Hundreds of militants have been resisting attempts by the security forces to clear them from southern and south-eastern parts of the district.

In October, Pakistan's army chief Ashfaq Kayani warned the US against taking unilateral action in nearby North Waziristan.

Washington has for many years urged Islamabad to deal with militants in the area.

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