Kaneria to consult lawyers over corruption hearing
Former Pakistan legspinner Danish Kaneria will consult his lawyers before deciding whether to attend a disciplinary hearing called by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) into corruption charges.
"We have received no notification of the ECB disciplinary hearing so far. When we get it we will consult our lawyers before announcing any decision," Kaneria's brother Vicky told Reuters on Thursday.
Kaneria was named in a London court in February as a go-between in a spot-fixing scandal that resulted in a four-month prison sentence for his former Essex teammate Mervyn Westfield.
"Mervyn Westfield and Danish Kaneria have been notified that an ECB disciplinary panel hearing will take place at which charges will be heard relating to their alleged breaches of the ECB's anti-corruption directives," the ECB said in a statement.
Kaneria, who took 261 wickets in 61 tests, was arrested in 2010 along with Westfield on suspicion of spot-fixing during an Essex match against Durham in 2009 before being released without charge.
Kaneria's Essex contract was terminated in 2010 and he has not played for Pakistan since the scandal came to light, appearing several times before the board's integrity committee.
A London court heard earlier this year that Kaneria told Westfield a friend would pay him to cooperate in a spot-fixing scam – an allegation denied by the Pakistani player.
Westfield was the first English county cricketer to be convicted in court for spot-fixing.
"Danish was questioned by the Essex police when this incident took place and was released without being charged. He is innocent," Vicky Kaneria said.
"We have no issues about him going to London to attend the hearing but first we will consult our lawyers and see what the hearing is all about.
"We want this issue to be settled once and for all because it has nearly destroyed my brother's career."
