PARIS: The International Cricket Council said Friday that Pakistan's fast bowler Mohammad Asif had withdrawn his challenge to the provisional suspension handed down last month for alleged match-fixing. Teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir have appealed against their own provisional suspensions and their hearings are still set 30 and 31 October. “Mohammad Asif confirmed earlier today that he has withdrawn his challenge to the provisional suspension imposed on him on Sept. 2, 2010 pending determination of the charges brought against him under the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code,” the ICC said. “Arrangements are now being made for the challenges being made by Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir against their provisional suspensions,” an ICC statement read, the organization adding it would not make any further comment for the time being. The trio were charged with offenses under the ICC's anti-corruption code after Test captain Butt and fast bowlers Amer and Asif were all named in a News of the World report alleging they were involved in a “spot-fixing” scam by bowling deliberate no-balls in a summer Test match with England in exchange for cash. ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat had warned that the sport had to take a tough stand to preserve cricket's integrity, noting that such offences “carry serious penalties up to a life ban.” The News of the World claimed that Amir and Asif had bowled no-balls on request during the fourth Test at the Brit Oval, with Butt orchestrating the alleged fix. Scotland Yard was called in and the trio had their mobile phones confiscated by police investigators. – Agence France
