KARACHI: The head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Monday said lengthy bans given to three Pakistani players for spot-fixing were “regrettable” but promised to help them in their rehabilitation. An International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption tribunal Saturday banned former Pakistan captain Salman Butt for ten years, Mohammad Asif for seven years and Mohammad Amir for five years after a hearing in Doha. “PCB terms the verdict against the three players as regrettable and a sad reality which must be faced,” PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said in a statement. Butt said the PCB had “full confidence” in the investigation and tribunal, but admitted the spot-fixing episode had been a gruelling time for Pakistani cricket. “The time since August last year, when the spot-fixing case came to light, has been an extremely painful one for Pakistan cricket. I now hope that this unfortunate saga is put to rest and we can concentrate on cricket,” Butt said. “We will continue to work with ICC on this sensitive matter in future also. We will also see how we can help the three players with their education and rehabilitation program.” Butt said the PCB was determined to root out corruption, which has dogged cricket in Pakistan in the past. Since the spot-fixing scandal, the PCB has taken important steps, including the introduction of a corruption code in domestic cricket, he said. The PCB had formed an integrity committee to check players and held lectures to create awareness against corruption and these steps were praised by the ICC, Butt said. The players have 21 days to appeal against the sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sports, based in Switzerland. Kolkata fans angry Angry fans waved banners and shouted slogans Monday as an ICC inspection team assessed whether Eden Gardens could host three World Cup games after losing a marquee match to Bangalore. Eden Gardens, one of India's best-known grounds, was stripped of the India vs. England game on Feb. 27 after an ICC delegation said the venue was under-prepared due to a delay in construction work. A three-member inspection team returned on Monday to assess if enough progress had been made to save three other matches – none featuring India – and was greeted by slogan-chanting fans holding up “Go Back ICC Officials” placards and waving black flags. Watson wins Allan Border Medal Shane Watson capped an outstanding playing year by winning Australian cricket's top individual award, the Allan Border Medal, for the second straight year on Monday. Watson's win capped a superb night in Melbourne for the 29-year-old allrounder, who also won his second consecutive ODI Player of the Year award and his first Test Player of the Year award. He was also runner-up to David Hussey in the Twenty20 award, which was given for the first time. Watson polled 295 votes in the Allan Border Medal, which combines votes for every match in all three formats that Australia has played in the year to Feb. 2. He finished 100 votes clear of Michael Hussey (195) and Mitchell Johnson (193) in the medal voting. In other awards, New South Wales batsman Usman Khawaja was named State Player of the Year and NSW paceman Trent Copeland was the Young Player of the Year. Women's international player was Shelley Nitschke. Former skipper Mark Taylor and middle-order batsman Doug Walters were also inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at the ceremony.
