Former Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt agreed to score no runs in an over during a Test match against England last year as part of a ‘spot-fixing' scam, a court in London heard Thursday. Prosecutors said Butt, 26, confirmed in a telephone call with his agent — a conversation recorded by an undercover journalist — that he would bat out a maiden in the third Test at the Oval in August 2010. Butt is on trial with fast bowler Mohammad Asif, 28, on charges of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, and conspiracy to cheat at gambling. They have both pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee told Southwark Crown Court that Butt's agent Mazhar Majeed rang the journalist from the now-closed News of the World tabloid, after an earlier arrangement for no-balls to be bowled in exchange for £10,000 ($15,500, 11,600 euros) fell through. In what Jafferjee said was “potentially damning evidence concerning Salman Butt directly”, a plan emerged for Butt to bat out a maiden in the first full over he faced. The journalist said that could happen in any case and that he wanted proof, so Majeed called Butt on his other phone and put it on loudspeaker so the reporter could hear. Their alleged conversation, which was recorded by the reporter, was read to the jury. Majeed allegedly said: “You know the maiden we were doing in the first over?” Butt allegedly replied: “Yeah.” Majeed: “You know the third over you face? Do one more maiden.” Butt: “No, leave it, OK.” Majeed: “You don't want to do the third over?” Butt: “Nai, yaar.” (“No, mate.”) The following day Majeed met the journalist, then texted Butt four times to remind him to tap the middle of the pitch after the second ball he faced as a signal that he would bat out that over. Jafferjee said that that day, “as events transpired at The Oval, matters were somewhat out of Butt's control”, as he had come in to bat earlier than expected, faced a new ball and had to take a single run. Young Pakistan bowler Mohammad Amir and Majeed have also been charged with the same offenses but are not standing trial alongside Butt and Asif. The trial is expected to last a month.
