spinner Danish Kaneria and former Essex bowler Meryvn Westfield are to face an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) hearing over the corrupt activities that led to the English seamer's imprisonment. In February, the 23-year-old Westfield became the first county cricketer in England to be prosecuted for spot-fixing and was jailed for four months. Westfield was convicted on one count of accepting or obtaining a corrupt payment to bowl in a way that would allow the scoring of runs. In February, London's Old Bailey was told Westfield was paid £6,000 ($9,585) to bowl so that a specific number of runs would be chalked up in the first over of a match between Durham and Essex in September 2009. It was claimed Westfield was “targeted” by Essex teammate Kaneria, whom the court was told set up the deal. Kaneria, who has always pleaded his innocence, had earlier been released without charge by police. Kaneria will consult his lawyers before deciding whether to attend the disciplinary hearing called by the England and Wales Cricket Board. “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 Thursday. “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.” An ECB statement issued Thursday said: “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 charges relate to the corrupt activities which led to Mervyn Westfield's criminal conviction in February. “The chairman of the ECB's Cricket Discipline Commission, Gerard Elias QC, will chair the hearing. “The ECB will be making no further comment whilst these proceedings are on-going.” A board spokesman said a date and venue for the hearing had yet to decided. Kaneria was once an integral part of Pakistan's Test team, claiming 261 wickets in 61 Tests at an average of 34.79. The Pakistan Cricket Board has overlooked Kaneria for the national team since Westfield's case surfaced in 2010, forming an integrity committee to hear his case and which has yet to clear him. For the past two years, Kaneria had been trying to clear his name and even appealed to the Sindh High Court in Karachi to try and overturn his unofficial suspension in Pakistan. But the court dismissed his appeal last year, saying it was not within its jurisdiction. Kaneria was warned in 2008 by the International Cricket Council over his connections with a bookmaker involved in illegal betting markets.
