Yorkshire calm cash fears amid Test 'fixing' claims

YORKSHIRE County Cricket Club will be compensated if the lucrative One Day International between England and Pakistan is cancelled following the allegations of match-fixing that emerged at the weekend.

Claims that members of the Pakistan squad deliberately altered certain passages of play during the Fourth Test at Lord’s have sent shockwaves through the sport. Mazhar Majeed, a cricket agent, is in custody and four Pakistan players, including captain Salman Butt, have given statements to police.

The scandal has put in doubt the forthcoming five match one day series – one of which is to be played at Headingley Carnegie on September 12 . Former players including ex-Yorkshire batsman and England captain Michael Vaughan have questioned whether the games can go ahead while the investigation continues.

Sell out international fixtures generate huge income for the host club, but Stewart Regan, Yorkshire Chief Executive, said the England and Wales Cricket board would be able to compensate them if the game is cancelled. “The ECB have built up a reserve to be used in the event of an unforeseen issue,” he said

The allegations centre on the timing of “no-balls” bowled during the game. Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed said bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif and wicket keeper Kamran Akmal were also questioned by police and three players had their mobile phones confiscated as part of the investigation.

The allegations were made by the News of the World after undercover reporters claimed they paid a middleman 150,000, and were given exact details relating to play during the following day.