Topic: Disappointing- Pakistan overstep the mark.
Very very disappointing. I'm an MCC member and I find this so disgraceful at the home of cricket.
Arrest over Pakistan-England Test cricket 'betting scam'
The News of the World has released undercover footage
A man has been arrested in connection with an alleged cricket betting scam centred on the current Test between Pakistan and England at Lord's.
The News of the World claims it gave £150,000 to a middleman who provided details about three "no balls" which later took place when he predicted.
Scotland Yard said a 35-year-old man was being held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.
Pakistan and England said the game would resume on Sunday as planned.
While there are no allegations that the result of the Test will be affected - or that England players had any knowledge of the alleged scam - BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said the integrity of the sport would be damaged.
"What it does do is make you wonder what is going on in front of you, that is the danger for any sport," he said.
A joint statement issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) read: "No players nor team officials have been arrested in relation to this incident and the fourth npower Test match will continue as scheduled on Sunday.
"As this is now subject to a police investigation neither ICC, ECB, PCB nor the ground authority, the MCC, will make any further comment."
The statement said the ICC, ECB, PCB, along with the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, were assisting the police with their inquiries.
Earlier, Pakistan manager Yawar Saeed told the Associated Press team members had spoken to police at their hotel and were "helping them with their inquiries".
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“Start QuoteI don't see how they can really come out this morning and play a game in which you don't know what is unfolding in front of your eyes”
End Quote Phil Tufnell Former England cricketer
He later said he was shocked by the allegations, as were the team members to whom he had spoken.
The News of the World alleges that Pakistani players were secretly paid to deliberately bowl "no balls" during the Test.
A "no ball" occurs when a bowler oversteps the line behind which balls should be delivered.
The newspaper claims it was given pre-warning of three separate incidents by the Pakistan team.
It said members of its reporting team posed as businessmen and paid a middleman who told them exactly what would happen in the next day's play.
The allegations relate to three "no balls" delivered by Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif on Thursday and Friday.
Speaking from the team hotel in north London, Mohammad Asif said: "I have spoken to the management and they have told us something happened, but not what. The management will tell us more later. We are 100% focused on the match tomorrow."
'Uncomfortable questions'
Although the Test is due to resume this morning, former England player and BBC cricket commentator Phil Tufnell said it would be difficult to see this happen.
"Everything has been brought into question," he said.
"I don't see how they can really come out this morning and play a game in which you don't know what is unfolding in front of your eyes."
Former Pakistan cricket captain Asif Iqbal said he was shocked by the newspaper's claims, while Angus Porter, chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, said the allegations could cover "a spectrum of possible offences".
The BBC's Andy Swiss said the allegations involved "very minor, very small details within the match that might seem ridiculously trivial to a lot of people".
Our correspondent added: "That sort of information is worth a huge amount of money in the betting world where you can put bets on the tiniest details within a cricket game.
"This is a difficult situation for cricket and there are going to be some uncomfortable questions for the Pakistan team when the match resumes."
England look close to an innings victory in the Test at Lord's later after taking 14 Pakistan wickets on Saturday.
They are heading for a 3-1 victory in the four-match Test series.
JB LP Goldtop No. 290- Aged...rather like me.
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