Under anything which goes by the ECB, Danish Kaneria has been banned for eternity from it as he was found guilty of corruption by a disciplinary panel when he was involved for spot fixing in the Mervyn Westfield case, Westfield pleaded guilty to all charges and he was banned for 5 years but has been given the permission to play club cricket after 3 years.
Former Essex fast bowler Westfield was jailed for 4 months back in February earlier this year as he pleaded guilty to underperform in a Pro40 match against Durham towards the end of the season in September 2009. Kaneria who was Essex's overseas player had been named by the judge in Old bailey as the Kingpin of the crime but when he was arrested alongside Westfield in 2010, He wasn't charged by the police because they didn't have enough evidence against him.
During the ECB hearing which was carried out for 4 days, Westfield explained and gave proof on the details how he introduced him too an Indian businessman named Anu Bhatt but was known as Anu. Kaneria did admit that he made both of them meet each other as he was warned about Anu earlier due to his connections with illegal betting claimed that he just tried to stay away from Bhatt.
When phone records we're dug up Kaneria and Bhatt's phone calls lasted for an extremely long period of time before the Pro40 game against Durham in September 2009 and that his defence was that Westfield was not a dependable witness due to his poor conduct from before was also rejected.
Kaneria last represented Pakistan in 2010 in 2nd test against England at Nottingham but was dropped after that due to poor performances, On Pakistan's next test series assignment in the UAE against South Africa he was selected again but as he was just about to leave for the airport he was stopped by the PCB as the ICC had contacted them and said they weren't satisfied with his clearance because of the criminal investigation that was conducted against him in 2010 by the Essex police.
So far only the ECB has handed Danish his punishment but it is expected the Pakistani international will be given more castigation from his own board, The PCB.
The full statement handed by the ECB:
"We regard Danish Kaneria as a grave danger to cricket & we must take every appropriate step to protect our game from his corrupt activities"
"As a senior international player of repute he plainly betrayed the trust reposed in him in his
"Kaneria has made no admission, has shown no remorse and sought to cast blame on other plainly innocent persons"
"In all these circumstances, we regard Danish Kaneria as a grave danger to the game of cricket and we must take every appropriate step to protect our game from his corrupt activities"
"Accordingly, we are unanimously of the view that the only appropriate sanction in relation to both charges is one of suspension for life."
"This means from today Danish Kaneria is suspended from any involvement in the playing, organisation or administration of any cricket under the jurisdiction of the ECB."
GeoSuper