PAKISTAN cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were handed long bans after charges under the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption code were proved.

Former Pakistan captain Butt has been banned for ten years, five of which are suspended.

Michael Beloff QC, who chaired the three-man anticorruption tribunal in Doha, found the charge that Butt had failed to disclose an approach from player agent Mazhar Majeed to bat out a maiden over in the third Test against England at The Oval in August as proved, although a charge that he agreed to bat out a maiden over was dismissed.

Asif was banned for seven years, two of which were suspended, while Amir will serve a five-year ban.

Charges under Article 2.1.1 of the ICC’s anti-corruption code against Asif and Amir – that they had agreed to and did bowl one no-ball and two no-balls respectively in the Lord’s Test against England last year – were proved, as was the fact that Butt was party to the bowling of those no-balls as captain.

Mr Beloff said in a statement released by the ICC: “The tribunal found that the charge under Article 2.1.1 of the Code that Mr Butt agreed to bat out a maiden over in the Oval Test match played between Pakistan and England from 18 to 21 August 2010 was dismissed, whereas the charge under Article 2.4.2 that Mr Butt failed to disclose to the ICC’s ACSU (Anti- Corruption and Security Unit) the approach by Mr Majeed that Mr Butt should bat a maiden over in the Oval Test was proved.

“The tribunal found that the charges under article 2.1.1 of the code that (respectively) Mr Asif agreed to bowl and did bowl a deliberate no ball in the Lord’s Test match played between Pakistan and England from 26 to 29 August 2010, Mr Amir agreed to bowl and did bowl two deliberate no balls in the same Test, and Mr Butt was party to the bowling of those deliberate no balls, were proved.”