Butt appeals against ICC suspension

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan test captain Salman Butt has appealed against his suspension to the International Cricket Council after being implicated in the spot-fixing scandal.

Butt was suspended indefinitely on Sept. 2 following allegations the fourth and last test against England at Lord's was corrupted by illegal betting.

"Yesterday we received a request from Salman Butt to consider lifting the suspension," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat told the BBC on Wednesday. "As expeditiously as possible we will conduct a hearing to consider that appeal."

Butt had requested a 15-day extension to file the appeal. The two other suspended Pakistan fast bowlers — Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir — are yet to appeal.

The three cricketers were charged and suspended under the ICC's anti-corruption code after a newspaper sting alleged they received money to bowl no-balls at predetermined times in the test in late August.

Michael Beloff, the code of conduct commission chairman, will hear Butt's appeal.

"We promised action and we are making good progress to see it through," Lorgat said. "It is a legal process we must follow and we will do our level best to eradicate any sort of corruption in the sport.

"We've also got a very strong education program in place and there are many instances we avoid. Many players follow the code and keep the sport free of corruption. The one or two cases we do uncover, we must deal severely with."

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt flew to London on Tuesday with his legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi in an apparent bid to gather more information on the ongoing investigation.

Ijaz Butt was also at the center of controversy for alleging England played badly in the third one-day international against Pakistan at the Oval this month.

The England and Wales Cricket Board had threatened legal action against the PCB head if he does not apologize.

"Ijaz Butt is meeting the ECB later today — that is a matter between those two boards," Lorgat said. "We are not (involved) at this stage. It's a matter between the PCB and the ECB and I'm sure they will deal with it in the first instance."