Thaindian News

Sydney, Nov 4 (IANS) Australian vice captain Shane Watson feels cricketers found guilty of corruption should be banned for life.

Watson’s comments come in the wake of a landmark judgement by a London court Thursday when Pakistani cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer became the first cricketers to be jailed after being found guilty of spot-fixing during a series in England last year.

“In the end, I think a life ban is surely enough to be able to say to people that it is the wrong thing to do. It is challenging the integrity and taking the game of cricket down,” Watson was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.

“Whether it is jail, whether it is a life (playing) sentence, there is no doubt that the punishments are very severe for doing the wrong thing.

“Since I first started playing, you know that if you do something wrong in that regard you won’t be playing cricket ever again.

“For me personally, it has (cricket) given me an amazing life and something I only ever dreamed of, so I would never want to do anything that even questioned the ability for me to be able to play the game that I love so much.”

Watson was sad to see the punishments meted out to the Pakistani cricketers but said they deserved it.

“It is very disappointing when you see the things that have happened in England with the Pakistan guys and, in the end, they deserve the punishment.”

Former captain Butt was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, while Asif and Aamer were given a one-year and six month term respectively.

Questions are also being raised on the instances of spot-fixing during Australia’s victory over Pakistan at Lord’s Test last year.

Watson, who took a five-wicket haul in that match, said he did not suspect any wrongdoing.

“No, not at all actually. I didn’t think anything untoward at all apart from trying our best and them trying their best to win the game,” he said.

“We have played quite a bit of cricket against them throughout the last two or three years as well, with the Test series in Australia as well as over in England and some one-day series as well.

“I definitely didn’t suspect anything of what has come out over the last year or so.

“Hopefully, we as international cricketers can continue to build the game back up for people to continue to love the game and know that we are out there just giving our best every time and providing entertainment that people hopefully enjoy.”