Thaindian News

London, June 9 (IANS) Surrey League side Addington said they did not pay banned Pakistani pacer Mohammad Aamer to play for them.

Aamer, serving a five-year ban from all forms of the game, is now facing further investigations by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after admitting to playing for the club.

The 19-year-old was banned by the ICC in February after being found guilty of deliberately bowling no balls against England last year in what has come to be known as the spot-fixing scandal. Aamer, who took four wickets and scored 60 with the bat against St Luke’s CC, claims he was told the match was a friendly and it would not contravene his suspension.

Addington club secretary Raheal Shafi insisted no money had been paid to Aamer.

“We are nowhere near Test or county standards and there was no money involved,” SkySports quoted him as saying.

“He was very down to earth. He was relaxing and sitting on the grass and talking about life in Pakistan, life in England and where he has travelled.”

Aamer, however, said he was told that the match was a friendly game.

“I was informed by club representatives before the game that it was a friendly match, being played on a privately-owned cricket ground,” Aamer told PakPassion.net.

“I asked the club representatives if the match fell under the jurisdiction of the ECB and they informed me that the match did not.

“I spoke to several club representatives about the issue and they all told me that it was a friendly match and, therefore, would not contravene my ban from the ICC. I was informed that I was fine to play.”