Pakistan medium fast bowler Mohammad Asif will be arriving in England tomorrow (Tuesday) ahead of the Crown Court proceedings against 3 cricketers and a cricket agent.

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, and the agent Mazhar Majeed, are due to be tried in Southwark Crown Court in London on charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, with the trial due to commence this Friday.

Accepting corrupt payments is an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 and carries a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine. Cheating is an offence under Section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005, carrying a maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine. 

All four men had previously appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' court for the hearing to set the trial date. At the previous hearing the cricketers were given unconditional bail and Majeed was told to surrender his passport and not apply for international travel documents. The prosecution objected to unconditional bail being granted but the players' lawyers informed the court the cricketers would attend all future hearings and, though sureties of up to £50,000 were offered to secure their bail, the judge, Howard Riddle, said it was unnecessary. 

The three players have already been banned by the ICC, which held a separate inquiry, for periods ranging from five to ten years. All three have, however, already filed appeals against their bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland and those appeals will be heard once an outcome has been reached in the trial due to commence on Friday.

Speaking to PakPassion.net a source close to Asif stated that "Asif was coming to England to clear his name. His aim is to clear his name in the upcoming trial and then get clearance from the CAS and resume his cricket career. Asif is adamant that he is innocent and wants to prove his innocence to all."