Day Twenty of the spot fxing trial and Messrs Butt and Asif are given the guilty verdict on all charges

By Saj Sadiq (November 1, 2011)

Day Twenty at the Southwark Criminal Court in London saw a heavy media presence of photographers and journalists – all waiting with bated breath, as it was widely expected that the jury would deliver their verdicts on this day.

Justice Cooke once again asked the jury to retire and reach either a unanimous verdict on any or all charges, and the jury was promptly told to leave the chambers for deliberations. It would be an hour or so before announcements on the tannoy drew attention to the fact that the jury – and perhaps the verdicts - were on their way. The atmosphere was suitably tense, as Butt and Asif also returned to the court to hear of their respective fates.

The judge informed the court that verdicts had been reached on 3 of the 4 charges – conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments, levied on both players – the end to this saga was finally in sight. The jury also informed the judge that they could not reach a verdict on the 4th and final count.

Former Test captain Salman Butt was found guilty on both charges of  'conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments' and of  'conspiracy to cheat'.

Asif was found guilty of 'conspiracy to cheat' , with no verdict reached for the count of 'conspiracy to accept corrupt payments'.

The pair showed little emotion and remained stone-faced as the verdicts were read out. It was later revealed that Butt’s wife had given birth to a baby son earlier in the day, making the 31st of October a very bittersweet day for the Butt family.

The jury was then sent back for further deliberations for the fourth and final verdict, that of the charge of conspiracy to accept corrupt payments on Mohammad Asif. A break for lunch was announced as the jury continued to deliberate and it was a further two hours when the jury finally re-entered the court with their decision.

Salman Butt chose not to return with his legal team as the final verdict for Asif was also announced. He was found guilty on 'conspiracy to accept corrupt payments'.

The jury was discharged and hastily left the courtroom, with sentencing to being at 10.30 am on the 1st of November.

It was also revealed that the third accused player - former left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Amir – had issued a statement in the pre-trial hearing via his barrister, in which he had submitted a guilty plea. The statement, made by Ben Emmerson QC, is as follows:

“Amir wants to make it clear he wants to take full responsibility for what he did by deliberately bowling two no-balls."

"This vulnerable 18-year-old boy, as he was then, was subjected to extreme pressure from those upon whom he should have been able to rely. He recognizes the damage he has caused Pakistan cricket and he wishes to do his best to put that right.”

With sentencing to begin tomorrow and expected to go on till Thursday, this sordid chapter of Pakistan cricket may finally come to a close. A dark day for Pakistani cricket followers, as their worst nightmares became a reality and one that threatens to overshadow any achievements by Butt and Asifs ex colleagues in the UAE.