Players accused in Pakistan spot-fixing scandal face emergency meeting

The three Pakistan players at the centre of cricket's betting scandal have left their Taunton hotel for an emergency meeting in London tomorrow that will go a long way to determining whether Pakistan's tour of England will continue and whether their own careers are likely to be at an end. The Pakistan captain, Salman Butt, and the bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif have initially been summoned to appear before the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ijaz Butt, the country's high commissioner and lawyers, in the knowledge that they could face life bans if their guilt is proven. They are also expected to be face further questioning from the Metropolitan Police. "Will you be back Salman?" Butt was asked as he left. For the first time in three days, the eyes of Pakistan's young captain twinkled. His reputation lies in ruins, but his desire is not yet spent. "Why not?" he asked. "Are you guilty Salman?" The second question, more hostile, was ignored as he got into the front of a taxi. The other two players remained silent. Amir's normal cheeriness has not been as evident. Asif has largely confined himself to his room. The players were travelling with the Pakistan security officer, Khawaja Najam, a brisk former army officer known to everybody as The Major, and his family. They will automatically miss tomorrow's practice match against Somerset at Taunton. Irrespective of Butt's suggestion that he will return — with an aim of playing in the opening Twenty20 international against England in Cardiff on Sunday – the ECB wants the players removed from the tour. The previous evening, on a small patch of lawn outside the Holiday Inn, the Major's son had looked on shyly as Daniel Yousuf, the eight-year-old son of Mohammad Yousuf, had played some knockabout cricket with a verve and a skill that, unbeknown to him, communicated a little about the innocence that cricket once again finds itself trying to protect in some small, diluted form. A week ago, before the News of the World sting suggested that spot-fixing was rife, Butt was repeatedly hailed as a potential saviour for Pakistan cricket, a man capable of bringing order from chaos. Even if he does somehow survive his reputation will never be as pristine again. Now the mood has turned against him. If there is sympathy for anybody, it is for somebody even younger, the 18-year-old Amir. Increasingly, the argument is heard that even if the allegations are proved, he has been groomed by others more culpable. There is talk that an ICC chief executive's meeting in Cape Town next month could be of similar mind. There are many more meetings to be held, however, before then.