Kaneria meets PCB chief, pleads his case

Karachi: Pakistan`s suspended leg-spinner, Danish Kaneria finally got a hearing from the chairman of the Cricket Board (PCB) today and reportedly apologised for his failure to take the board into confidence on his case in England.

Kaneria, who has played 61 Tests, was banned for life from playing in England at a disciplinary hearing of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) this year for his alleged role in spot-fixing in county matches. The PCB also suspended the leg-spinner from taking part in any cricket activities in Pakistan until his appeal is heard by an independent panel of the ECB on December 10 in London. Kaneria, who has vociferously voiced his innocence and claimed he was not given a fair judgment by the ECB disciplinary hearing, is said to have repeated the same thing to PCB chairman, Zaka Ashraf. Kaneria, only the second Hindu to have played Test cricket for Pakistan, had been striving hard to meet the PCB chief to plead his case. "The chairman made it clear to Danish that despite repeated reminders and advice from the board he (Danish) didn`t take them into confidence on his case and also maintained correspondence with them through his lawyer and filed a petition against them," one source close to the player said. "Zaka Ashraf`s main complaint was that Danish should have trusted the board and spoken to them and than a decision could have been made on what to do in his case. Danish apologised to the chairman and insisted that he had not got a fair hearing and that the life ban was very harsh on him," the source said. The source said that Ashraf had advised Kaneria to now go well prepared for the appeal hearing. "He made it clear that the board at this point could do nothing much for him but was sad that a player of his caliber had got entangled in fixing scandals." Kaneria later told reporters after the meeting that he was grateful to the chairman for giving him time and hearing him out. "I came here for moral support and to make my position clear. They were some misconceptions about me and I wanted to clear them before the chairman. I realise there is nothing much the board could do now in my case but I just wanted them to know my point of view as I feel I am yet to get a fair hearing in this case," the leg-spinner said. Kaneria said he and his legal team were busy preparing for the December 10 hearing. "I have applied for my visa and I know how important this hearing is to me and my family." PTI