KCCA clears Kaneria of spot-fixing charges in a local match

Karachi: Pakistan`s Test leg-spinner, Danish Kaneria has got some respite in his ongoing battle to clear his name in spot-fixing investigations.

An inquiry committee of the Karachi City Cricket Association today cleared Kaneria of any further investigations in an ongoing probe into a match of the national super eights T20 match held this year. Karachi Zebras lost the match to lowly rated Peshawar Panthers in an upset result and were knocked out of the event with Kaneria bowling just four deliveries before going off the field with a fitness problem. The KCCA, which is one of the biggest affiliated units of the Pakistan cricket Board, was forced to launch its inquiry after the manager of the Karachi team, Saeed Jabbar reported that he suspected some players had spot fixed in the match and deliberately under-performed. But after Kaneria appeared before members of the inquiry committee, the KCCA said in a statement that he was not needed for any more investigations. "The KCCA secretary, Professor Ejaz Farooqi and a senior member, Qamar Ahmed thoroughly interviewed Kaneria and are convinced his withdrawal from bowling was due to a side strain," a KCCA statement said. "Kaneria was interviewed and also submitted a medical certificate to support his claim. The inquiry committee also spoke to the manager and is convinced Kaneria is no longer required in the investigations," the statement said. Kaneria, 31, who has taken 261 wickets in 61 Tests, has not played for Pakistan since his last appearance in England in August 2010. The PCB has not cleared him for national selection since he was named in a spot fixing investigation by the Essex police into a county match between Essex and Durham in 2009. As a result, Kaneria is also facing a spot fixing inquiry by the England and Wales cricket board (ECB) and is due to attend a hearing this month. Kaneria has pleaded innocent to the charges against him by the ECB which launched the inquiry after Kaneria`s teammate at Essex, Mervyn Westfield was jailed in February after confessing he accepted 6000 pounds to spot fix in the county match. During the trial, Westfield`s lawyer claimed that Kaneria had introduced him to the alleged bookmaker. A KCCA official said the inquiry against other players including former Pakistan batsman, Hasan Raza, who captained the Karachi side would continue until the situation was clear. PTI