England want Pakistan bet probe players dropped

The England cricket team has called for the Pakistan players named in the betting probe to be forced to sit out the rest of the tour.

The hosts will play Pakistan in two Twenty20 matches and five one-dayers in September following their Test series victory.

Angus Porter, who fronts the Professional Cricketers Association, told the BBC that no further involvement on the part of the accused would be “preferable”.

“Speaking on the behalf of the England team we can say we think it preferable if those individuals who are named do not play in the forth coming series,” said Porter.

International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat has also told of his desire for the accused players to play no part in the remainder of the tour: “It is our preference that they do not play”.

It appears, however, that England players are still keen for the series to be contested. Graeme Swann, told The Sun: “I love one-day cricket and, with nothing proved, I have no problem whatsoever who I play against.”

And Stuart Broad also made his feelings public: “We shouldn’t call it off on the back of an investigation that is ongoing”.