Friday, September 3, 2010

England boss happy with Mushtaq role

Flower and Mushtaq working for England
Flower and Mushtaq working together for England

England boss Andy Flower is satisfied with spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed's role within the team despite previous links with illegal bookmakers.

Mushtaq was named in a report into match-fixing by Justice Qayyum in 2000 because of the 40-year-old ex-Pakistan bowler's association with gamblers.

The International Cricket Council said it would not have employed Mushtaq.

But Flower stated: "I am very comfortable with Mushtaq. He's been brilliant for us as a team."

Mushtaq's past is in the spotlight as the spot-fixing crisis engulfs the sport, with allegations three current Pakistan cricketers deliberately bowled no-balls in last week's Lord's Test against England.

On Friday Pakistan captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammed Asif and Mohammad Amir were interviewed by the Metropolitan Police over allegations of corruption.

They have also been provisionally suspended by the ICC and have been charged under the governing body's anti-corruption code.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said of Mushtaq: "The best we can do is just highlight anybody we have got on a list who has been labelled before and I handed this to the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board] and cautioned them [about Mushtaq] with a suggestion you need to do due diligence.

"They did their due diligence and they were satisfied with the appointment.

"We suggested they [ECB] had to be vigilant around their own changing rooms.

"We don't at the ICC, as a matter of fact, employ people we believe may have been tainted in the past but they are entitled to do their own due diligence and make their own decision."

Former spinner Mushtaq, who took 185 wickets in 52 Tests, has been working with England since 2008.

He has not been involved in the series against Pakistan but will be working with England again during the Ashes in Australia at the end of the year.

Flower added: "He's a cricket coach - that's what he is - and we're very comfortable working with Mushy.

"He's a lovely man, and a good man for our system. I'm quite happy with that."

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