Kuala Lumpur, Jun 28 (IANS): The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board Wednesday called for a life-time ban on Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria and England bowler Mervyn Westfield, who were punished by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for corruption.
The ICC Board said all the member countries should acknowledge the ECB's decision on the two players and ban them as well.
"Following the recent decision of the ECB's Disciplinary Panel in the anti-corruption proceedings brought against Danish Kaneria and Mervyn Westfield, the ICC Board unanimously acknowledged and agreed that the ICC and every full, associate and affiliate Member should recognise and respect the sanctions imposed by the ECB's Disciplinary Panel on those players, including by enforcing and giving effect to them within their own jurisdictions to the fullest extent permitted by law," the ICC said in a statement.
Kaneria was banned for life by the ECB for his involvement in the Mervyn Westfield spot-fixing case. Kaneria along with his former Essex team mate Westfield was arrested by the police in 2010 on charges of spot-fixing but was later released due to lack of evidence.
Westfield was jailed for four months in February but was released after two months after he admitted accepting 6,000 pounds ($9,346) to under-perform during a Pro40 match between Essex and Durham in 2009.
Westfield had named Kaneria as the link between bookmakers and players. Westfield has been handed a five-year ban by the ECB but he will be eligible to play club cricket in the final two years of his suspension.
Meanwhile, the ICC also asked the Bangladesh and Sri Lanka cricket boards to implement a domestic anti-corruption code by August 15.
"Both Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), who have yet to implement a domestic anti-corruption code, are advised that they will have such a code in place by 15 August, 2012," the ICC said.
The ICC Board also received the annual report from Ronnie Flanagan, the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) chairman, and he repeated the need for the ICC to remain extra vigilant in the area of anti-corruption and also maintain the current high level of education.
Flanagan also repeated the desire for governments to put in place criminal legislation to protect against deliberately under-performing for personal gain and noted that progress had been made in this area in Australia.