Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson claims that the players may have been forced to get involved in 'spot-fixing'

Pakistan's current tour of England is in question after allegations in the News Of The World that seven members of the team - including captain Salman Butt, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and star bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer - were involved with illegal betting syndicates.

Lawson, who coached Pakistan from July 2007 to October 2008, believes criminal organisations target players with non-financial ways of ensuring matches go according to a certain plan.

In his column in the Sydney Morning Herald, the former Australia fast bowler wrote: "(The allegations) could be related to extortion, threats, and the well-being of (the players') own family members.

"It would not surprise me if illegal bookmakers have told players that if they do not perform X and Y, their families will be kidnapped or harmed.

"In my time as Pakistan coach, I gained some incredible insights into the workings of the country and the team, and I'll never forget the time the team captain called me up to his room on the eve of a match.

"Earlier that day, a player who we had not  been selected for the game approached me, saying: 'I was told I would be playing tomorrow.' My response was, 'Well no, you're not, you've obviously been given the wrong information'.

"Then the skipper of the side called me late in the evening. I went to his room and he was standing there with a very sombre-looking selector."This selector said: 'We must pick (the player who had earlier approached me), I have been told that if he is not in the team tomorrow, my daughter will be kidnapped and I will not see her again'."

According to Lawson, even though that matter was resolved eventually, there could be a host of other external influences that could affect a player's cricketing loyalties.

"I will never condone any form of fixing, but we should consider that a cricketer might not be thinking of personal gain but of getting money to buy a generator for his village because they don't have electricity," he added.

"I had a lot to do with Mohammad Asif and he was always missing training sessions to look after his sick mother. He has spent a lot of his money on looking after his family."

And Lawson has a few words of support for Butt and Aamer, saying: "If Salman Butt is involved in any match-fixing, I would be absolutely stunned. He is a very intelligent, polite guy and has done well since taking over the team.
"(And) it would be the greatest tragedy if a young man like Aamer has been led astray.

Former International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed has called for Pakistan to be suspended from the game over the allegations, but Lawson insists "positive leadership" at the helm of the country's cricketing board would be a better solution.

"I don't think Pakistan should be banished. We have seen them survive some incredible on- and off-field turmoil," he said.

"You shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

"But I will say that the present Pakistan administration cannot escape some of the blame for this. What they need right now is positive leadership and they don't have it.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ijaz Butt, is not a leader, he should not have the job."

He added: "When I was there, the board did not have people with vested interests. They were business people who treated people fairly. The first-class players were looked after and paid well and it made a difference."

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