The ICC admits the current investigation into 'spot-fixing' allegations against three Pakistan players could be extended to cover the Sydney Test earlier this year.

Australia held an 80-run lead with only two wickets in hand at the start of day four of the Test in January before Mike Hussey hit an unbeaten 134 to set Pakistan a victory target of 176.

Spinner Nathan Hauritz then tore through the tourists' batting line-up to seal a 36-run win for Australia in a match which at one point looked destined to give Pakistan a comprehensive victory.

Sir Ronnie Flanagan, chairman of the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit, said yesterday any evidence brought to the governing body linking the Sydney Test to the 'spot-fixing' investigation would be examined thoroughly.

"We will be examining all the evidence that is brought before us in this particular case, we will go where the evidential trail takes us," Flanagan said.

"If there is new evidence then we will examine that with the investigative countries at any given country and that could be the case with Australia."

When asked about whether the investigation would be looking at the News of the World's claims involving the Sydney Test, Flanagan said: "We will be examining all that. We are in the process of examining that in great detail and if that evidential trail takes us back to a re-examination then that is exactly what we will engage in."

Pakistan captain Salman Butt and seamers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were questioned by police yesterday in relation to a criminal investigation which was launched after claims made in the Sunday tabloid they were part of a 'spot-fixing' scam aimed at defrauding illegal bookmakers in the fourth Test against England. Pakistan high commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan has revealed that the players had protested their innocence to him.

The ICC decided to charge the trio under "various offences'' under the governing body's code of conduct and will take no part in the rest of the tour, although they were given 14 days to appeal the decision.

Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan had earlier criticised the decision and accused the ICC of a "conspiracy" against the cricket-mad nation that has been stripped of its right to co-host the 2011 World Cup and has to play its ``home'' games abroad due to security fears.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat rejected those claims at a joint press conference with Flanagan at Lord's on Friday.

Lorgat said: ``This particular incident with the three players is unrelated to the challenge that we've got in keeping Pakistan involved as a full member of the International Cricket Council.

``So I wouldn't want to link the two, and I certainly wouldn't subscribe to the view that there is some sort of conspiracy around Pakistan cricket.''

The Pakistan team, meanwhile, arrived in Cardiff yesterday to prepare for the first of two Twenty20 internationals against England tomorrow.

Batsman Asad Shafiq and fast bowler Mohammad Irfan will leave the Pakistan A tour of Sri Lanka to replace the suspended players in the senior squad next week.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued last night, Hasan said the removal of Aamir from the list of nominees for ICC's 'Emerging Player of the Year' award violates the principle of "innocent until proven guilty".

"I have learnt that ICC has taken cricketer Mohammad Aamir's name off from the list of 'Players of the Year.' What happened to the general principle of law 'innocent until proven guilty'," Hasan said.

More embarrassment for Pakistan likely in 'spot-fixing' row

Pakistan cricket could find itself in a deeper crisis in the coming days as the spot-fixing scandal involving suspended players Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif is expected to grow bigger with fresh revelations.

Sources have told PTI that British tabloid 'The News of the World' tabloid, which broke the story about the alleged nexus between the Pakistani trio and a bookie Mazhar Majeed, is likely to release more details which will bring more embarrassment for the players and PCB.

"The players were on Friday let off by the investigating authorities after a marathon inquiry session without any charges being pressed against them but this does not mean the matter is going to die down soon," one source said.

Well aware of the behind the scenes development in London, the source said the tabloid had apparently handed over long hours of recorded conversations between Pakistani players and Mazhar Majeed dating back to the Twenty20 World Cup and the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

"In one particular audio tape, one player is heard talking to Mazhar about getting out early in a match of the Asia Cup," the source said.

He said the tabloid had more forensic evidence like SMS texts exchanged and some videos showing the players with the alleged bookie.

Another source said the tabloid had tipped off the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit during the England tour about the possible nexus between the players and Mazhar Majeed.

"The investigations that have taken behind the scenes so far cover the T20 World Cup and the Asia Cup before the England tour. The two Test matches that Pakistan lost last year in Sri Lanka from winning positions have also been looked at by the ACSU," the source disclosed.

The source noted that despite all the hue and cry over the sudden suspension of players, the ICC and Scotland Yard had shown the PCB and its legal advisors some of the forensic evidence including transcripts of the telephone conversations that led them to make the allegations against the players public and eventually suspend them under the anti-corruption code of conduct.

Another source said the ICC and ACSU were not satisfied with the role of Pakistan manager Yawar Saeed and felt he had not done enough to prevent the situation from getting out of hand as the code of conduct also placed great responsibility on the team officials and support staff.

"There was an incident in Sri Lanka during the Asia Cup which the ACSU believes Yawar should have prevented," he added.