CRICKET; Danish Kaneria: Spot-fixing life ban appeal refused

The leg-spinner was banned in June 2012 after being found guilty of corruption while playing for Essex during a one-day match in 2009.

Kaneria, 33, denies wrongdoing but the Court of Appeal said his application was "totally without merit".

Giles Clarke, England and Wales Cricket Board chairman
"It is high time that Mr Kaneria came clean about his involvement in these corrupt activities."

"It means Kaneria has exhausted all the legal options available to him," the England and Wales Cricket Board said.

ECB chairman Giles Clarke welcomed the decision, adding: "Kaneria acted as a recruiter of potential 'spot-fixers' and used his seniority and international experience to target and corrupt a young and vulnerable player.

"It is high time that Mr Kaneria came clean about his involvement in these corrupt activities and stopped misleading the Pakistan cricket fans and wider public with his empty protestations of innocence.

"We once again urge him to apologise publicly for his past actions and to start the process of redeeming himself."

Kaneria's Essex team-mate Mervyn Westfield was jailed for four months after admitting a corruption charge relating to a 40-over game against Durham.

During Westfield's trial, Judge Anthony Morris said the scam had been orchestrated by Kaneria, who spent six seasons at Essex from 2004.

But Kaneria, who played 61 Tests and 18 one-day internationals for Pakistan between 2000 and 2010, was never charged by the police, on the grounds of insufficient evidence.