ICC to sit back until Scotland Yard finishes probe

 NEW DELHI: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt said that no leniency would be given to the players involved in corruption nor such request has been made while ICC president Sharad Pawar said that no compromise would be made on the supremacy of the game and the ICC would take aany action only after the Scotland Yard completes its investigations.

Sharad Pawar held talks at his home in New Delhi with Ijaz Butt on Thursday to discuss allegations that Pakistan players were paid to bowl deliberate no-balls during a match in England last month.

The ICC chief vowed the regulatory body would "maintain the sanctity" of the game amid Pakistan's spot-fixing betting scandal.

"We will never tolerate any nonsense or corruption in the game of cricket. We want to maintain the sanctity of cricket," Pawar, who is also India's agriculture minister, told reporters after the 90-minute talks.

Pakistan players Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt have all written to the ICC saying they will defend themselves over disciplinary action brought against them, their lawyers confirmed this week.

Butt said they would remain suspended until a probe by the Scotland Yard was completed.

"The matter is under investigation. Until that investigation is completed, we cannot comment on it," he said. "The ICC has suspended the players. Unless the suspension is removed, they cannot play."

Replying to a question, Pawar said that the PBC is fully cooperating with the ICC.