The PCB sent a three-page legal notice to Arthur through its
lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi warning Arthur against publishing the claims.
“Give your written undertaking that your biography (Taking
the Mickey) will not contain such or similar libels and disparaging statements
against Pakistan team or any of its members,” said the legal notice, a copy of
which was obtained by the AP.
Arthur was also asked to give a proposal for the payment of
a “substantial sum in damages to compensate them (PCB) for the harm and distress.”
Last month, Arthur told South African website News24 that his team suspected
match fixing when Pakistan collapsed dramatically to lose the fifth and
decisive ODI to South Africa in Lahore three years ago.
The PCB has given Arthur one week to respond to the legal
notice.
Arthur told News24 that “the South African cricket team had
a strong suspicion that that there was match fixing involved in a decisive
one-day international against Pakistan three years ago and it took some of the
gloss off the series win.” However, the PCB in its legal notice claimed the
statements were made by Arthur to “sell” his biography.
Arthur conceded he had no proof of match fixing, “but when
you have been involved in the game long enough, you know when something is not
right.” Pakistan looked set to beat South Africa in 2007, and also clinch the
series, but slipped from a strong positions at 149-2 and 209-6 to 219 all out
in pursuit of a 234-run target.
“Allegations leveled by you (Arthur) are whimsical,
frivolous, defamatory, disparaging, denigrating, libelous, slanderous and
derogatory,” the notice said.
The PCB has also asked Arthur to unconditionally and
publicly retract his defamatory statement.
The International Cricket Council currently suspends three
Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir over
spot-fixing allegations.
The ICC's code of conduct commission has already rejected
appeals from Butt and Aamir, while Asif did not appeal against the suspension.
The suspended players are due to appear before the
anti-corruption tribunal of the ICC on dates yet to be set.
On Sunday, the PCB prevented Danish Kaneria from traveling
to United Arab Emirates despite the leg spinner being cleared by Essex police
in September of criminal charges over allegations that he was involved in spot
fixing during a county match against Durham last year.
The ICC's Pakistan Task Team said Sunday it was impressed by
the PCB's measures to ensure the integrity of its cricket after it developed a
new anti-corruption code for the players, proposed a plan to regulate agents of
players and enhance a countrywide anti-corruption education program.
“PCB has clearly recognized that it is imperative to protect
the integrity of cricket and we are indeed impressed by the progress reported,”
ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.
“Their (PCB) willingness to play such an active role on the
integrity issue is vital to the future of international cricket. They have
shown a clear determination to tackle their challenges.”
