Mervyn Westfield slams ECB for not checking spot-fixing

The England Cricket Board on Monday, brought former Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield to testify against Danish Kaneria who is fighting against a life-ban. A court order summoning Westfield has left him fuming and he has accused ECB of not doing enough to prevent players from getting embroiled in spot-fixing in the first place.

Westfield and Kaneria were accused of spot-fixing during their County stint with Essex in 2010. While Kaneria has appealed against the punishment imposed on him in the London Court of International Arbitration, an angry Westfield - already found guilty and imprisoned for two months - issued a statement through his lawyer that ECB and Essex "did not do enough to prevent the crime."

"I am here today not because of the summons, nor because of any other party," Westfield said in his statement. "My family have stood by me throughout the torture I have been made to live with this. No one else has given me any support despite all the promises a year ago. I am here to bring to an end the pain and suffering that I am forced to continuously suffer."

The 24-year-old cricketer testified against Kaneria but his anger was directed towards ECB for imposing a harsh penalty on him. Westfield has been banned from first-class cricket apart from his stint in prison. Kaneria remains hopeful of reversing the ban imposed on him. The current legal case is likely to be heard until Thursday of this week.