Day of reckoning for Pakistan trio

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir will learn today if they are to face prosecution over claims that they accepted cash bribes to fix matches.

Senior lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service have been considering evidence that the Pakistan players conspired to defraud bookmakers. A fourth man, the businessman Mazhar Majeed, could also be charged over allegations that he accepted £150,000 to fix the actions of players – by asking them to deliberately bowl no-balls – during a Test match against England at Lord's.

Butt, then captain of Pakistan, Asif and Amir have all been interviewed under caution by Metropolitan Police officers. Majeed was arrested. Another player, Wahab Riaz, was also interviewed under caution but it is not known why he will not be included in the announcement today.

In the furore after the corruption allegations surfaced in the News of the World newspaper, Butt, Asif and Amir were provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council pending a hearing, which took place last month. Those verdicts are expected to be announced tomorrow, with all three denying any wrongdoing.