SA suspected Pakistan in 2007: Arthur

Johannesburg: Former South Africa coach Mickey Arthur had "a strong suspicion" that Pakistan was involved in match-fixing in a one-day series in 2007, he said in an interview published Thursday.

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.

"There was a strong suspicion of match-fixing and it took some of the gloss off the series win," Arthur said this week, according to News24.

Needing 234 to win the series, Pakistan went from 149-2 and 209-6 to 219 all out. No allegations were made against the Pakistan team at the time.

"We did not have any proof, but when you have been involved in the game long enough you know when something is not right," Arthur said. "How else do you explain a batting side needing only 40 runs with seven wickets in hand, and then losing?"

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Arthur's reported comments come as Pakistan and South Africa face each other in the first of five ODIs in the United Arab Emirates on Friday _ the first one-day international between the countries since the Lahore game.

Their Twenty20, ODI and two-Test series in the UAE is also set to be overshadowed by allegations levelled at three current Pakistan players, Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, who have been provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council on suspicion of fixing parts of a test against England in August.

Butt and Aamer flew to Dubai on Friday to have their appeals against their suspensions heard by the ICC. Asif temporarily withdrew his appeal last week. They are accused of bowling no-balls at predetermined times in a test at Lords in a spot-betting scam.

The ICC says it plans to hear the appeals on Saturday and Sunday. Arthur, who is now coach of Western Australia after he resigned from the Proteas job in January, said the problems surrounding the Pakistan team mean South Africa will win the current series with ease.

"Pakistan are at an absolute low and I can't see us having any trouble beating them," he said. "Our real test will come when we play against India at home at the end of the year."