THE CHAIRMAN OF the Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB) has accused England of  purposely losing the third match of the two countries’ One Day International (ODI) series.

Ijaz Butt appeared on a chat show on India’s NDTV and said that “there is loud and clear talk in the bookies circle that some English players were paid enormous amounts of money to lose the match.”

Pakistan won the match by twenty-three runs , but the International Cricket Council has announced it is looking into further allegations of spot-fixing by Pakistani players during the match.

The fourth game of the ODI series is to go ahead today despite the allegations.

Former England captain and current batting coach Graham Gooch was furious in his denial of the allegations against England on BBC Radio Five Live. “The English cricket team go out to win every match in their quest to become the best team in the world and I don’t see anything different every time they prepare and play a game. I think it’s completely without foundation.”

Further controversy surrounds Pakistan after senior South African players anonymously told a local newspaper “to say we are reluctant is an understatement” ahead of their scheduled ODI set for the Dubai and Abu Dhabi next month.

“Nobody knows what is going on in Pakistani cricket and we feel that playing such a high-profile series now – especially in the Middle East – is asking for trouble.”