Salman Butt and Mohammed Amir sentence appeal date set

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammed Amir were jailed for their part in the scam

Former Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammed Amir are to begin appeals against their sentences for a spot-fixing scam next week.

Ex-captain Butt, 27, was jailed for 30 months and former bowler Amir, 19, received a six month term for their parts in a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in a Test match against England.

The Court of Appeal will hear the case on Wednesday.

Bowler Mohammad Asif, 28, and cricket agent Mazhar Majeed were also jailed.

They were arrested after the fourth Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010 at Lord's.

Betting scam

Southwark Crown Court heard an undercover News of the World reporter had paid Majeed £150,000 for details of the precise timing of three no-balls, which were duly delivered as promised.

Such actions can be extremely valuable on the spot-fixing betting market, which involves betting on the finer details of sporting contests.

Majeed claimed to have paid Asif £65,000, Butt £10,000 and Amir £2,500.

In February, all three players were banned from playing for five years by the International Cricket Council. They are appealing against the suspensions.

Butt was sentenced to 30 months and two years, to run concurrently, after being found guilty of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.

Asif was sentenced to a year after being found guilty of conspiracy to accept corrupt payments and a year for conspiracy to help others to cheat at gambling, to run concurrently.

Amir was sentenced to six months after admitting conspiracy to accept corrupt payments and six months for conspiracy to help others to cheat at gambling, to run concurrently.

Majeed received two years and eight months after admitting conspiracy to make corrupt payments and 16 months for conspiracy to allow others to cheat at gambling, to run concurrently.

Passing sentence, the judge told all the players they would be released on licence half way through their sentences if they behaved.

The Court of Appeal hearing will be presided by the Lord Chief Justice.