Former cricketer admits corruption (From The Northern Echo)

Former cricketer admits corruption

11:17am Thursday 12th January 2012 in Durham CCC

A FORMER Essex county cricketer admitted a corruption charge linked to a NatWest Pro 40 match against Durham today.

Mervyn Westfield, 23, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to accepting or obtaining a corrupt payment to bowl in a way that would allow the scoring of runs.

A separate charge of assisting another person to cheat at gambling was ordered to lie on file.

Westfield agreed to bowl the first over in a one-day, 40-over match between Durham and Essex in September 2009 to allow the scoring of a certain number of runs.

Adjourning sentencing until February 10, Judge Anthony Morris told Westfield: "I hold out no promises to you as to the eventual outcome of this case.

"It's open to the court in this case to pass an immediate custodial sentence."

The cricketer currently remains on bail.