Pakistan cricket players questioned over 'betting scam'

Three Pakistan cricket players have been questioned by police over claims they were involved in a betting scam, the team manager has said.

Yawar Saeed said police had taken three players' mobile phones. Cricket was not "institutionally corrupt" in Pakistan, he said, and the claims were unproven.

The News of the World claims it paid a middleman for details of three no-balls later bowled by Pakistan as predicted.

England won the match at Lord's on the fourth morning on Sunday.

Scotland Yard said a 35-year-old man was being held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.

The allegations relate to three no-balls delivered by Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif on Thursday and Friday. A no-ball occurs when a bowler oversteps the line behind which balls should be delivered.

England's victory by an innings and 225 runs on Sunday gave them a 3-1 series win.

Pakistan's captain Salman Butt told a news conference he and his team-mates had "given our best".

"I would say that everybody in this team has given 100%."

Mr Saeed said Mr Amir, Mr Asif and Mr Butt had all had their mobile phones taken away by detectives.

He also said that the forthcoming one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches against England would continue as normal.

The allegations against a number of Pakistan players follow after the News of the World claimed that in exchange for £150,000, a middleman gave it details of three no-balls which players later bowled at the predicted times.

It claims that Pakistani players were secretly paid to deliberately bowl the no-balls so gambling syndicates could bet on them and make money.

While there are no allegations that the result of the latest Test was affected - or that England players had any knowledge of the alleged scam - BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said the integrity of the sport would be damaged.

"What it does do is make you wonder what is going on in front of you, that is the danger for any sport," he said.