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Summary The jury in spot-fixing trial of ex-Pakistan players were sent home for the night on Thursday.
The jury members will continue their deliberations on Friday.Prosecutors allege that Butt, 27, and Asif, 28, conspired with British agent Mazher Majeed and bowler Mohammad Aamer to deliver three intentional no-balls during the Lords Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010.Butt and Asif have both pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, and conspiracy to cheat at gambling.Over three weeks of evidence at Southwark Crown Court, the jury of six men and six women has heard that there are huge sums to be made by fixing parts of matches, known as spot-fixing, for gambling syndicates.Butt and Asif were charged after allegations about their involvement in spot-fixing appeared in the now-defunct News of the World tabloid, owned by Australian-born media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, shortly after the Lords Test.The trial judge, Justice Jeremy Cooke, finished his summing-up of the case on Thursday before sending the jury out to start their deliberations.Majeed and Aamer are facing the same charges but are not standing trial.ASIFS NEW DEFENSE: The judge in the Pakistan spot-fixing trial on Wednesday asked the jury to consider whether Mohammad Asifs defense was believable, as he gave the court an excuse he had not previously mentioned it when questioned by police.Asif and former Pakistan captain Salman Butt face charges of delivering predetermined no-balls in a test against England at Lords last year. Butt and Asif deny the charges.Asif told the court that his no-ball was caused by verbal abuse he had received from Butt.Judge Jeremy Cooke reminded the jury that Asif had not mentioned that as an excuse when questioned by police before he was arrested.Cook said both Asif and Butt were told at the time that it may harm your defense if you do not mention something you later rely on in court.
