Salman Butt (former Pakistan captain) was sentenced for 30 months, Mohammad Asif was jailed for one year and talented Mohammad Amir got six months.

It is clear to everyone what this means for the sport and it will be very difficult to ever remove the stain of corruption, especially with the type of high profile players being implicated. I have always accepted that we would have to live with some element of corruption in sport, especially where online betting is involved. This is really due to the potential to earn huge sums of money, and the ease at which bets can be sourced and placed.

Betting firms, sporting bodies and Gambling Control Commissions are always working to eliminate this type of illegal activity and, in the main, have been successful with procedures, life bans, banking and fraud regulations, etc.

What I don’t get is why players of Butt, Asif and Amir’s calibre would risk being involved for such relatively small payoffs. Majeed (the cricket agent) claims to have paid Butt £10K, Asif £65K and Amir £2.5K. In addition, why would Amir, with such talent and years ahead of him (not to mention sponsorship deals) do such a stupid thing? Amir is the youngest player ever to take 50 test wickets, and his swing bowling is second to none - and the best is yet to come, with him only being 19 - such a waste.

I suspect this story still has a few chapters left to go......