England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke is under no illusions that the convictions of three Pakistan cricketers involved in the spot-fixing scandal will deter cheating in the game.
Pakistan trio Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, along with agent Mazhar Majeed, were jailed for deliberately bowling no-balls during last summer's Test match against England at Lord's.
While some believe that the punishment has been good for cricket in terms of deterrence, Clarke thinks that the outcome is far from positive.
"There was nothing triumphal at all about what took place," he says. "It was a personal tragedy for some of the individuals and it was not a great moment for the game.
"It is going to be hard for us as a sport because these issues will return. Every time there is a dramatic, unexpected result, will it be given the credence it deserves?
"A dramatic overturning against the odds is one of the reasons people watch and love cricket, but that can be undermined. And that is the absolute tragedy."
It emerged yesterday that former Pakistan captain Butt has appealed his 30-month prison sentence.
Danielle Joynson
