Former Essex player Westfield jailed for spot-fixing

English cricketer Mervyn Westfield was on Friday jailed for four months for his role in the spot-fixing scandal. He claims to have been lured into the scam by former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria.

- Spot-fixing: How it works

Westfield, who represented Essex in English county cricket, admitted that he received 6,000 pounds (US$ 9,200) for agreeing to bowl in a way that would allow the scoring of 12 runs in his opening over in a 40-over match against Durham in September 2009. In the event, only 10 runs came off the over.

- The spot-fixing trial of Pakistan players

He was ordered to serve half the four-month term in jail while he was also fined with a confiscation order for $9200 during the hearing at the Old Bailey, London's Central Criminal Court.

Prosecutors had earlier told the court that Westfield, 23, became embroiled in the scam after an approach by Kaneria, it was reported in the British media.

Prosecutor Nigel Peters QC said the deal emerged after another Essex player, Tony Palladino, showed Westfield "the
most money he had ever seen".

Kaneria was arrested in connection with the case in 2010 but later released without charge. Before today's hearing,
the identity of the player who had made the initial approach to Westfield had not been disclosed.