17 September,2010 07:55 AM IST | | AFP
Former Essex cricketer Mervyn Westfield has been charged with conspiracy to defraud over claims he deliberately played poorly, England's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) yesterday.
Westfield is alleged to have dishonestly agreed to bowl his first over in a 40-over match between Durham and Essex on September 5, 2009 in such a way as to allow a certain number of runs to be scored.
He is now due to appear at the City of London Magistrates' Court a week on Thursday (September 23).
Westfield was originally arrested in May at the same time as Pakistan and Essex leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.
But the 29-year-old Kaneria was released without charge by police on September 8 and told he would face no
further action.
Westfield, 22, of Chelmsford, Essex, east of London, was charged on Thursday morning and released on bail.
