Pakistan tour will carry on despite fixing allegations

England's one-day series with Pakistan is set to go ahead despite the allegations of spot betting made against the tourists in Sunday's News of the World. "It is the desire of the ICC [International Cricket Council] and the cricket boards of England and Pakistan that the game should continue," ICC president Sharad Pawar said on Monday, adding that he hoped a report into the betting claims would be ready as soon as possible.

The report, which is being compiled by the ICC's anti-corruption unit, is separate to the enquiries currently being undertaken by the British police after Sunday's stunning tabloid expose. And the four Pakistani players at the centre of the scandal – captain Salman Butt, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif free to continue playing while the investigations are ongoing. "Hopefully we can reach a conclusion by the weekend," said Pawar. "We are working hard, but it's important to remember that an individual is innocent until proven guilty."

The quartet of players were on the Pakistan bus as it left London on Monday for Taunton, where the tourists will play Somerset before facing England on Sunday in a T20 match.

And one of the England players, Graeme Swann, has called for the one day series (two T20 and five 50-over matches are scheduled) against Pakistan to proceed as normal despite the black cloud of suspicion hanging over the squad. "I'm very keen for the one-dayers to go ahead," said the England spinner.  "I love one-day cricket and, with nothing proved, I have no problem whatsoever who I play against.  What I want most is that cricket gets back in the papers for the right reasons - for someone to score an unbelievable hundred or produce a great spell of bowling... we want a clean game and that's what the spectators deserve."

Innocent until proven guilty is also the overriding sentiment in Somerset where the county's chief executive Richard Gould said the Pakistan players would be warmly received. "They have a net session booked in for Wednesday and if they want anything else we will be happy to provide it," said Gould. "This game has been looked forward to by many of our supporters and members and we think they will give the Pakistan team a warm welcome."

But ICC president Sharad Pawar issued a strong warning ahead of the report's publication, promising that if the allegations of spot betting are proved, "then ruthless actions will be taken." ·