London : Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has been found guilty of two corruption charges of encouraging former Essex team-mate Mervyn Westfield not to play to the best of his ability. Paceman Westfield was sentenced to four months in prison in February for spot-fixing offences in 2009.

The England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB] disciplinary committee said Kaneria's evidence "did not stand up to scrutiny and is plainly lies".

According to The BBC, the ECB was "in no reasonable doubt" that Kaneria, 31, influenced Westfield.

The charges relate to a CB40 match between Essex and Durham in 2009, when Westfield received 6,000 pounds in exchange for conceding 12 runs in his first over.

Westfield, who has since been released from prison, pleaded guilty to one charge.

Punishments for both players are to be announced on Friday afternoon.

The ECB disciplinary panel concluded that Kaneria:

•acted as a recruiter of spot fixers

•approached a number of what he saw as potential targets at Essex

•cajoled and pressurised Westfield into becoming involved, well knowing that he was young and vulnerable

•was present when Westfield received his payment for underperforming.

During Westfield's trial, Kaneria, who played for Essex between 2004 and 2010, was named as the go-between in the betting scandal.

But Kaneria, who played 61 Tests and 18 one-day internationals between 2000 and 2010, was never charged by the police on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

Both players were charged by the ECB in April for "alleged breaches of the ECB's anti-corruption directives".

The guilty verdict against Kaneria comes the day after his former Pakistan team-mate Salman Butt was released from a UK jail after serving seven months of a 30-month sentence for spot-fixing.

Butt, 27, was jailed with fast bowlers Mohammad Asif, 29, and Mohammad Amir, 19, for the bowling of deliberate no balls in a 2010 Test match against England at Lord's.

All three were also given five-year playing bans, which they are appealing against.

Kaneria was only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan when he made his Test debut in 2000 and went on to become the country's most successful Test spin bowler. He played for Essex between 2004 and 2010.

Westfield made his first-class debut for Essex in 2005 against Derbyshire at Chelmsford but left the county in 2010.