MAZHAR Majeed, the man at the centre of cricket match-rigging allegations will "prove his innocence", one of his close friends has told the Advertiser.

Croydon Athletic Football Club's owner is under police investigation after being filmed apparently accepting £150,000 from undercover reporters to rig last week's test match between England and Pakistan.

The 35-year-old is accused of conspiring with Pakistan captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammed Amir and Mohammad Asif in a betting scam.

But Majeed's friend, businessman Deva Ponnoosami, says the accusations are "completely out of character".

He explained: "The charity work he does and the support he has given to Croydon and what has been alleged do not seem to go together.

"My initial reaction is that these are just allegations. I would like to believe that they are unfounded. He is an extremely nice, generous and sharing person and I was very surprised when I read what he was being accused of."

The scandal surrounding Majeed is the second time Croydon Athletic has been thrust into the headlines in as many months after former chairman Dean Fisher was jailed for three years in July for defrauding his employers of £500,000.

For the full story see page 5 and Sport