Botham and Lamb To Sue Imran (06 Nov 1995)

Electronic Telegraph Monday 6 November Cricket

Botham alleges libel by Imran

by Amit Roy

IAN BOTHAM is suing Imran Khan in what promises to be the most sensational cricket trial since Kerry Packer took on the English cricketing establishment 18 years ago.

Cricketing celebrities from all over the world are expected to come to London next year to give evidence when two of the greatest all-rounders in the game clash in the High Court.

In a separate but related case, South African-born Allan Lamb, captain of Northamptonshire and a former England batsman, is also taking legal action against Imran.

Alan Hurd, the solicitor acting for Botham and Lamb, said that Imran was accused of making derogatory comments in an interview given last year to the magazine India Today, in which the former Pakistani captain identified Botham, Lamb and Fred Trueman as "lacking class and upbringing".

Imran`s solicitor, Howard Cohen, said yesterday that attempts to settle the dispute had failed and George Carman QC, one of Britain`s best known libel lawyers, would "vigorously" defend Imran.

When Pakistani fast bowlers were first accused of scuffing one side of a ball to achieve "reverse swing", Imran defended them by insisting that tampering was a common practice among fast bowlers. Botham has also objected to this comment in his libel action.

The row intensified last year after an admission from Imran that he had once roughed up a ball with a bottle top. This led some of his critics in England, especially in the tabloid press, to brand him a Pakistani "cheat".

Last night, in an interview carried on Zee TV, an Asian channel in Britain, Imran claimed that he became a victim last year of a racist campaign by British tabloid newspapers. His marriage to Sir James Goldsmith`s daughter Jemima had also fuelled racist attacks, he alleged.

In 1977, Australian tycoon Kerry Packer sued the English cricketing authorities to establish his right to hold "circus" matches.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph

Libel case against Imran Khan

Athar Ali LONDON, Nov.5 the former England cricket captain, Ian Botham, has decided to take libel action against Imran Khan, former Pakistan cricket captain. A similar action is being taken against Imran Khan by Allan Lamb, a former England Test player. Both Botham and Lamb allege that Imran in an interview he gave to India Today magazine, which was published last year, has libelled them by questioning their breeding. Attempts to settle the matter out of court have failed. The hearing of the case is not expected until next year when a number of cricket personalities will appear in court as witnesses. Imran Khan will be defended by George Carman QC, one of Britain s top lawyers. The legal battle started when Botham and Lamb issued writs against Imran last year after the publication of his magazine interview. The whole thing relates to the ball-tampering accusations made against the Pakistan team when it toured England in 1992. Allan Lamb was sued by the former Pakistani pace bowler, Sarfraz Nawaz, alongwith the newspaper in which he had alleged that Sarfraz, who was his team mate in the Northampton county, had told him how he had passed on the technique for roughing the ball up to some of the Pakistan players. Ian Botham was to appear as a witness for the defendants but the case after two days of hearing was settled out of court. Imran, in his biography by Ivo Tennant, admitted that in a match, while playing for Sussex, he had himself used a bottle top to tough up the ball. Imran also said at the time that to achieve a reverse swing scuffing of the ball on one side was a common practice.

Source :: Dawn Wire Service