Cricket: Giddins fined and banned

Former England seam bowler Ed Giddins was fined and banned yesterday after being found guilty of betting against his own side.

Then with Surrey, Giddins bet around £7000 ($20,820) on Northamptonshire to win a National League match in August 2002.

Surrey were well beaten after fielding a virtual second-string side. Giddins did not feature.

Giddins was found guilty by an England and Wales Cricket Board disciplinary panel. He was fined £5000, ordered to pay £1000 in costs and banned from any involvement in cricket for five years.

The ECB recently tightened their rules on gambling, banning players from betting on any aspect of a match. Giddins, who won four test caps and played for four counties, l had a controversial career, being banned for 18 months for drug use in his early years with Sussex and no-balled for throwing.