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Three Pakistan cricket team members and an agent are to face corruption charges according to the United Kingdom's Crown Prosecution Service.

Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were accused of 'spot-fixing' offences in the fourth Test against England at Lord's last August.

The players and their agent Mazhar Majeed will be charged with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and also conspiracy to cheat.

They have always denied the accusations of bowling deliberate no-balls.

The International Cricket Council, which conducted its own investigation, is expected to present its findings on today.

The players, who are all from Pakistan, and Majeed, from south London, are due to appear at the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on 17th March.

Simon Clements, head of the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime Division, said the charges "relate to allegations that Mr Majeed accepted money from a third party to arrange for the players to bowl no-balls on 26th and 27th August 2010, during Pakistan's fourth Test at Lord's Cricket Ground in London."

Clements added "we are satisfied there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to prosecute."

Clements explained that summonses had been issued for the three players and they had been asked to return to the UK voluntarily, which they had agreed to do in September last year, adding "their extradition will be sought should they fail to return."

Butt, the former Pakistan captain, and both Asif and Amir were provisionally suspended in September after the allegations of corruption surfaced during last year's tour of England.

It was claimed Asif and Amir deliberately bowled no-balls at pre-arranged times during the Test, with Butt also said to be involved, in return for money from a bookmaker's 'middle man'.

They denied manipulating parts of the game in this way, which is known as 'spot-fixing'.

London's News of the World newspaper, which originally made the allegations against the players, said it would "continue to assist the police with their inquiries."

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