Alastair Cook says match fixers should be banned for life as Amir returns

Amir is poised to make a controversial return to Tests this summer – having made his comeback for Pakistan in the shorter formats earlier this year – and in a twist, his first match could be the scene of his crime.

The left-arm paceman served a five-year spot-fixing suspension and a three-month prison sentence after bowling no balls to order during the 2010 Lord’s Test, with HQ once again the venue for next month’s opener between the two countries. But if Amir is included in Pakistan’s team in London, having been named in the squad earlier this week, Cook would take the matter in his stride.

"It’s kind of ironic that his first Test match back will probably be here at Lord’s,” Cook said. "He’s served his time. He was punished for what he did, and quite rightly so, because we’ve got to protect the integrity of the game. I have no problem playing against him at all.”

However, Cook believes punishments nowadays should be more stringent and admitted he would be in favour of life bans for anyone found guilty of matchfixing.

"My only one thing is that I think if you get caught match-fixing you should be banned for life. The punishment should be that hard, because we’ve got to protect the integrity. That’s not to say Amir should not come back, because the rules were probably different then. From my point of view the punishment should be harsher ... but that’s from now on ... if I had any say in it.”

Cook was speaking ahead of the dead rubber against Sri Lanka at Lord’s, a Test series England have already wrapped up after wins at Headingley and Chester-le-Street. The left-hander, who passed the 10,000-run barrier in Tests in Durham, confirmed they would be unchanged, meaning Chris Woakes keeps his place ahead of the uncapped Jake Ball.