Frinton on Sea Cricket Club are delighted that former Essex CCC fast bowler Mervyn Westfield has had his county cricket ban relaxed

In 2012, the former Essex paceman was banned from all cricket for five years and sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to a spot-fixing offence in a 2009 one-day fixture against Durham.

His ban runs until February 16, 2017, and while he remains prevented from playing for a first XI County Championship team until that date, the terms of his exclusion have been relaxed by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) in light of his contribution to anti-corruption initiatives.

Westfield can play county second XI or minor counties cricket this year as he tries to rebuild his career.

Westfield was allowed to return to club cricket in 2014 and has played for Frinton-on-Sea Cricket Club, who play in the East Anglian Premier League, for the past two seasons.

He has appeared at the Professional Cricketers’ Association's (PCA) pre-season rookie camp as well as at a recent event in South Africa to help educate players on the threat of corruption, earning him some leniency from the CDC.

Frinton on Sea club treasurer Chris Armstrong said: “We are delighted for Merv as we know how hard he’s worked with the PCA in their anti-corruption work.

“He’s travelled around the country and even gone to South Africa to talk about his case and the lessons young cricketers can learn from it.

“He has set a great example both on and off the field at Frinton where he’s played for the last two seasons.

“This doesn’t mean he’s leaving Frinton where he’s a big part of Kyran Young’s plans for the coming season but it does free him to play minor counties if selected.

“I don’t think many would dispute that he was one of the best players in last season’s East Anglian Premier League so we suspect it won’t be long before he’s seen wearing a Suffolk shirt.”

Westfield, now 27, was charged along with former Essex and Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria after accepting a £6,000 payment for agreeing to concede 12 runs from his first over in the Pro40 match in September 2009 - even though Durham actually managed only ten.

Kaneria was later banned from cricket for life, having been found guilty of recruiting Westfield into spot-fixing.

A statement from the CDC said: “The Cricket Discipline Commission announced that the former Essex cricketer Mervyn Westfield will be allowed to play Minor Counties and First Class Second XI cricket from the start of this season.

“The CDC Panel ruled that Westfield must continue to serve the remainder of his five-year ban from first-class county cricket because strong deterrent sentences continue to play an important role in the wider fight against corruption in cricket.

“But it agreed to vary his sentence to allow him to play at a lower level after acknowledging the important contribution he has made to joint ECB and PCA anti-corruption initiatives, including a recent trip to South Africa to support a player education programme.”

Chairman Gerard Elias added: “The panel concluded that Mr Westfield has made a real and substantial effort in this area which reflects his continuing remorse and a genuine desire on his part to repay cricket for the harm caused by his actions in 2009.”