Cricket: Riaz hit by Trott, called a 'match-fixer'

England batsman Jonathan Trott called Wahab Riaz a match-fixer and hit the Pakistani fast bowler in the face with some cricket pads in an altercation before the fourth one-day international, according to Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi.

Afridi said Riaz was walking near the practice nets before Monday's match at Lord's when Trott told him: "You are a match-fixer, you people have killed test cricket." The pair then reportedly clashed physically.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said the two players only "had an exchange of words" and both were spoken to by ICC match referee Jeff Crowe.

Afridi told Geo Television in Pakistan that Trott was lucky criminal charges weren't filed and said the Pakistan team had considered pulling out of the match, which the visitors won to send the series to a deciding fifth game.

"It's a crime here to hit someone in the face with pads," Afridi said Tuesday. "I think Trott was wrong and did a bad thing by hitting Wahab with the pads. I think we showed a big heart by not taking any action against Trott.

"There was such a suggestion before the toss of not playing, but I think that was not the right thing to do. We are going through a difficult situation and we should not react and I think patience is the best thing for us."

England had also considered not playing Monday after Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt had accused the team of throwing Friday's game, which Pakistan won for its first victory since the ICC suspended three of its players for alleged "spot-fixing."

England captain Andrew Strauss said his players and the ECB are still considering taking legal action over the accusations.

Like his three teammates, Riaz was questioned by police over the allegations but hasn't been suspended or charged by the ICC.

Pakistan test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended and charged on Sept. 2 by cricket's governing body under its anti-corruption code. The three players were implicated in an undercover sting by a British newspaper over bowling no-balls at predetermined times for financial gain in the fourth test against England at Lord's last month.

The ICC is investigating another claim of spot-fixing in Friday's game, and Afridi believes there is a conspiracy against Pakistan.

"Behind the scenes, people are trying to finish off this team,'' Afridi said. "But as a nation we always rise to such occasions and handle such pressures."

The deciding ODI is on Wednesday at Southampton.