This was where the BBC got very confused. There's no spread betting company of bookie in the UK where you could get a bet on such as this. They mentioned a "spot" market -- presumably ball-by-ball betting in Asia on whether it would be a dot ball, a 1, a 2, a 3, a 4, a 6, an NB or a wide. However, none of this is taking place through any legal channels.
Far more likely that this was a "taster" - proof that the Pakistan players were "on board" for later bets on occurrences which were backable with UK firms. When one looks at the performance of the Pakistan team in one of the tests vs Australia last year, where errors by certain players turned a strong Pakistan position into a weak one, then one has to wonder whether in the past there have been events rather more significant than naming a no-ball.
But, well, the Beeb has never really understood betting, so it was floundering about in the dark here when it reported the story.
Re: The home of cricket
Far more likely that this was a "taster" - proof that the Pakistan players were "on board" for later bets on occurrences which were backable with UK firms. When one looks at the performance of the Pakistan team in one of the tests vs Australia last year, where errors by certain players turned a strong Pakistan position into a weak one, then one has to wonder whether in the past there have been events rather more significant than naming a no-ball.
But, well, the Beeb has never really understood betting, so it was floundering about in the dark here when it reported the story.
PJ