Former Essex and Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria, who was given a life ban after a disciplinary panel concluded that he had encouraged a team-mate to underperform, has lost a High Court fight with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The ECB had charged Kaneria with inducing another Essex player, Mervyn Westfield, to “deliberately concede” runs in a limited-overs game against Durham in 2009 and with bringing cricket into disrepute. 

An ECB disciplinary panel found that charges had been proved after a hearing in 2012. 

An appeal panel set up under ECB disciplinary regulations upheld the decision to impose a life ban in 2013.

Kaneria took High Court action — claiming that the ECB appeal panel had been wrong to uphold the life ban — and wrong to order him to pay the ECB legal costs of £200,000.

But a High Court judge dismissed his claims at a hearing in London yesterday.

Mr Justice Hamblen said the appeal panel had not exceeded its powers. He said there were no grounds for suggesting that an error of law had been made.

Kaneria was not at the hearing. A lawyer told the judge that he was in Pakistan.