Mark Boucher backs Pietersen's call for life bans for match-fixers

Johannesburg, July 14 (ANI):Former South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher has backed former England batsman Kevin Pietersen's opinion to impose life bans on players found involved in match-fixing ,doping or cheating. Pietersen, who writes for a London-based daily, shared his latest column on Twitter demanding that spot-fixers should be banned for life and that they should not be given a second chance. "They have broken the rules, should pay the price and not be given a second chance.If you cheat the system either by taking drugs or money to under-perform then you are mugging the spectators, your teammates and a sport that has been around a lot longer than you," Pietersen wrote. Pietersen's comments came in response to the Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir's return to the Test arena following a five-year suspension for his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal. The 24-year-old, who also served a prison sentence in the United Kingdom for his role in the infamous case, will aim to erase his sordid past when he will resume his Test career at Lord's-- the scene of the fixing scandal-- on Thursday. Amir, along with former skipper Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, were found guilty of various offences of corrupt behaviour relating to the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan in August 2010 by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal in February 2011. Backing Pietersen's comments on a micro blogging website Twitter, Boucher agreed that that the match-fixers should be barred from the sport completely,Sport24 reported. "Good article @KP24! Honest opinion that I fully agree with!" the Proteas player tweeted. Boucher, who appeared in 147 Tests for South Africa and completed a world record 555 Test dismissals, was forced to retire from the game in 2012 after a bail struck his eye, resulting in a career-ending injury. (ANI)