The disciplinary arm of the England and Wales Cricket Board has relaxed a life ban imposed in 2014 on former New Zealand opening batsman Lou Vincent. (Cricket News)
The Cricket Disciplinary Commission agreed that under the revised penalties Vincent will be able to participate in cricket at or below domestic level. The decision followed submissions to the CDC on Vincent's behalf by the International Cricket Council, New Zealand Cricket, the ECB, and the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association.
Vincent received 11 life bans in 2014 after admitting to 18 breaches of the ECB anti-corruption code while playing in three county matches, for Sussex against Lancashire and Kent in 2011 and for Lancashire against Durham in 2008.
The appeal committee also took into account comments made by former New Zealand captain and current England Test coach Brendon McCullum in the MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture in 2016 in which McCullum highlighted Vincent's admission of guilt and cooperation with anti-corruption authorities.
Now 45, Vincent still is not allowed to participate at the international level but can attend matches or coach at the professional domestic level or below.
"Perhaps the worst part is that Lou is unable to go to a cricket ground anywhere in the world. He can never watch his children play at any level," McCullum said at the time.
"I struggle with the severity of this when a player has co-operated fully and accepted responsibility."
Vincent told New Zealand media on Friday he was grateful to be given a second chance.
"I made a terrible mistake many years ago which I'll deeply regret for the rest of my life and I remain very sorry for the harm I caused,” he said.
"Being able to return to the cricket environment means the world to me and I feel very fortunate to again have that opportunity. I want to thank the ECB and the Cricket Discipline Committee and Gerald Elias for their consideration of my application and their ultimate determination."
