Pakistan's cricket team were embroiled in an alleged betting scam Sunday as British police questioned a man on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers during the current Test match against England.

The News of the World newspaper said it gave 150,000 pounds (230,000 dollars, 185,000 euros) to a middle man in return for details about three "no balls" which later were bowled in the match exactly when he had predicted.

The report alleged that two Pakistan bowlers, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, delivered the three blatant no-balls at points in the match agreed with the alleged fixer.

The Sunday newspaper published a photograph of the alleged middle man, Mazhar Majeed, counting wads of banknotes given to him by an undercover reporter posing as a front man for a betting syndicate.

A spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police told AFP: "Following information received from the News of the World we have arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers."

The match, the fourth and final Test between the two countries at Lord's, was expected to go ahead on Sunday. Television pictures showed the Pakistan team boarding their team bus at their London hotel.

The International Cricket Council stressed that no players had been arrested over the claims.

"No players nor team officials have been arrested in relation to this incident and the fourth Test match will continue as scheduled on Sunday," it said in a statement.

Pakistan's team manager Yawar Saeed said "one or two" Pakistan players had been questioned by detectives late Saturday, but he also insisted the Test would continue on Sunday.

"Scotland Yard are now investigating and we will assist them in whatever way they may need," Saeed told the cricket website Cricinfo.

At the team's London hotel, fast bowler Asif told the Press Association on Saturday: "I have spoken to the management and they have told us something happened, but not what.

"The management will tell us more later. We are 100 percent focused on the match tomorrow."

The latest allegations will heap further suspicion on cricket in Pakistan, which is already at a low ebb.

Pakistan have been unable to play matches at home since a militant attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March last year effectively turned the country into a 'no-go area' for international cricket.

The team has been dogged by 'fixing' allegations since the 1990s and also embroiled in ball-tampering.

The News of the World claimed their reporters had posed as front men for an Asian gambling cartel, paying 10,000 pounds to the alleged fixer as an upfront deposit.

They met again on Wednesday in a London hotel room to hand over the rest of the money as their "entry ticket" into what they claimed was a "huge betting syndicate".

In the match on Saturday, Pakistan collapsed spectacularly yet again to leave England closing in on an innings victory.

Pakistan, following on, were 41 for four in their second innings, having been dismissed for just 74 first time around.

That left them still 331 runs adrift of England's first innings 446 as the home team eyed a victory that would give them a 3-1 win in their final series before they begin the defence of the Ashes in Australia in November.

There was also a controversial finish to Pakistan's 2006 Test series in England.

They forfeited the final match at The Oval in south London, having refused to take the field after tea on the fourth day because they had been penalised for ball-tampering.