ECB wants apology

"Mr Butt has been advised that if a satisfactory response is not received, legal proceedings will be commenced against him without further notice," an ECB statement said.

The threat follows an interview given by Butt to a Pakistan TV channel after England lost the third one-day international at the Oval last Friday.

Butt said there had been “loud and clear talk in bookies' circles that some English players were paid enormous amounts of money to lose (Friday's) match.”

His comments came after the International Cricket Council said it was launching an inquiry into Pakistan's scoring pattern at the Oval after receiving information from a British newspaper.

Thursday's ECB statement said a letter from the board and the Professional Cricketers' Association had been sent to Butt.  “The letter seeks a full and unreserved apology,” the statement said.