London, Feb 2 (AFP): Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Aamer was released on Wednesday from a British jail after serving half of a six-month sentence for his part in a spot-fixing scam. The 19-year-old was freed from Portland Prison in Dorset, south-west England.

Aamer, then a rising star of world cricket, was one of three Pakistan players jailed by a judge in London in November over their roles in a plan to bowl deliberate no-balls during a Test against England at Lord's in August 2010.

However, he cannot immediately return to cricket as he is serving a five-year ban from the sport imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for his role in the scandal.

Former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt, 27, was sentenced to two and a half years for his role as the "orchestrator" of the scam while seamer Mohammad Asif, 28, received a 12-month prison term for bowling a fraudulent no-ball.

Mazhar Majeed, 36, the London-based sports agent who organised the scam was jailed for two years and eight months.

All three players are serving five-year ICC bans.The scandal emerged as a result of an undercover investigation by now defunct British tabloid the News of a World.

Both Butt and Aamer had appeals against their sentences rejected in November, with England's top judge saying they had "betrayed" their country.