Former Essex player Mervyn Westfield has admitted a corruption charge linked to a NatWest Pro 40 match.

Westfield, 23, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to accepting or obtaining a corrupt payment to bowl in a way that would allow the scoring of runs.

A separate charge of assisting another person to cheat at gambling was ordered to lie on file.

Westfield agreed to bowl the first over in a one-day, 40-over match between Durham and Essex in September 2009 to allow the scoring of a certain number of runs.

Adjourning sentencing until February 10, Judge Anthony Morris told Westfield: "I hold out no promises to you as to the eventual outcome of this case.

"It's open to the court in this case to pass an immediate custodial sentence."

The cricketer currently remains on bail.

The court heard that Westfield agreed to bowl the first over so that 12 runs could be scored, but only 10 were achieved.

Judge Morris said that the name of the other party involved in the deal would be known to cricket fans, but it was not revealed in court.