AUCKLAND (Sports Desk) - The Pakistan cricket tour begins on Boxing Day with no one quite sure whether they can win here - and with the tour tainted by the suggestion some team members might not always have tried to do so. The series of three Twenty20s, two tests and six one-day internationals has been drenched in poor publicity for both sides. The Black Caps have been lambasted for 11 consecutive one-day losses. The series is likely to be muted for New Zealand Cricket - it will be a significant test of fans dedication to bolster gate-takings. At least NZC is guaranteed television earnings. Pakistan - ironically translated as 'Land of the Pure in their native Urdu - have the talent to win but at least eight players face spot-fixing or match-fixing allegations. Two - Umar Akmal and Wahab Riaz - are part of the Twenty20 and test squads on this tour. Three more Pakistan players suspected of spot fixing have been asked to provide details of assets and bank accounts by the Pakistan Cricket Board but, as they have not been named, it is impossible to know whether they are on this tour or not. It is a shame the series is so tainted because it is the preamble to a crucial World Cup match between these two teams in Sri Lanka on March 8 which will dictate where they finish in the groupings - and making the semifinals. In a further disruption to the series, the hearing for the three players - Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif - alleged to have been involved in spot fixing at Lords in August is due to be held from January 6-11 in Doha. That coincides with the first test. Butt claimed this week that the thousands of pounds found in his hotel room during a subsequent raid were from money earned as part of his daily allowance, his bat supplier payment and his fee for officially opening an ice cream parlour in Tooting with fellow-accused Amir. A number of other recent members of the team also have to clear their names. A Pakistani television channel showed footage of Mazhar Majeed, the player agent at the centre of the News of the World spot-fixing scandal, saying he also used Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Wahab Riaz and Imran Farhat to spot-fix. Umar and Wahab are with the Pakistan team for the Twenty20 matches, the first of which starts on Boxing Day and they and Farhat have protested their innocence and threatened legal action against Majeed.