London, August 21
In a first ever instance in cricketing history, the fourth and final Test was awarded to England after umpires “correctly deemed” that Pakistan had forfeited the tie following a ball-tampering row, the International Cricket Council said in a joint statement with England and Pakistan boards here today.
The match was called off with a day to spare after an ugly row over ball-tampering which resulted in Pakistan being docked five runs at the end of the fourth day’s 56th over, bowled by paceman Umar Gul at the Oval.
It was Gul’s 14th over with England 230 for three in their second innings when the umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove inspected the match ball around tea time (2.30pm local time) and Hair signalled to the scorers that five penalty runs were to be added to England’s total.
Pakistan refused to return to the field post tea in protest against the penalty. But when the visitors did later take the field, the umpires did not appear, leading to extensive negotiations that ended with the match being abandoned following almost six hours of high drama.
Play was called off at 6.13pm local time with England 298 for four in their second innings, a deficit of 33.
The decision that Pakistan should forfeit the game in these circumstances was a first-ever in the 129-year-history of Test cricket.
It was the first time that this punishment has been applied in a Test match, an ICC spokesman said.
“It was concluded with regret that
there will be no play on the fifth day of the fourth Test on Monday,” said a joint statement by the ECB, ICC, and PCB read out to reporters by ECB chief executive David Collier.England have now won the four-match series 3-0.
The statement said the match was awarded to England in accordance with the rules of cricket but the penalty imposed on Pakistan would be further reviewed.
“The fourth Test has therefore been forfeited with the match being awarded to England. In accordance with the laws of cricket, it was noted that the umpires had correctly deemed that Pakistan had forfeited the match and awarded the Test to England.
“The award of those penalty runs for alleged interference with the ball is under review by the ICC match referee Mike Proctor, whose report will be considered in due course. ICC will be issuing a separate report concerning action which may be taken in relation to the forfeiture of the match by Pakistan.”
The decision followed a series of meetings involving the match referee Mike Proctor, the two captains Andrew Strauss of England and Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul Haq, and the two umpires, as also the team management and boards of both sides.
The ICC said that its chief executive Malcolm Speed also spoke to Hair by phone from Dubai.
“Following the meetings the umpires decided that having made the decision to award the match to England, to change that would not been keeping with the laws of the game. The ICC backs the decision of the umpires,” the world cricket’s governing body said.
Pakistan has been charged under level two of the ICC Code of Conduct, rule 2.10, that relates to changing the condition of the match ball.
England won the series 3-0 but chief executive David Collier said the ECB expressed regret that “spectators, television viewers, and radio listeners (had been) deprived of play”. He said there would be a 40 per cent refund for fourth-day tickets and a full refund for those holding tickets for today’s scheduled play.
— PTI
