The fourth and final Test between England and Pakistan at The Oval was sensationally abandoned on Sunday after an ugly row over ball tampering.
England were declared the winners after Pakistan were adjudged to have forfeited the match when they refused to take the field after the tea interval. The tourists were incensed that they had been accused of ball tampering and penalised five runs.
The decision that Pakistan should forfeit the game in these circumstances was unprecedented in the 129-year-history of Test cricket.
”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 England Cricket Board (ECB), world governing body the International Cricket Council, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) read out to reporters by ECB chief executive David Collier.
The statement made it clear that while the teams and boards were happy for the match to progress, the umpires (Australia’s Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove of the West Indies) were not.
”After lengthy negotiations which resulted in agreement between the teams, the ICC match referee [South Africa’s Mike Procter] and both the ECB and PCB to seek to resume the fourth Test match on Monday, it was concluded with regret there will be no play.
”The fourth Test match 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 acted correctly, deemed that Pakistan had forfeited the match and awarded the Test to England.
”At a meeting between the captains, ECB, PCB and ICC match referee, the players, ICC match referee and boards indicated that they would offer to resume play, if at all possible, on day five.
”The umpires having awarded the match to England and having consulted with the Pakistan captain [Inzamam-ul-Haq] reconfirmed their decision to award the match to England.
”The Pakistan team was aggrieved by the award of five penalty runs to England. The award of those penalty runs for alleged interference with the ball is under review by the ICC match referee, Mike Procter, whose report will be considered in due course.
”The ICC will be issuing a separate report concerning action which may be taken in relation to the forfeiture of the match by Pakistan.”
England, already 2-0 up in the four-match series, have now won it 3-0.
How events unfolded
Pakistan were docked five runs at the end of the fourth day’s 56th over, which had been bowled by paceman Umar Gul.
It was Gul’s 14th over with England 230 for three in their second innings when the umpires inspected the match ball. This was the first time, an ICC spokesperson said, that this punishment had been applied in a Test match.
Play was eventually called off for the day at 6.13pm local time with England 298 for four in their second innings, a deficit of 33.
The controversy began at 2.30pm local time when veteran official Hair, standing with West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove, signalled to the scorers that five penalty runs were to be added to England’s total, taking it up to 235.
Then, after an early tea had been taken because of bad light, the umpires walked back out on to the field at 4.40pm local time only for no Pakistan fieldsmen to follow behind them before walking back in.
Pakistan’s English coach Bob Woolmer said a conversation then took place between Hair and Inzamam.
Hair asked the Pakistan captain, ”Are you coming out?” and Inzamam replied, ”Why did you change the ball?” Hair then said: ”I’m not here to answer that question,” and left.
About 15 minutes later the umpires returned, followed by England batsmen Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell — only for the Pakistan team to remain in their dressing room.
Both umpires removed the bails, returned to the pavilion and the covers came on.
Pakistan then appeared on the field, to boos from the crowd, at 5.25pm, but, after several minutes without either Hair or Doctrove, or the England batsmen, Pakistan walked back off.
The ICC said in a separate statement that chief executive Malcolm Speed had also spoken to Hair by telephone from Dubai.
”The ICC backs the decision of the umpires,” said the statement. ”The issue of a charge or charges to be laid against Pakistan under the ICC’s code of conduct will now be dealt with at the earliest possible opportunity.” — Sapa-AFP