Inzamam wants Oval test declared void

Inzamam-ul-Haq

KARACHI - Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to give a no-result verdict for the fourth test against England.

England were declared winners at the Oval on Sunday when Pakistan failed to take the field after tea in protest against a decision by umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove to change the ball and penalise the tourists five runs for alleged ball-tampering.

England ended the four-match series as 3-0 winners.

"We were in a winning position at the Oval. The players are very disappointed and upset that the match has been awarded to England by the umpires," Inzamam wrote in his column for the Daily Jang newspaper.

"If anything we want the ICC to declare the Oval test result as null and void. The Pakistan Board is already trying to convince the ICC to do this," he said.

Inzamam faces a possible suspension of eight one-day internationals or four tests if he is found guilty of ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute when he faces an ICC hearing in London on Friday.

Hugely disappointed

"I am hugely disappointed and hurt by the slur cast on our team by Hair. I never thought my last test in England would end this way," Inzamam said.

"I have no doubt that what transpired on the fourth day of the Oval test is the biggest disappointment of my long career.

"The team has still not got over it. And I don't know for how long more the team has to live with the accusation of being called cheats without any proof."

Inzamam recalled that on the fourth day of the test the match was proceeding smoothly when he saw umpire Hair change the ball.

"He talks about the spirit of the game. But he never bothered to talk to me and tell me something was wrong.

"A good umpire is one who when he smells something is wrong he first talks to the captain and appraises him of the situation.

"Hair never bothered to do that. It was when I asked him that he said the ball had been tampered," he said.

Big difference

"We have always had problems when Hair has stood in our matches. Take the Leeds test for example the decisions given by him made a big difference to the result we still didn't protest," he said.

Inzamam said the ICC should hold the inquiry proceedings publicly.

"If we are found guilty I am ready to face any punishment."

Meanwhile, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer said he had considered resigning over the fiasco.

"While my initial reaction was to resign, I have now reconsidered this," Woolmer told The Times.

"If I had done, it might have been wrongly interpreted as an admission of guilt, but I was not happy about being involved in what occurred at The Oval.

"I love cricket, its ethics and its traditions, and this has rocked my sensibilities."

The Daily Express reported England coach Duncan Fletcher had met match referee Mike Procter on Sunday morning.

"Duncan did have a meeting with the referee but that is not unusual, there was no complaint about the condition of the ball," ECB spokesman James Avery told the newspaper.

- REUTERS