Inzamam blames ICC, PCB for Oval result change by AFP

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Scorecard:	England v Pakistan
Player:	Inzamam-ul-Haq

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DateLine: 3rd February 2009

 

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq on Monday criticised cricket's governing body and national cricket officials for once again changing the result of the Oval Test.

 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Sunday reverted to the original result of the controversial 2006 Oval Test which gave the hosts victory.

 

The match was awarded to England when umpires Billy Doctrove and Darrell Hair ruled that Pakistan had forfeited the match by refusing to take the field after tea on the fourth day following accusations of ball tampering.

 

But pressure from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) saw the result changed from an England win to a draw by "match abandoned" by the ICC in July.

 

It prompted the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which governs the rules of the game, to protest against the result change, saying it would set a "very dangerous precedent". It forced the ICC to revert back to the original result.

 

Inzamam, then Pakistan captain and central figure of the incident, criticised the ICC for twice changing the result.

 

"I see it as weakness of the ICC," Inzamam told AFP.

 

"I think they have made it a joke by changing the result and I don't rule out another change in the future.

 

"The PCB has also failed to take a stand against this change and they were also weak in handling this matter," he added.

 

The saga began when Hair and Doctrove penalised Pakistan five penalty runs for alleged ball-tampering.

 

Pakistan refused to take the field after tea on the fourth day in protest and the umpires awarded the first forfeit in Test cricket history.

 

Inzamam was subsequently cleared of ball tampering, while Hair was removed from the ICC's elite panel of umpires.

 

Hair was reinstated as a Test umpire last year after a legal battle which saw him allege he was the victim of racial discrimination by the ICC.

 

Inzamam said the basis of changing the result last year to a draw was that Hair was found guilty.

 

"The ICC changed the result because the ICC committee found Hair guilty and removed him from the panel, now how can they change the result of a person who was responsible for the whole affair? I am amazed," said Inzamam.

 

Inzamam retired in 2007 following Pakistan's first round exit from the World Cup held in the West Indies.

 

He played his last Test against South Africa in October 2007.

(Article: Copyright © 2009 AFP)