England Awarded Test Match After Ball Tampering Controversy

Confusion, chaos and controversy marked the post tea session of the fourth test match between England and Pakistan. An early tea also meant an early end to the test match. The match was finally forfieted and awarded to England.

The engrossing test match became more absorbing albeit off the field. This is what happened:

The umpires came out in the middle after taking an early tea. However the Pakistani team did not come out. The Umpires troop back inside.

In the next round the umpires and English batsmen came out but the Pakistani's still refused to budge out of the dressing room. Some of the Pakistani players were seen on the balcony. Then Aussie umpire Darrell Hair removed the bails to signal an end to the test match.

In the final round, the Pakistani’s trooped down to the centre led by Inzy. Neither the umpires nor the English batsmen came down. The Pakistani's marched back to the dressing room.

The covers came on. Nobody came to the centre to play cricket therafter. The spectators were confused as to what was happening. The commentators were all at sea to explain the fate of the test match. There was commotion everywhere.

Earlier in the day when England were 230-3 after 56 overs, the duty bound Aussie umpire Hair stepped in, tapped his left shoulder with the palm of his right hand indicating that Pakistan had become the first team in Test history to incur a five-run penalty for ball-tampering under Law 42.3.

Skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq’s demand demand for proof fell on deaf ears. Hair had accused the Pakistani's of cheating and had cast aspertions on the nation's honour.

Bob Woolmer announced, "The team is upset by the inference they have been accused of tampering with the ball and therefore cheating.”

Since, no proof of ball tampering was shown, the Pakistan team was well within their rights to protest. However, the entire episode has brought shame to the game of cricket.