England vs. Pakistan Controversy

Cricinfo:

The fourth Test between England and Pakistan has been forfeited in favour of England, after an extraordinary day of rumour, speculation, and high farce that brought the game to the brink of arguably its biggest crisis since Bodyline.

Wow. [Wikipedia entry on Bodyline.]

The relevant info on the present scandal is on this page:

5.20pm Here's what Andrew Miller has for us. "The issue would seem to boil down to evidence. Has Darrell Hair got any proof that the Pakistanis were tampering with the ball? Did he see a specific player scratch at the seam, or did he take a look at a ball that is 55 overs old and draw his own conclusions? As Ian Botham has just said on Sky Sports, it's a matter of honour to the Pakistanis. If Hair has no proof, then they are well within their rights to take this stance."

The protest by the Pakistanis took too much time. By the laws of cricket, they forfeited the match. Never has this happened before.

Update
The Telegraph:

Pride, principle and prejudice replaced runs, wickets and catches as the final Test of the summer reached an extraordinary climax at the Oval.

[...] With 12,000 tickets already sold for today, and with cricket's reputation at stake, the match needs to be resumed, weather but not light permitting, at 11am.

Inzi ki izzat vs. Darrell's pride. Which will win?

Comments

[calanthe]

This must be about the only way that England were going to beat Pakistan. So commiserations Issac, you've still got the better team. (I was rooting for Pakistan anyway)

[zafar]

well imzamam has did the rit thing,if the umpire and match rafree of icc thinks that they have fully athourized and they give any dicession against any time with out showing the evidence,even they can forfiet the match, danmm....they are over confident and they forget that cricket is a gentlmens games its not a place of war..dont make the thing which become the issue of honour....umpire should realised that the two team playaing in the ground is not a street crickek million of people watching them thousand of them spend maney to watch cricket in gound they are not fool....if they suffer with this kind of stupid umpire dicessions the better stop watching cricket...if umpire mean he have to solve they problem b/w the teams and try to make the things more comfatable for other to keep going the thing smoothly...but this kind of umpir should go to wrestling ring its a best place for them...thnk u