The Oval Test controversy

Dec 29, 2006

August 20, 2006 - The final Test between England and Pakistan took a controversial twist on the fourth day as Darrell Hair declared the ball had been tampered with•AFP

The fourth umpire, Trevor Jesty, brought out a box of balls and the England batsmen, in accordance with the Laws, were allowed to choose the next one to be used•Getty Images

With Pakistan's statement of intent clear, Hair proceeded to remove the bails - suggesting the game was over. As he and Doctrove left the field, they were roundly booed by the crowd•AFP

Pakistan returned to the field after Inzamam-ul-Haq talked to PCB and ECB officials. Hair, however, said that if Pakistan took the field, he wouldn't. The crowd, in the dark, booed the side•Getty Images

England's players, officials and a sell-out crowd, all waited for information. Andrew Strauss, England's captain, was just one of the spectators forced to play the waiting game•Getty Images

Empty stands and a chilling silence at The Oval on what should have been the final day of the Test series•AFP

The ECB denied claims in <i>The Daily Telegraph</i> that the ball-tampering row began when Duncan Fletcher, the coach, visited Mike Procter, the match referee, before the start of the fourth day

The ECB denied claims in The Daily Telegraph that the ball-tampering row began when Duncan Fletcher, the coach, visited Mike Procter, the match referee, before the start of the fourth day •Daily Telegraph

Inzamam and Hair arrived for the ICC hearing and Inzamam was cleared of charges of ball-tampering but found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute and banned for four ODIs•Getty Images

Hair answered the medias questions and made jokes after an ICC announced that he had been withdrawn from the Champions Trophy on "safety and security" grounds•Getty Images

At the end of the 56th over, bowled by Danish Kaneria, Hair went over to Billy Doctrove and was seen pointing at the quarter seam•Getty Images

A bemused Pakistan team huddled around the umpires as the ball was changed•Getty Images

During the hold-up in play, emotions ran deep as the gravity of the accusation against Pakistan suddenly hit home. Bob Woolmer and Waqar Younis were seen on the phone for quite some time•Getty Images

After a few minutes of puzzlement out in the middle, Inzamam noticed the umpires were not coming out...•Getty Images

Pakistan forfeited the Test - the first in history. The decision, made according to Law 21, states, "A match shall be lost by a side which, in the opinion of the umpires, refuses to play." •Getty Images

AFP

Woolmer, then, said Pakistan were prepared to accept punishment for bringing the game into disrepute, but the coming one-day series could be scrapped if Inzamam was found guilty of ball-tampering•Getty Images

Inzamam: "I forgive Hair and will not take any action against him since we have been cleared of the more serious charge of ball-tampering we should bury the matter."•AFP

Six weeks later, Percy Sonn, the ICC president, announced that Hair would no longer umpire in international cricket•AFP

After tea Hair and the England batsmen returned to the middle to resume the innings. However, the Pakistan players remained in the dressing-room•Getty Images

Shahrayar Khan, Woolmer and Zaheer Abbas made frantic calls back to Pakistan as the match situation worsened•Getty Images

...and promptly led his team back to the dressing room•Getty Images

Inzamam, charged with two offences, one relating to the condition of the ball and the other bringing the game into disrepute, was swamped by the media the very next day •Getty Images

The reactions in Pakistan were much more vehement than in England. Effigies of Hair were burnt, placards were waved, and angry crowds took to the streets in support of Inzamam•AFP

Ranjan Madugalle, the ICC's chief referee, was roped in to officiate at the ICC Code of Conduct hearing •AFP

Hair was ruled out of the Champions Trophy in October, while no action was taken against Doctrove•Getty Images