By Waheed Abdul
LAHORE, Pakistan, Aug 23 - A hearing on Friday
into Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq's actions during the Oval
test ball-tampering controversy has been postponed, the
International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Wednesday.
The postponement came after adjudicator Ranjan Madugalle
said he was unable to attend because of a family illness.
Pakistan skipper Inzamam is charged with bringing the game into
disrepute.
"The difficulty relates to the availability of Ranjan
Madugalle to chair the hearing as he is dealing with a private
and personal matter that requires his urgent attention," ICC
chief executive Malcolm Speed said in a statement.
"Pakistan and England, as the host country, have both
expressed a preference for Ranjan to hear the case and on that
basis we have agreed to the postponement."
The delay would appear to pave the way for the one-day
series starting next week between England and Pakistan to go
ahead.
Pakistan players and their coach Bob Woolmer had suggested
that if Inzamam were banned, they could pull out of the tour
starting with a match against Middlesex on Thursday.
'IMMENSE CREDIBILITY'
Speed's statement continued: "We have looked at potential
alternatives but, as the ICC'S chief referee and a person with
immense credibility within the game, Ranjan is the most
appropriate person to adjudicate in this matter.
"We are yet to decide upon a new date but the intense nature
of the upcoming one-day international series between England and
Pakistan is likely to make it extremely difficult to fit in a
hearing during that period."
The controversy began on Sunday in the fourth and final test
at the Oval in London when England were awarded five runs after
the umpires decided the ball had been illegally tampered with by
the Pakistan team.
Pakistan staged a protest after the tea interval by refusing
to take to the field and the umpires awarded the match to
England giving them a 3-0 series victory.
INITIAL DISMAY
That decision caused initial the dismay of fans and players
and spread to a darkening mood with racial, religious and
political undertones in Pakistan.
Much of the Pakistan camp's ire has been directed at
Australian umpire Darrell Hair whose "intransigence" they blamed
for initially sparking the controversy.
Hair on Wednesday told the Sydney Daily Telegraph that he
stood by his actions and he has been backed in his home country
by a host of leading cricket figures including spinner Shane
Warne.
Pakistan board chairman Shaharyar Khan confirmed on
Wednesday that Pakistan believed Hair had been hard on Inzamam
and the team.
"I can understand why our players are upset and angry. We
are also firm we will fight this case through. Our lawyers are
preparing a brief and may even ask for forensic evidence of the
ball to support the umpire's allegation," he told Reuters.
"But the lawyers have also spoken to Inzamam and their
advice is we should not do anything that spoils all the support
and sympathy we have got in the English and Pakistan media and
among former players," he stated.
Media in Britain have reported that leading sports lawyer
Mark Gay will handle the case for Pakistan.
(Additional reporting by Jon Bramley in London)