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Oval Test result 'to be changed'
The result of the controversial 2006 Oval Test between England and Pakistan is to be changed, the BBC understands.
The match was awarded to England when the Pakistan team refused to come out onto the field after tea after being accused of ball-tampering.
But the International Cricket Council is expected to change the result to a draw at its meeting in Dubai. BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said the move would open up "an absolutely enormous can of worms".
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The Pakistanis were accused of ball tampering and they did not come out to play. The umpires went into their room and said 'You must come out to continue the game', they did not and, under the laws of any sport, if you refuse to play, you lose the game. Match abandoned, they're saying, as a draw, - well, abandoned on what grounds? It wasn't the weather, it wasn't anything else, it was that Pakistan wouldn't come out to play for whatever reason. That game has now been classified as a draw, so if you're losing, you sit in the dressing room, don't come out and you can get away with a draw."
A formal announcement of the decision is expected on Thursday.
Pakistan blamed Darrell Hair, one of the two on-field umpires on duty at The Oval, for the outcome of the game, which came to an end after tea on the fourth day with England on 293-4 in their second innings. He and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove had earlier awarded England five penalty runs after ruling that the Pakistan team had been guilty of doctoring the ball to help it swing. The game was awarded to England by forfeit, giving them a 3-0 series victory.
But Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was subsequently cleared of the ball-tampering charge by an ICC tribunal, although he was banned for four matches for bringing the game into disrepute by initially refusing to resume play.
In the aftermath of the match, Hair, from Australia, was dropped from the ICC's elite umpiring panel, and took them to an industrial tribunal, alleging racial discrimination. But after a week of evidence, the case collapsed and the allegation was withdrawn, with no financial pay-off being made.
Pakistan later agreed to play a Twenty20 match in England in 2012 and waive their fee for that match by way of compensation for the loss of the fifth day's play in the Oval Test.
Since the case, Hair has been involved in an ICC umpiring development programme and returned to Test cricket during the recent England v New Zealand series. It is, however, unlikely that he will be assigned to future matches involving Pakistan. Speaking in March, ICC general manager Dave Richardson said: "We would have to take a sensible approach. We will probably keep him away from Pakistan matches where we can."
The result of the controversial 2006 Oval Test between England and Pakistan is to be changed, the BBC understands.
The match was awarded to England when the Pakistan team refused to come out onto the field after tea after being accused of ball-tampering.
But the International Cricket Council is expected to change the result to a draw at its meeting in Dubai. BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said the move would open up "an absolutely enormous can of worms".
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The Pakistanis were accused of ball tampering and they did not come out to play. The umpires went into their room and said 'You must come out to continue the game', they did not and, under the laws of any sport, if you refuse to play, you lose the game. Match abandoned, they're saying, as a draw, - well, abandoned on what grounds? It wasn't the weather, it wasn't anything else, it was that Pakistan wouldn't come out to play for whatever reason. That game has now been classified as a draw, so if you're losing, you sit in the dressing room, don't come out and you can get away with a draw."
A formal announcement of the decision is expected on Thursday.
Pakistan blamed Darrell Hair, one of the two on-field umpires on duty at The Oval, for the outcome of the game, which came to an end after tea on the fourth day with England on 293-4 in their second innings. He and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove had earlier awarded England five penalty runs after ruling that the Pakistan team had been guilty of doctoring the ball to help it swing. The game was awarded to England by forfeit, giving them a 3-0 series victory.
But Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was subsequently cleared of the ball-tampering charge by an ICC tribunal, although he was banned for four matches for bringing the game into disrepute by initially refusing to resume play.
In the aftermath of the match, Hair, from Australia, was dropped from the ICC's elite umpiring panel, and took them to an industrial tribunal, alleging racial discrimination. But after a week of evidence, the case collapsed and the allegation was withdrawn, with no financial pay-off being made.
Pakistan later agreed to play a Twenty20 match in England in 2012 and waive their fee for that match by way of compensation for the loss of the fifth day's play in the Oval Test.
Since the case, Hair has been involved in an ICC umpiring development programme and returned to Test cricket during the recent England v New Zealand series. It is, however, unlikely that he will be assigned to future matches involving Pakistan. Speaking in March, ICC general manager Dave Richardson said: "We would have to take a sensible approach. We will probably keep him away from Pakistan matches where we can."
