Inzamam to face ICC's ire by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	Inzamam-ul-Haq
Event:	Pakistan in British Isles 2006

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DateLine: 21st August 2006

 

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq may face a ban of either four Tests or eight one-day internationals if he is found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute after forfeiting the fourth and final Test against England in controversial circumstances at the Oval.

 

If Inzamam is only found guilty of a primary offence of changing the condition of the ball, the ban could be for one Test or two one-day internationals, depending on which Pakistan plays first, International Cricket Council Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said on Monday.

 

Speed said the ICC had appointed Sri Lankan match referee Ranjan Madhugalle as the adjudicator and the hearing could take place on Friday. "There are other provisions under the code of conduct that would enable a charge to be laid for bringing the game into disrepute and that is being considered. It would be directed at the captain (Inzamam-ul-Haq). The captain is responsible for the actions of the team. That's very clearly laid out in the laws of the game and it's one of the things that we try very hard to uphold. The ball tampering charge will also be dealt with and the power is there for the match referee to fine or ban the player concerned. Similarly, if other charges are laid, the player could face fines or if he is found guilty, he could face a fine or a ban."

 

Speed said the decision on the charges should be imposed would be taken by the two on field umpires. ``The umpires are meeting this morning to consider whether there should be any further charges," Speed told BBC Radio.

 

The match was called off with a day to spare after an ugly row over ball tampering which resulted in Pakistan being docked five runs at the end of the fourth day. They later refused to return to the field in the post tea session in protest against the penalty, deciding to forfeit the game.

 

The touring team has been charged under level two of the code of conduct, 2.10, which relates to changing the condition of the match ball.

 

It was for the first time in the 129-year history of Test cricket, and 1814 matches, that a match had been forfeited.