No further play on Sunday

Kevin Pietersen, made 96 © Getty Images

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Inzamam Ul Haq leads Pakistan back out onto the field after the break in play after tea © Getty Images

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Pakistan were at the centre of another ball-tampering controversy as they attempted to force victory in the final npower Test against England at the Oval.

Umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove decided the state of the match ball had been altered by someone on the fielding side midway through the afternoon session of the fourth day and awarded England five penalty runs.

It is the first time any international side have been penalised in such a way for the offence following a change to the laws of the game in recent years.

Under law 42.3 of the International Cricket Council’s playing conditions, the umpires should award five runs to the batting side and change the ball when they think it has been interfered with.

The batsmen at the wicket should then choose a replacement of similar wear from a selection of half a dozen.

Umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove inspect the ball

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England were 230 for three after 56 overs when the officials stopped play to confer in the middle and batsmen Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood were then asked to choose a substitute from a box brought out by fourth umpire Trevor Jesty.

Frequent inspections of the ball are undertaken by the umpires but there were no obvious signs of any Pakistan fielder altering the ball’s condition.

The incident may have been sparked by Pakistan starting to achieve reverse swing through seamer Umar Gul, who dismissed Alastair Cook for 83 with an inswinging yorker, as England reached 298 for four when bad light stopped play shortly before tea, still 33 runs adrift.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan gives a TV interview to explain the situation © Getty Images

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As soon as the incident took place, Pakistan’s English coach Bob Woolmer went to see match referee Mike Procter, who was due to discuss the matter further with the umpires at tea.

England had resumed 253 runs adrift on 78 for one and been fortunate not to lose a wicket during the early stages with Cook, who had not added to his overnight 33, being caught at silly point off pad and bat facing leg-spinner Danish Kaneria in the first over of the day.

Umpire Doctrove rejected that appeal and just four overs later Cook was given his second reprieve when he was bowled off a no-ball from Kaneria.

Doctrove did uphold an appeal for leg before when a fizzing leg break from Kaneria hit stand-in captain Andrew Strauss outside off-stump having hit a determined 54.

Three overs later Cook was given his third and final reprieve when he pulled Mohammad Asif straight to Faisal Iqbal at square leg only for him to miss the regulation chance.

It allowed Cook to forge a 103-run stand with Kevin Pietersen which put England back on course to salvage a draw until the ball began reverse-swinging in mid-afternoon and ended his innings of 83.

Pietersen, dropped on 15 by wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal off Kaneria, went on to punish Pakistan for their miss and shrugged off the controversy over the ball tampering to move within four runs of his sixth Test century.

But, looking for the big shot to bring up three figures, Pietersen instead edged Shahid Nazir behind and it needed a determined stand between Collingwood and Ian Bell to ensure England did not suffer any further losses before the light closed in.

Pakistan failed to emerge after tea and after long negotiations the tourists took the field but Umpire Hair did not join them, so no cricket was possible.

The umpires had initially taken the field after tea but Pakistan failed to show they then returned with the England batsmen, again without the touring side.

The umpires then removed the bails suggesting play had been abandoned so when Pakistan did take the field the umpires were absent.

There will be no more play on Sunday but meetings are ongoing between the teams and a statement is expected later.

Match referee Mike Procter said: “There were a number of issues raised by the on-field umpires that need to be resolved by the match referee and both teams.

“Meetings will be held after play to determine whether any further play will be scheduled for the rest of this match.”

Those who have purchased tickets for the final day's play of the Test are advised to check Surrey County Cricket Club's website Surrey CCC regularly for further updates of the situation.