Test awarded to England

21 August 2006

Pakistan captain Inzamam-Ul-Haq leads his side back out onto the field after the delay © Getty Images

The full press conference from The Brit Oval on Sunday night with ECB chief executive David Collier can be viewed on ECBtv

Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood & Darrell Hair

Umpire Darrell Hair in discussion with England's Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood

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Statement on behalf of International Cricket Council, England and Wales Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board

After lengthy negotiations which resulted in agreement between the teams, the ICC match referee and both England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to seek to resume the fourth npower Test on Monday, it was concluded with regret that there will be no play on the fifth day.

The 4th npower Test match between England and Pakistan has therefore been forfeited with the match being awarded to England.

In accordance with the laws of cricket it was noted that the umpires had correctly deemed that Pakistan had forfeited the match and awarded the Test to England.

Andrew Strauss watches events from the dressing room

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At a meeting between the captains, ECB, PCB and ICC Match referee, the players, ICC Match referee and boards indicated that they would offer to resume play if at all possible on day five. The umpires having awarded the match to England and having consulted with the Pakistan captain reconfirmed their decision to award the match to England.

The Pakistan team was aggrieved by the award of five penalty runs to England. The award of those penalty runs for alleged interference with the ball is under review by the ICC match referee Mike Proctor, whose report will be considered in due course.

ICC will be issuing a separate report concerning action which may be taken in relation to the forfeiture of the match by Pakistan.

Shahriyar Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq & Zaheer Abbas

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, Pakistan skipper Inzamam-Ul-Haq and team managed Zaheer Abbas

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ECB chief executive, David Collier, said: “The ECB expresses great regret that the actions taken resulted in spectators, television viewers, and radio listeners being deprived of play.

“In light of the reduction of play on day four ECB has determined that all spectators who purchased tickets should be eligible to a forty per cent refund on their fourth-day ticket and a full refund will be paid to all spectators who purchased tickets for day five. “

Ticket refund details:

Ticket holders who attended the fourth day of the Test on Sunday August 20 will be entitled to a 40 per cent refund on the face value of the tickets held. Purchasers should follow the instructions as outlined on the reverse of their tickets to claim this refund.

Customers who have purchased tickets for Monday August 21 are advised that a full refund of the face value of tickets purchased will be automatically processed. Customers are advised that tickets do not need to be returned. For further information customers should call 08712 461 100 (calls charged at 10p per minute) or visit www.surreycricket.com

Surrey Chief Executive, Paul Sheldon, stated: "As the venue responsible for hosting this event, Surrey County Cricket Club and the Brit Oval deeply regret the inconvenience caused to members and spectators as a result of this decision. This was beyond our control."

Law 21.3 reads: Umpires awarding a match

(a) A match shall be lost by a side which

either (i) concedes defeat
or (ii) in the opinion of the umpires refuses to play
and the umpires shall award the match to the other side.

(b) If an umpire considers that an action by any player or players might constitute a refusal by either side to play then the umpires together shall ascertain the cause of the action. If they then decide together that this action does constitute a refusal to play by one side, they shall so inform the captain of that side. If the captain persists in the action the umpires shall award the match in accordance with (a) (ii) above.”