Pakistan Walk Out After Tampering Charges.

The fourth Test between England and Pakistan descended into farce on Sunday as first Pakistan, then the umpires, failed to return to the field after tea on the fourth day following a ball-tampering charge. Darrel Hair and Billy Doctrove imposed a 5-run penalty for ball tampering and changed the ball. Eventually the day’s play was called off.

Play continued until tea, with England on 298/4 in their second innings and still 33 runs short of making Pakistan bat again, when the debacle exploded. Hair and Doctrove walked out to the middle but the Pakistani players remained in the dressing rooms. The umpires walked out again 15 minutes later, this time with the two batsmen, Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell, but Pakistan again failed to show. After that the bails were removed and the covers brought on amidst boo and cheer from the crowd.

The incident took a new turn when Pakistan captain Inxamam-ul-Haq let his team out, but this time the umpires stayed away. Hair is reported to be upset and not willing to officiate in the Test. Talks were on to convince him.

“We have indicated that we can go and play. We want the Test to continue. I understand the umpires are not ready to play right now,” said PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan.

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