Shahriyar Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, announced at a press conference this afternoon that Pakistan's tour of England will go on, despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the fourth Test at the Oval. But Khan believes that the umpires, Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove, dealt cricket a "grievous blow" by abandoning the match, and said that the PCB had lodged an official complaint with the International Cricket Council.
The ICC has supported the umpires, however, and has confirmed that the Pakistan captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, has been charged with ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute. He could be banned for up to four Tests or eight one-day internationals; his case will be heard on Friday.
The Guardian's Mike Selvey, however, blames Hair and Doctrove for yesterday's fiasco. "That an international match of such profile can be terminated simply because two officials have had their integrity questioned - for that is what we are talking about here - is a disgrace to the game," he said.
One thing is for sure: with all parties showing a marked reluctance to acknowledge even the slightest culpability, it could be a long time before the situation is fully resolved.
