One of cricket's most bizarre and explosive events today resulted in a fourODI match ban against Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq who was found guilty ofbringing the game into disrepute but cleared of the more serious charge of balltampering in a Test match against England on August 20.
The ICC adjudicator Ranjan Madugalle's verdict means that the Pakistancaptain, one of world's leading batsmen, will miss the Champions Trophy to beplayed in India next month. Inzamam chose not to exercise his right of appealwithin 24 hours against the penalty.
In an extraordinary fiasco at the Oval in the fourth Test between Pakistanand England, controversial Australian umpire Darrell Hair had in effect accusedthe Pakistani team of ball tampering following which the Pakistanis refused totake the field on schedule leading to the forfeiture of the match. Hair wasaccused of bias against sub-continental teams and the controversy has simmeredsince then.
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The four-match ODI ban is relatively less harsh considering that the chargecould have invited a maximum ban of four to eight ODIs or two to four Tests.
Madugalle, ICC's chief match referee, said the ban will be imposed withimmediate effect.
"On two occasions he led a protest against the umpires. I have takeninto account Mr Haq's expression of regret and apology. I decide that Mr Haqshould be banned for four one-day matches with immediate effect," Madugallesaid at a press conference.
"What happened was unfortunate. It has taken time but the matter hasbeen resolved now," he said.
ICC has allowed Pakistan to field a replacement for Inzamam in the ChampionsTrophy squad which will now be led by Younis Khan.
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With Inzamam being given a clean chit on the ball tampering charge, aquestion mark hangs on the fate of Hair who laid the charges alongwith his WestIndian counterpart Billy Doctrove.
Hair, who had offered to quit his post in exchange of USD 500,000 in ane-mail to ICC but later withdrew the offer, has not officiated in any matchsince the Oval fiasco.
Inzamam, on his part, said he was satisfied with the verdict since itexonerated him of the more serious charge of ball tampering since ittantamounted to cheating.
"I have no regrets at all because we have been cleared of the balltampering charge which was a serious accusation against us and basically meantwe were cheating in the Test. Everyone knows that we were in a strong positionto win that game," he said.
"I had an idea that I would face some sort of ban. This is the mostlenient ban and I will not appeal against it. This is a big moral victory for usand I am sure it will help the team do very well in the Champions Trophy,"he added.
As the immediate fallout of the verdict, the ICC announced that Hair wouldnot officiate in the Champions Trophy, citing "safety and security"reasons.
India had recently written to the ICC not to consider Hair for umpiring dutyfor the tournament, saying his appointment could lead to crowd trouble.
An indignant Hair said he wished to continue umpiring.
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"I wish to keep on being an umpire," Hair said.
"My umpiring performance or career is on public record and if otherpeople consider I am still good enough to umpire I will continue."
Hair also denied that he felt he had been made a scapegoat by the ICC.
Hair and Billy Doctrove, the other on-field umpire for the Oval Test, wereamong the 11 witnesses who gave evidence during the hearing which generatedconsiderable media interest.
The other witnesses were fourth umpire Trevor Jesty, match referee MikeProcter, ICC's referees and umpires manager Doug Cowie, Pakistan Cricket Boardchairman Shaharyar Khan, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer and three experts for thedefence -- Geoffrey Boycott, Simon Hughes and John Hampshire.
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