April 5, 2006	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1427

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LAHORE, April 4: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked for a detailed report from Pakistan team, Zaheer Abbas, about the alleged interference of coach Bob Woolmer in the preparations of the pitch for the second ongoing Test against Sri Lanka in Kandy.

PCB Director Cricket Operations, Saleem Altaf told Dawn on Tuesday that Zaheer had been asked to send the report about the controversial incident.

The official said that he did not receive any communication from the ICC in this connection.

According to the reports the coach interjected a thin metal spike into the edge of the pitch at team practice on Sunday.

That prompted ground authorities to raise objection against Woolmer’s action considering it a violation of the ICC regulations.

After a heated exchange with chief groundsman Anuruddha Polonowita, the coach returned to bounce a cricket ball between the popping crease and the stumps. The matter has been reported by Cricket Sri Lanka to the ICC match referee Alan Hurst.

Woolmer was involved in two such similar incidents last year.

The first was, during a match between Pakistan and Australian 'A' teams in Rawalpindi.

But he got away without any warning or punishment by the PCB, despite the fact that umpires Mian Aslam and Riazuddin had made a written complaint to the PCB against the coach's behaviour.

Woolmer by his action, just from off side the boundary rope, had been prompting the umpires to stop the proceedings as he considered that bad light was prevailing.

Riazuddin advised Woolmer not to interfere as it was the job of the umpires to take a decision about the light.

Then at the Qadhafi Stadium in Lahore, Woolmer had also been instructing two umpires Iftikhar Malik and Mian Aslam, in a match between Pakistan and South African Academies teams, to remove the covers from the pitch and start the match after rain.