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| August 22, 2006 | Tuesday | Rajab 26, 1427 |
My players are not cheats: Woolmer
LONDON, Aug 21: Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer and tour manager Zaheer Abbas both insisted their side had not been guilty of ball-tampering during their sensational forfeit of the fourth and final Test against England at The Oval.
England were declared the winners on Sunday after Pakistan, in a move unprecedented were deemed to have forfeited the match because the tourists did not take the field after tea.
Pakistan were incensed that they had been accused of ball tampering and penalised five runs. “I think there was a genuine feeling that, by inference, we had been cheating,” Woolmer said.
“I personally asked every member of the team, under oath basically, whether they had at any time scratched the ball during the innings and to a man they said no.
“I looked at the ball and came to my own conclusions. I didn't see any undue tampering with the ball - and in 38 years (of involvement in cricket) I have seen tampering with balls,” former England all-rounder Woolmer added. “It had been hit into the stands on numerous occasions by Kevin Pietersen. I didn't think there were any undue marks, but that is a personal opinion.
“Having asked my team I can concur with them there was probably just damage from concrete and whatever.”
Woolmer was adamant that Pakistan were not told the Test was over until much later in the day. “We didn't find out until 9.15pm that evening.
If he (Hair) had forfeited the innings someone should have told us.
“It's a very black day for cricket... I would like to say that I and the team are very sorry to the British public we are not playing cricket today (Monday).”
However, Zaheer Abbas, Pakistan's team manager said there was no way the team could simply accept the officials' decision to penalise the side five runs for ball-tampering. “Somehow you have to protest something.”
He too stressed that Pakistan wanted to continue with the match. “We spoke to each other and we all came to the conclusion that we should go ahead and play.
“At that point in time when we were ready to go in, the boys were late. We were late, there's no doubt about it,” he admitted at The Oval where the team were collecting their kit on Monday.
“We have all, requested that he (Hair) should come back but he said 'no I don't want to come back'.”—AFP
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