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| August 25, 2006 | Friday | Rajab 29, 1427 |
Woolmer considered resigning over fiasco: Denies rift with Inzamam
UXBRIDGE (England), Aug 24: Bob Woolmer said on Thursday he would continue in his post as Pakistan coach, although admitting he had contemplated resigning in the wake of the ball-tampering row that has threatened to wreck the team's tour of England.
And, in a separate announcement, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan insisted the side would go ahead with the One-day International leg of the tour.
Woolmer, who some press reports suggested was on the verge of resigning, said: “Throughout this whole affair I have remained solidly behind the Pakistan team and captain.
“I did contemplate resigning as I am 58 and at an age where I do not need these things in my career and life,” the former England batsman admitted.
“I was very 'down' at the time but I feel it is important now to stay strong at this time.
“I have always been 100 percent with the team and the captain,” Woolmer, keen to stress there was no rift between himself, skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and the players, added.
Shaharyar insisted there had been no major rows within the camp. “There may be a few emotions flaring up considering the current scenario but nothing serious.”
Pakistan threatened to boycott the remainder of their tour if captain Inzamam was banned as a result of charges of ball-tampering and bringing cricket into disrepute following their forfeiture of the fourth and final Test against England at The Oval.The team were incensed by the decision of on-field umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove to award England five penalty runs on Sunday because they believed Pakistan had illegally altered the condition of the ball and refused to take the field in protest.
When they twice failed to come on after tea with the umpires it was ruled that Pakistan had forfeited the match – the first time this had happened in 129 years of Test cricket.
Pakistan did turn up for their warm-up match against Middlesex at Uxbridge, west London, on Thursday but the game was abandoned because of rain.
They are now due to play England in a Twenty20 match at Bristol on Monday before the one-day series proper starts on Wednesday in Cardiff.
Inzamam's case was due to be aired at a disciplinary hearing in London on Friday.
But the unavailability of ICC chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle to hear the case meant the hearing would be delayed.
However, Shaharyar said he was confident a new date and venue would be announced on Friday after a team of ICC legal experts had met with Pakistan's legal representatives in London.
The delay was initially viewed as making it more likely the five-match one-day series, preceded by Monday's Twenty20 fixture at Bristol, would go ahead as scheduled.
The ICC said it would be extremely difficult to hold the hearing while the series was in progress meaning the case against Inzamam would be unproven.
However, it soon became clear that Pakistan players were uncomfortable about proceeding with the tour while question marks against the conduct of their captain remained.
The estimated cost of cancelling the one-day series to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is 10 million pounds
But Shaharyar, who met with ECB counterpart David Morgan on Wednesday said: “I've held meetings with the Pakistan players and captain. I've told them we don't have any problems with the ECB so we must continue with the tour.
“We want the inquiry to be held as soon as possible and we hope it's done fairly.
“The players did not want to play the one-day series with the sword of the hearing hanging over them but now they have realised the importance of playing,” Shaharyar explained. “Our focus is now on cricket.”
And, as a result of the meeting between ICC and PCB legal advisors, Shaharyar added: “We will know the new date of the hearing on Friday.”—AFP
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