October 14, 2006	Saturday	Ramazan 20, 1427

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LAHORE, Oct 13: The Pakistan Cricket Board will approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) to resolve the sensitive issue of compensation raised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for forfeiture of the Oval Test.

"The ECB reaffirms that relations between the two boards are cordial but they are still demanding the compensation amount," PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf told reporters after holding a marathon meeting with Director Cricket Operations, Saleem Altaf on the issue. The meeting ended late in the night.

Nasim said the PCB will be putting the case before ICC’s conflict resolving committee.

The ECB had demanded from the Pakistan board to compensate the amount (0.8 million pounds sterling) which it had returned to the ticket holders for the abandoned post-tea session of play on the fourth and for the entire fifth day at the Oval Test.

The PCB, in a letter sent to the ECB two days ago, categorically refused to pay any compensation, saying the Pakistan team was willing to play but the umpires were not ready and so it was not Pakistan's fault if the play was not held.

"We will not pay the damages to the ECB and will fight the case before the ICC. God willing, we will meet with success," said the chairman.

Asked if the PCB would again hire the services of lawyers to fight the case before the ICC, the chairman said the board could do that if it deemed necessary.

Referring to a news item in the press regarding Inzamam-ul-Haq’s commentary assignment with an Indian tv channel, Dr Nasim said no such thing was in the offing. “Inzamam will only give comments on the matches for a private Pakistani TV channel,” he clarified.

The chairman said he had spoken to Inzamam on the subject and advised him that it was not fair to judge the performance of his own team like this.

To a question, he said bowling coach Waqar Younis would remain with the team in India till the end of Champions Trophy. "If he has gone to India as coach he should remain there till the end of the trophy," he said.

The chairman said the morale of the Pakistan team in India was high and they were a united bunch of players who were totally geared up for the competition.