Timeline of Sunday's controversy in the chaos-hit fourth Test at The Oval between England and Pakistan (times in GMT):

1334: Umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove examine match ball after Umar Gul's 14th over. Hair, believing the condition of the ball to have been unfairly altered, signals to the scorers that Pakistan will be penalised five runs. Ball is changed.

1543: Hair and Doctrove, and not out England batsmen Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell, return to the field after tea but there's no sign of Pakistan team.

Officials and batsmen return to pavillion

1554: Umpires and batsmen return to field, but still no Pakistan team.

Bails are removed and the covers come on.

1619: Covers come off. Match referee Mike Procter, English cricket chief David Morgan and Pakistan counterpart Shaharyar Khan seen in deep discussions on balcony.

1624: Skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq leads Pakistan team back onto the field, but now there is no sign of the umpires. Talks did not involve the umpires who insist that the original Pakistan no-show after tea means the match has been conceded.

1641: Shaharyar tells reporters: “The boys are extremely upset at the slur of ball tampering. As a result they registered a protest with the match referee for the decision unilaterally taken by the umpires.

“Once we did that, we were ready to go out and play but it seems the umpires are reluctant to go out.”

1713: Play called off for the day.

1830: Procter says talks will continue in effort to solve impasse.—AFP