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ICC cancels Pakistan crisis meet

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LONDON, England -- The International Cricket Council (ICC) has called of its executive board meeting about the controversial Oval Test between England and Pakistan.

The board was to have met in Dubai on Saturday to discuss the row which erupted when Pakistan forfeited the final Test after refusing to take the field in protest at a five-run penalty for alleged ball-tampering.

Meanwhile, the teams returned to action on Monday in a Twenty20 international won by Pakistan by five wickets.

Swashbuckling batting from all-rounder Shahid Afridi, with 28 from 10 balls, and a steady 46 from opener Mohammed Hafeez, saw Pakistan home.

Along with Hafeez, Afridi took 22 from Sajid Mahmood's first over and then 19 from debutant Stuart Broad in the next over.

It proved a decisive passage of play as England never looked like recovering following Afridi's innings, which included five fours and a six.

The match in Bristol, south west England and the forthcoming series of one-day internationals had been under threat in the fall-out from one of the biggest row's in cricket history.

In a statement released on Monday, ICC president Percy Sonn said the meeting of the ICC's top decision makers was no longer necessary because the board of directors had "an understanding of the situation."

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) blamed Australian umpire Darrell Hair for sparking the row by ruling the team had illegally tampered with the ball.

Hair came under further criticism after the ICC revealed on Friday he sought a one-off payment of $500,000 to quit the elite panel of umpires.

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq still faces a disciplinary hearing for ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute but it has been rumored that the ICC could overturn the charges.

"There has been much speculation over the past few days about whether the executive board has the power to overturn a properly laid charge by the umpires," Sonn said.

"The original intention was to seek legal advice concerning the executive board's powers but I do not believe it is necessary to obtain that advice.

"We have processes in place to deal with code of conduct matters and we should not seek to interfere with it," he added.

Inzamam's original hearing had been set for last Friday, but a family illness prevented a leading ICC official from attending.

He faced a lengthy ban from Tests or one-day internationals and the indications from the Pakistan camp were that they would boycott the rest of the England tour should he be punished.

That hearing is now likely to be held in the second half of September, the ICC statement confirmed.

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