Monday, August 21 2006 12:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Play at the fourth test between England and Pakistan today (20 Aug, 2006) ends in chaos after a no-show protest by Pakistan players angered by an umpire's ruling that they tamper with the ball.

Pakistan at first refuses to play after the tea interval on the fourth day. When the players do come out, they are without the umpires.

Pakistan then leaves the pitch to boos from baffled spectators at The Oval in London.

After a delay of more than 90 minutes, play is officially called off for the day as meetings were held to try to save the match.

Officials from world cricketing authorities, England and Pakistan cricket boards and match officials are meeting at The Oval to try to find a way to continue playing on Tomorrow's (21 Aug, 2006) final day.

The officials are apparently trying to persuade umpire Darrell Hair of Australia to reverse a decision to abandon the match.

Match referee Mike Proctor tells sources, "There were a number of issues raised by the on-field umpires that need to be resolved by the match referee and both teams."

"Meetings will be held after play to determine whether any further play will be scheduled for the rest of this match,'' he says.

Some 12,000 tickets have been sold for Monday's (21 Aug, 2006) play.

England has already won the series 2-0. More

Earlier, as England's batsmen battle to avoid an innings' defeat, Hair award the hosts five penalty runs after deciding Pakistan has cheated by tampering with the ball to gain an advantage.

It is believed to be the first time such a penalty has been imposed for ball tampering in international cricket.

After the tea interval, Pakistan fails to appear at the scheduled re-start time of 4.40pm (1540GMT). The umpires stand in the middle of the pitch waiting for Pakistan, who remain in the pavilion.

The umpires then go off and later reappear with England's batsmen. With Pakistan still not in sight, the umpires remove the bails, the usual signal for the end of play, for the day at least.

Pakistan's players then reappear for a few minutes but the umpires, apparently unwilling to change their decision to end play, remain off the pitch.

Pakistan says its initial no-show is to protest the umpire's decision, but is intended as a gesture only.

"We want the test match to continue, we're ready to play, I understand the umpires are not ready to play,'' Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan says.

"Our boys were ready to take the field again but now it appears the umpires are not ready to go ahead,'' Khan says.

"We wanted to register a protest. I don't know what's happening right now,'' he adds.

"The Pakistan team felt deeply aggrieved, upset and Insulted by the umpires' unilateral decision,'' Khan says.

"I don't know what's going to happen in the future,'' Khan says, regarding the five one-day internationals between England and Pakistan, starting Aug. 30, are now in question.