ICC set to take further action

The International Cricket Council are expected to pass further judgment on the unprecedented final Test controversy.

England were handed the match at the Brit Oval, and a 3-0 npower series victory, on Sunday night after Pakistan failed to take the field in the evening session, having been accused of ball-tampering by the match umpires earlier in the day.

Although the ICC offices in Dubai are officially closed on Monday due to the Ascension of the Prophet, a public holiday, match referee Mike Procter is composing a report on the incident which sparked the first forfeit in 1,814 Tests.

Umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove decided that the state of the match ball had been altered by someone on the fielding side and awarded England five penalty runs to their score of 230 for three. Pakistan have subsequently been charged under the ICC code of conduct.

"The Pakistan team was aggrieved by the award of five penalty runs to England," read a joint statement from the ICC, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

"The award of those penalty runs for alleged interference with the ball is under review by the ICC match referee Mike Procter, whose report will be considered in due course.

"ICC will be issuing a separate report concerning action which may be taken in relation to the forfeiture of the match by Pakistan."

That ICC statement read: "The issue of a charge or charges to be laid against Pakistan under the ICC's code of conduct will now be dealt with at the earliest possible opportunity.

"Pakistan have been charged under level two of the code of conduct, 2.10, which relates to changing the condition of the match ball."