Inzamam hearing delayed

England's one-day series with Pakistan looks set to go ahead following the International Cricket Council's decision to postpone Friday's disciplinary hearing with Inzamam-ul-Haq.

The series was in jeopardy after Pakistan threatened to withdraw if their captain Inzamam received a lengthy ban at the hearing. But the announcement that senior match referee Ranjan Madugalle is unavailable for personal reasons has forced the ICC to postpone the hearing indefinitely with both England and Pakistan insisting on his involvement.

"The difficulty relates to the availability of Ranjan Madugalle to chair the hearing as he is dealing with a private and personal matter that requires his urgent attention," explained Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive.

"Pakistan and England, as the host country, have both expressed a preference for Ranjan to hear the case and on that basis we have agreed to the postponement.

"We have looked at potential alternatives but, as the ICC's chief referee and a person with immense credibility within the game, Ranjan is the most appropriate person to adjudicate in this matter.

"We are yet to decide upon a new date, but the intense nature of the upcoming one-day international series between England and Pakistan is likely to make it extremely difficult to fit in a hearing during that period.

"I should stress that the reason for the postponement is related solely to Ranjan's availability. We would ask that his privacy is respected at this time."

Captain Inzamam had been summoned to the hearing to answer two charges of breaching the code of conduct after Pakistan refused to come back on the field during the final Test on Sunday in protest at accusations from on-field umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove they had tampered with the ball.

They forfeited the match, which was awarded to England, but Inzamam now faces the prospect of a long ban if he is found guilty, as captain, of tampering with the ball and bringing the game into disrepute.

Pakistan, who have insisted their innocence all along, have consistently threatened they will not go ahead with the one-day series, which includes five one-day internationals, if Inzamam received a lengthy ban.