One-day series under threat
Even Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has waded into the controversy
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Monday, 21, Aug 2006 09:58
Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer has admitted the one-day series with England could be under threat if Inzamam-ul-Haq is punished in the wake of the ball-tampering controversy.
The Pakistan captain will find out on Friday if he has been found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute at a hearing of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) disciplinary committee.
However, Woolmer has warned the remaining fixtures on the tour, which include one Twenty20 international and five one-day games, could be under threat if Inzamam is found guilty.
"I would think the one-day tournament may well be in jeopardy if he is found guilty and banned for eight games," Woolmer told Channel 4 News.
"I am not a betting man but there will be more problems if he is found guilty."
The fall-out from the accusations of ball-tampering during the fourth day of the fourth Test have sent ripples around the world.
No proof of guilt or innocence has been made public and all eyes will now be on the hearing on Friday.
However, Woolmer insisted that none of his players had interfered with the ball at any stage of the match.
"I personally asked every member of the team, under oath basically, whether they had at any time scratched the ball during the innings and to a man they said no," Woolmer added.
"I looked at the ball and came to my own conclusions. I didn't see any undue tampering with the ball, and in 38 years I have seen tampering with balls."
The Twenty20 game is currently scheduled for next Monday, with the first one-day game set to be played on Wednesday 30th in Cardiff.