Inzamam prepares for ICC hearings

Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan captain, left on Sunday for London to appear before an ICC code of conduct hearing later this week on charges of ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute.

Inzamam and Pakistan refused to take the field on the fourth afternoon of the final Test at the Oval against England last month. The refusal to play was a protest against umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove, who changed the ball during England's second innings before tea and charged Pakistan with ball tampering. Eventually, the Test was awarded to England as a forfeit.

Having received a warning from Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, for making public statements on the matter, Inzamam was understandably tight-lipped as he spoke to reporters before leaving. He did say though that he was confident of being cleared.

"I can't make any comments on the hearing as I am bound by the ICC code of conduct. All I can say is I am reasonably confident we will be cleared of the ball-tampering charge. I did nothing wrong at the Oval and everything I did there was pure and for the honour of the nation so I do not have any fear," he explained.

The hearing will be conducted by Ranjan Madugalle, ICC match referee, and is due to take place on Wednesday and Thursday; a verdict is expected on Friday. If found guilty, Inzamam faces a fine of 50 to 100 percent of his match fee or a ban of one Test or two one-day internationals on the ball tampering charges, a level two offence under the code of conduct. For bringing the game into disrepute by protesting, a level 3 offence, the ban is likely to be between two and four Tests or four and eight ODIs.

Inzamam will be accompanied at the hearing by Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, and Bob Woolmer, the coach, who will act as witnesses. Written statements from Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria and Zaheer Abbas, team manager at the time, will also be used. The Independent reported that Geoffrey Boycott, former umpire John Hampshire and TV analyst Simon Hughes will also appear as expert witnesses in relation to the ball tampering charge.

Also present will be, of course, the PCB's UK lawyers, DL Piper, headed by Mark Gay. In addition, Ahmed Hussein, a Lahore-based lawyer, has traveled with Inzamam and will be part of the legal team in London. Madugalle will be accompanied by the ICC's lawyer, David Pannick QC.

Since the code of conduct was introduced for players in 1992 - just as Inzamam was making a mark on the world game - the Pakistan captain has faced charges ten times already. Since becoming captain in 2003, this is the sixth time he will come up against the ICC to defend himself against charges.