England gives Pakistan until the end of October to settle

Inzamam-ul-Haq leads his side back onto the field ... but too late to save the Test © Getty Images

The row over compensation for the abandoned Oval Test rumbles on.

Last week, the Pakistan board refused the ECB's claim for £800,000 to cover losses resulting from the abandoned match. The PCB insists that the ICC are responsible for compensation as it was the umpires, their employees, whose actions led to the match being called off. The ECB has now given the PCB until the end of the month to settle.

"The Pakistan board has been very consistent in saying to us that England are the totally innocent party and whatever happens England should not be economically penalised on that Test match," David Collier, the ECB chief executive, said. "The argument, particularly following the hearing at The Oval, that Pakistan has raised is that there was a causal effect to prevent the game being concluded and Pakistan's contention would be that the claim should be to the ICC rather than to the PCB.

"We've now formally gone back to Pakistan and have pointed out to Pakistan that, in our opinion, if there is a causal effect then it is up to Pakistan to take up with the third party not for England to take up. So the ball is back in Pakistan's court.

"If there isn't an obvious resolution it can be referred to the ICC's panel. That is the proper course we would take, rather than engage in any legal fight. We will refer it at the end of this month if we have not had a response."

"We have said in our letter that the Oval Test not being completed is a case of cause and effect. Saleem Altaf, Pakistan's director of cricket operations, said last week. "The ECB should realise that we have been vindicated in our stand on ball-tampering, which led to the effect. They should contact the person responsible."