WCC statement on Oval result decision

Date released: 1 February 2009

Following the International Cricket Council (ICC) decision on the official result of 2006 Test Match at The Oval the MCC World Cricket Committee (WCC) have issued a statement.

Hair and then Pakistan captain Inzamam Ul-Haq The Executive Board of the International Cricket Council met in Perth on Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February.

Included on their agenda was a discussion of ICC’s reversal of the 2006 Oval Test match result between England and Pakistan and the MCC World Cricket Committee’s response to that decision.

The MCC World Cricket Committee released a statement in October 2008 urging ICC to revoke its decision, stating that it was contrary to the Laws of Cricket. MCC has acted as the Governing Council of the Laws since 1788.

Following the weekend’s discussions, ICC have confirmed that they will heed the call from MCC to overturn their decision and that the original result of an England win, awarded by the match umpires (Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove), will stand.

Co-operation and communication

World Cricket Committee Chairman, Tony Lewis Tony Lewis, MCC World Cricket Committee Chairman, said: "We are pleased with ICC’s decision to uphold the original umpires' ruling at the 2006 Oval Test match.

"While fully appreciating the sensitive nature of these discussions, and the issues surrounding them, MCC’s unanimous viewpoint has always been that the umpire’s decision must stand as Law 21.10 is unequivocal. Indeed, the ICC’s own Cricket Committee shared our view.

"The MCC World Cricket Committee has a healthy working relationship with ICC. Not only does our Committee act as a consultant to ICC on research and development projects, but we recently invited David Richardson - ICC’s General Manager of Cricket - to sit on the Committee.

"We appreciate the co-operation and communication that exists between ourselves and ICC and will continue to work closely with them.

"Importantly, however, we will also continue to speak out in the interests of cricket and its players."

• Read the MCC World Cricket Committee statement on ICC’s reversal of the 2006 Oval Test match result between England and Pakistan - issued in October 2008

• The MCC Laws sub-committee oversees the Club’s work as governor of the Laws of Cricket. The sub-committee is chaired by Robert Griffiths, QC.