ICC referee regrets Emerson's statement

Lahore, Nov 2: The ICC Referee Peter Burge expressed his regrets at Australian umpire Emerson's action and statement against Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar's bowling which he alleged as throwing the ball.

A Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman said on Tuesday that Peter Burge who was also conducting the ongoing match between Pakistan and Queensland Eleven at the Allan Border ground at Brisbane, called on Pakistan captain Wasim Akram and categorically expressed regrets on Emerson's action against Shoaib Akhtar. The short but meaningful meeting was held at the Pakistani dressing room, the spokesman said.

Peter Burge who was also the referee during the World Cup99 in England was surprised on the statement of umpire Emerson and clearly stated to Wasim Akram that this matter was not even rferred to during the World Cup matches in England where Shoaib Akhtar attracted the cricket lovers, the spokesman said. Peter Burge was of the view that many cricket enthusiasts including some retired cricketers in Australia had regretted the act of Emerson which appeared in the local media the other day, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) general manager operations Richard Watson had already spoken to the Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed and had assured that no reference of any kind as such had been made to his board.

In general, the spokesman concluded, the act of umpire Emerson had been widely condemned.

Shabbir Ahmad: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also received a 12-minute duration video film from the ICC, on Shabbir Ahmad regarding his bowling action objected by referee Van de Marve during matches against West Indies at Toronto, Canada, last month.

The PCB secretary Shafqat Rana said that he had watched the film, but he did not find anything wrong with the action of Shabbir Ahmad. The name of Shabbir Ahmad was droped from the list of Pakistan team.

Shafqat Rana said that ICC panel would discuss the matter of Shabbir Ahmad within three-weeks and expressed the hope that it would be resolved.