Team and umpire get clearance from ECB

Islamabad, April 28: The managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) Dr Ali Bacher has denied accusing Pakistan team of manipulating a match in the 1999 World Cup.

In an another development, the England Cricket Board (ECB) has also informed their Pakistani counterparts that they have no evidence to believe that the World Cup runners-up fixed a match against Bangladesh.

The ECB also denied having any information on umpire Javed Akhtar being involved in any wrongdoing during the Headingly Test between England and South Africa in 1998. Akhtar gave a record nine leg before decisions as England won the Test and the series 2-1.

The ECB added in its letter that it has no doubt over the integrity of the umpire.

Yawar Saeed, director of the PCB, said here on Friday that he received a letter from Ali Bacher on Thursday in which he denied the contents of the interview published in an Australian newspaper.

Yawar said the clarification received from Bacher states that he was quoted out of context. "The UCBSA managing director maintained that he had never mentioned the name of any country or any individual umpire as reported in the newspaper."

In his letter Ali Bacher has also apologised if the misquoted news had harmed the feelings of any individual. He also hoped that the good cricketing relationship between the two countries would continue.

"Somebody has played mischief in the whole affair," Bacher was quoted as saying in the letter.

Yawar termed the new development as a positive one, adding: "The focal point of this sad affair was somewhere else but Pakistan was dragged into it."

Javed Akhtar, who retired as umpire last year, has meanwhile put on hold his decision of taking Ali Bacher to the court for defaming his image. However, he said that exact situation will be known after the ICC meeting.