Holding quits from ICC over change in status of Oval Test 2006 result
5 Jul 2008, 1418 Hrs

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London, July 5 (ANI): West Indian great Michael Holding has resigned from the ICC Cricket Committee after they changed the result of the 2006 Oval Test between England and Pakistan to a draw.

The tourists were originally ruled to have forfeited the match after refusing to play.

The Sun quoted Holding as saying that: "I have resigned because that game should never, ever be a draw." Holding felt that Pakistan's refusal to play should not go unpunished even though they were not guilty of ball tampering.

"I have just written my letter of resignation to the ICC Cricket Committee because I cannot agree with what they've done," Holding said while commentating for Sky Sports during a domestic match in England.

"That game should never, ever be a draw. When you take certain actions, you must be quite happy to suffer the consequences. A lot of things are happening today that I don't want to be involved with, so I've moved on," he added.

Umpire Darrell Hair after Pakistan did not come out to field after tea on the fourth day, following accusations of ball tampering, originally awarded the Oval Test to England.

Pakistan had, at the time, been in a strong position in the match, having secured a first-innings lead of 331 and removed four England batsmen in their second innings. There was nothing at stake in the series, with England already leading 2-0 after wins at Headingley and Old Trafford, but the eventual forfeiture was the first in the history of Test cricket. The removal of England's win could affect their standing in the ICC Test Championship - they are currently third on 110 points, one ahead of their next opponents, South Africa, on 109.

The result had huge off-field ramifications as well. Hair went on to be suspended from the ICC elite panel, and though that decision was overturned last year when he took his employers to the High Court in London, the initial decision formed the basis of Pakistan's appeal for a rethink of the result. (ANI)