England were declared the winners after Pakistan were adjudged to have forfeited the match when they refused to take the field after the tea interval.

The tourists were incensed that they had been accused of ball tampering and penalised five runs.

The decision that Pakistan should forfeit the game in these circumstances was unprecedented in the 129-year-history of Test cricket.

"It was concluded with regret that there will be no play on the fifth day of the fourth Test on Monday," said a joint-statement by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), world governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) read out to reporters by ECB chief executive David Collier.

The statement made it clear that while the teams and boards were happy for the match to progress the umpires (Australia's Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove of the West Indies) were not.

"After lengthy negotiations which resulted in agreement between the teams the ICC match referee (South Africa's Mike Procter) and both ECB and PCB to seek to resume the fourth Test match on Monday it was concluded with regret there will be no play.

"The fourth Test match has therefore been forfeited with the match being awarded to England.

"In accordance with the Laws of Cricket it was noted that the umpires had acted correctly, deemed that Pakistan had forfeited the match and awarded the Test to England.

"At a meeting between the captains, ECB, PCB and ICC match referee, the players, ICC match referee and boards indicated that they would offer to resume play if at all possible on Day Five.

"The umpires having awarded the match to England and having consulted with the Pakistan captain (Inzamamul Haq) reconfirmed their decision to award the match to England.

"The Pakistan team was aggrieved by the award of five penalty runs to England. The award of those penalty runs for alleged interference with the ball is under review by the ICC match referee Mike Procter, whose report will be considered in due course.

"ICC will be issuing a separate report concerning action which may be taken in relation to the forfeiture of the match by Pakistan."

England, already 2-0 up in the four-match series, have now won it 3-0.

Pakistan were docked five runs at the end of the fourth day's 56th over which had been bowled by paceman Umar Gul.

It was Gul's 14th over with England 230 for three in their second innings when the umpires inspected the match ball. This was the first time, an ICC spokesman said, that this punishment had been applied in a Test match.

Play was eventually called off for the day at 6.13pm local time (1713GMT) with England 298 for four in their second innings, a deficit of 33.

The controversy began at 2.30pm local (1330GMT) when veteran official Hair, standing with West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove, signalled to the scorers that five penalty runs were to be added to England's total, taking it up to 235.

Then, after an early tea had been taken because of bad light, the umpires walked back out onto the field at 4.40pm local time (1540GMT) only for no Pakistan fieldsmen to follow behind them before walking back in.

Pakistan's English coach Bob Woolmer said a conversation then took place between Hair and Inzamam.

Hair asked the Pakistan captain 'Are you coming out' and Inzamam replied 'Why did you change the ball?' Hair then said 'I'm not here to answer that question' and left'.

Some 15 minutes later the umpires returned followed by England batsmen Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell only for the Pakistan team to remain in their dressing room.

Both umpires removed the bails, returned to the pavilion and the covers came on.

Pakistan then appeared on the field, to boos from the crowd, at 5.25pm (1625GMT) but, after several minutes without either Hair or Doctrove, or the England batsmen, Pakistan walked back off.

Almost five hours later, Pakistan were deemed to have forfeited the match and England were declared the winners after one of the most controversial days in Test cricket.

LAWS THAT SPELT THE

END OF FOURTH TEST

The law which prompted umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove to award the fourth Test to England and deem Pakistan to have forfeited the game at The Oval is covered by Law 21.3.

Law 21.3 reads: Umpires awarding a match:

(a) A match shall be lost by a side which either (i) concedes defeat or (ii) in the opinion of the umpires refuses to play and the umpires shall award the match to the other side.

(b) If an umpire considers that an action by any player or players might constitute a refusal by either side to play then the umpires together shall ascertain the cause of the action. If they then decide together that this action does constitute a refusal to play by one side, they shall so inform the captain of that side. If the captain persists in the action the umpires shall award the match in accordance with (a) (ii) above."

The Law which covers ball tampering, the offence Pakistan were accused of when five penalty runs were added to England's total so sparking the series of events that led to the forfeiture of the game, is Law 42.3.

Law 42.3 The match ball - changing its condition.

Paragraph (a) allows players to polish the ball provided no artificial substance is used, remove mud from the ball and dry a wet ball on a towel.

But paragraph (b) states: It is unfair for anyone to rub the ball on the ground for any reason, interfere with the surface of the ball, use any implement, or take any other action whatsoever which is likely to alter the condition of the ball, except as permitted in (a).

The Law goes on to say that in the event of any fielder changing the condition of the ball unfairly, the umpires after consultation shall:

(i) Change the ball forthwith. (In Test matches the batsmen at the wicket are allowed to select a replacement ball from a selection of six).

(ii) - inform the batsmen the ball has been changed

(iii) - Award five penalty runs to the batting side.