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PCB anger at latest investigation

The PCB has expressed its anger at the ICC's handling of the latest allegations of spot-fixing in the third ODI between England and Pakistan at The Oval

The PCB and the ICC have shared moments of unease in the recent past  •  International Cricket Council

The PCB and the ICC have shared moments of unease in the recent past  •  International Cricket Council

The PCB has said it is perturbed by the allegations of corruption surrounding the third ODI and expressed its regret at the ICC's handling of the situation, pointing out that it had not been consulted over the latter's decision to lauch an investigation and only learnt of it through the media.
The ICC decided to investigate Friday's match at The Oval after being tipped off by a newspaper prior to the start that bookmakers were aware of some of the scoring patterns that eventually occurred during the play. As the story emerged through the day and the ICC announced it's decision to investigate, it became clear that the Pakistan board had not been informed by the ICC; initially the board chairman Ijaz Butt, the captain Shahid Afridi and team manager Yawar Saeed refused to comment on the story because, they said, they had not been updated on the details. Butt flew to Dubai from Delhi on Saturday, though it is unclear whether he has met with the ICC.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board is extremely perturbed by the recent allegations of corruption in the third ODI between England and Pakistan," the statement read.
"The PCB regrets the way these allegations have been handled as, being a full member of the ICC, it only came to know through the media that investigations would be conducted by the ICC. The PCB feels the ICC should repose more confidence in its members... and further condemns sensationalizing of these allegations which are harming cricket in general and Pakistan in particular."
The ECB held a special board meeting earlier in the day after which it decided the tour would go on, as no "substantiative evidence" had been provided to it or the Pakistan board. Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, wrote to the ICC asking for further evidence and the PCB has followed suit. "The ICC has been requested by PCB through its counsel to furnish more details into these allegations."
This isn't the first time the PCB has disagreed with the ICC since the controversy began during the Lord's Test last month. The ICC's decision to suspend Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - the three players at the centre of the initial spot-fixing controversy - was criticised as being hasty with investigations still underway. At a press conference in Lahore, Butt said both the board and Scotland Yard felt the police investigations should have been completed before the ICC began its own inquiry.
The two clashed last year when the ICC took the decision to strip Pakistan of its rights to host the 2011 World Cup in the aftermath of the Lahore terror attacks and the PCB reacted by sending a legal notice. The dispute was ultimately resolved.