Shoaib Akhtar found guilty
of ball tampering

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been found guilty of ball tampering in the first Test against Zimbabwe, match referee Clive Lloyd said on Wednesday.

Lloyd confirmed the umpires had reported the matter to him and there was agreement that Shoaib had changed the condition of the ball illegally during the match, which ended with Pakistan's 119-run victory on Tuesday with a day to spare.

"The umpires and I inspected the ball and it was clear to us that it had been scratched," Lloyd said.

Lloyd replied in the affirmative when asked whether the guilty player was Shoaib, adding: "We have severely reprimanded him."

He said no further action would be taken.

The Pakistani team management was not immediately available for comment.

Umpires Srinivas Venkataraghavan and Dave Orchard had two discussions with Pakistan captain Waqar Younis and Shoaib before and after lunch on Tuesday over the condition of the ball.

Shoaib left the field immediately after the second discussion, which followed his 14th over. He returned to bowl the penultimate over before tea.

The Pakistani express bowler finished with a match analysis of seven for 118.

Mail Cricket Editor