Fawad denies breaking dressing-room window intentionally

LONDON: Pakistan’s discarded batsman Fawad Alam has refuted claims he broke a dressing-room window intentionally after being adjudged timed out for taking more than designated time to come out on the field in a Lancashire League T20 match while playing for Clitheroe Cricket Club on Friday.

Speaking to Geo TV, Fawad said he had broken the window accidentally, while attempting to fling his bat into his kitbag. He did not, however, deny his disappointment at the manner of his dismissal, since he felt he had reached the crease in time.

“According to the law the incoming batsman must take the wicket within two minutes but the umpire gave me timed out before the allocated time and asked me to leave,” Fawad said.

“I eventually had to leave. I was infuriated, which is quite obvious when something like this happens to you. So when I went back to the dressing room I threw my bat towards my bag which I had kept some distance away, near the window, only to hit the window by mistake. It was unintentional and unfortunately it was unnecessarily blown out of proportion.

“Never in my whole career has a finger been pointed at me for indiscipline, so this Lancashire League incident was unfortunate and painful for me,” he added. According to Law 40.1, the incoming batsman actually has three minutes, and not two, to be in his crease after the fall of the previous wicket: “After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batsman, the incoming batsman must, unless Time has been called, be in a position to take guard or for the other batsman to be ready to receive the next ball within 3 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batsman will be out, Timed out.”