ECB to refund fans for the Oval Test

London, Aug 21 (UNI) The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is facing a 400,000 pound bill after agreeing to refund tickets for the aborted fourth Test between England and Pakistan, which ended after the visitors forfeited the match.

Fans, who came to watch the match at the Oval, are eligible for a 40 per cent refund, while those who bought tickets for today will receive all of their money back, the ECB said.

The south London ground was filled to capacity with 23,000 fans and another 11,000 had been sold for today's play.

The tickets cost between 36 to 62 pounds for yesterday. The fans paid 15 pounds in advance for today's play, leaving the ECB with a likely 400,000 pound bill.

The match became the first Test in history to be forfeited when Pakistan refused to return to the field after tea, to protest the five-run penalty imposed on them for alleged ball-tampering by Australian umpire Darrell Hair.

When the visiting team finally agreed to play, Hair and the other on-field umpire Billy Doctrove ruled that they had forfeited the game, handing England a 3-0 series victory.

The trouble started when Hair and Doctrove awarded England five penalty runs during the afternoon of the fourth day after ruling that the ball had been altered by the fielding side.

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