Cricket-Pakistan radio station drums up support for Inzamam

KARACHI, Aug 24 (Reuters) A Pakistan radio station is inviting listeners to sign a petition backing captain Inzamam-ul-Haq in the ball-tampering row and plans to submit it to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

''The response to the campaign has been fantastic,'' FM 107 marketing executive Talal Durrani told Reuters today.

''We are getting calls and SMS's constantly. It is our way of supporting our cricket team against an unjust umpire.'' The station will send three listeners to Dubai to submit the petition to the ICC, he added.

Umpires imposed a five-run penalty on Pakistan for ball tampering in the fourth and final test against England at The Oval on Sunday.

Inzamam's team refused to emerge for the final session's play and Pakistan eventually forfetied the match.

Inzamam has been charged by the ICC with bringing the game into disrepute, for which there is a maximum ban of eight one-day internationals and four tests.

REUTERS PDS BS1331