Healy error provokes heated exhange in match-fixing hearing

A lawyer representing former Pakistan captain Salim Malik asked ex-Australian off-spinner Tim May whether Pakistan's one-wicket victory over Australia in the first Test in 1994 in Karachi was the result of a deliberate missed stumping.

When asked by Malik's lawyer Azmat Saeed if the missed stumping, which resulted in four leg byes and a one-wicket win by Pakistan, was deliberate, May replied: ``Absolutely not''.

``I've no knowledge of anything done deliberately in that match,'' he said.

Although Malik's lawyer did not mention Healy's name in Saturday's hearing, he was the Australian wicketkeeper at the time. He has since described the rare error, which came during an over by Shane Warne, as the most disappointing moment of his career.

Saturday's exchange came towards the end of testimony from May on the second and final day of the commission's special hearing. The officials return to Pakistan Sunday to continue the inquiry.

Michael Shatin QC, who had acted Friday as Mark Waugh's counsel, leapt to his feet, clearly angered by the inference against Healy.

``I think it's outrageous to make an allegation of that nature without warning the person against whom the allegation is aimed,'' Shatin said.

Outside the courtroom after the hearing, one Australian lawyer said it was a good thing Healy had not been present when the suggestion was made.

``Could you imagine how he would have reacted?,'' the lawyer said of Healy, renowned for his intense competitive spirit and reputation as a strong team man.

May and Warne alleged Malik offered them money to play badly on the last day of the first Test in Karachi.

Mark Waugh also accused Malik of offering him money later in the same tour for several Australians to play badly in a one-day match.

The commission decided to visit Australia after it was revealed Waugh and Warne had accepted money from an Indian bookmaker earlier in 1994 and then given him pitch and weather information before matches.

The commission originally had wanted to talk to Waugh, Warne and former Australian Cricket Board chairman Alan Crompton, but May also made himself available for questioning.