Mike Procter, the ICC match referee, Rahul Dravid and Carl Hooper blasted news reports of Michael Holding hinting that the toss was fixed in the sixth one-day match at Jodhpur. PTI, an Indian news agency, quoted Procter clarifying, "Carl Hooper had called heads and the coin that was spun showed tails. Thus, Rahul Dravid won the toss."

Holding, in his syndicated column on Friday, had cast aspersions after there had been a stutter after the coin landed. Ian Bishop, the TV commentator on toss duty, first declared Hooper to have won it and then immediately corrected himself.

Holding had said that a couple of people who were there had told him that it was Hooper who had actually won the toss. Bishop was supposed to have been one of those people who had told Holding.

"I categorically deny it (hanky-panky with the toss)," Procter told PTI. "The press has written wrongly and it could check this out with the two captains."

Dravid, captaining India in the final two matches in place of Sourav Ganguly who is resting, declared his surprise to learn about the controversy. "There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that I won the toss and elected to field. I received a couple of calls later and I was amazed that a wrong picture has been given in the press report. Both myself and Hooper were sure about it. But I do not know where that came from."

Hooper was more vehement. "I do not require glasses (spectacles)," he said. "I think, Bishop was there as a commentator at the pitch when the toss was taken. He should stick to his job as a commentator and allow the game to be run by the administrators." Hooper had to seek permission from his team manager Ricky Skerrit to speak on the subject, PTI reported.

Their strong clarifications came after Holding's remarks were widely reported in the international media, particularly after the Jodhpur match produced a low-scoring game following five successive matches in which the batsmen overwhelmingly dominated the bowlers.

The speculations had received further fuel after the 3-3 series score ahead of the final match at Vijayawada on Sunday was the third successive ODI series in India in which the result had to be decided in the last match - implying that market forces had fixed results to maximise revenue.

The PTI report did not include any response from Holding to the clarifications.

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