My players are not cheats: Woolmer

Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer and tour manager Zaheer Abbas both insisted their side was not guilty of ball-tampering during their sensational forfeit of the fourth and final Test against England at The Oval.

England were declared the winners on Sunday after Pakistan, in a move unprecedented in the 129-year-history of Test cricket, were deemed to have forfeited the match because they did not take the field after tea.

Pakistan were incensed that they had been accused of ball tampering and penalised five runs.

"I think there was a genuine feeling that, by inference, we had been cheating," Woolmer told Sky Sports.

"I personally asked every member of the team, under oath basically, whether they had at any time scratched the ball during the innings and to a man they said no.

"I looked at the ball and came to my own conclusions.

"I didn't see any undue tampering with the ball -- and in 38 years (of involvement in cricket) I have seen tampering with balls," former England all-rounder Woolmer added.

"It had been hit into the stands on numerous occasions by Kevin Pietersen. I didn't think there were any undue marks, but that is a personal opinion.

"Having asked my team I can concur with them there was probably just damage from concrete and whatever."

Australia umpire Darrell Hair made it clear to all in the ground what had happened when he signalled the penalty to the scorers at the end of the fourth day's 56th over which had been bowled by paceman Umar Gul.