London: Former umpire Dickie Bird of England says umpires must not be allowed to make ball tampering charges without concrete evidence.

“Unless you see them (players) actually tampering with the cricket ball I don’t think there’s a lot you can do about it. I would bring that into that law,” Bird was quoted as saying by a television channel.

“I wouldn’t say you could do what you want with a cricket ball — you could use a razor blade, a bottle top or anything then and that would be unfair.”

The charges were made by Australian Darrell Hair and West Indian Billy Doctrove during the fourth Test which Pakistan forfeited against England last month.

None of the 26 television cameras at the venue captured a player deliberately trying to alter the ball.

ICC Chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle, after handing the verdict at The Oval, said: “My hunch is you need to have concrete evidence to substantiate serious allegations, definite proof.”