England suspected un-seamly behaviour

London: The England dressing room had suspicions about the behaviour of Pakistan's bowlers even before Sportsmail published photos on Thursday showing Shoaib Akhtar apparently tampering with the ball at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday night.

The Pakistan fast bowler was pictured standing on the ball with his spikes and running his thumbnail around the seam during the 41st over of England's innings.

But it has emerged England were already unhappy about events during the third one-day international at The Brit Oval a week ago, a match Pakistan won following a late batting collapse by the home side.

Eyebrows were raised in particular about the behaviour of one Pakistan bowler, thought not to be Shoaib, and it is understood Andrew Strauss' men were not surprised to see Thursday's pictorial evidence.Astonishingly, despite the seemingly incriminating evidence captured by a Sportsmail photographer, Shoaib looks set to escape punishment.

The ECB are unwilling to get involved in yet another controversy at the end of an acrimonious tour.