"These stories always raise questions and the big one will be "is this just the tip of the iceberg?". Everyone will be wanting to know how many more players have been taking these kind of drugs.

"What is certain is that this is another bad day for cricket. For now, the focus will be on this story rather than the actual cricket being played at the ICC Champions Trophy.

"A lot of this is to do with the fact that this was so unexpected. I spoke to Bob Woolmer [the Pakistan coach] once we heard about this and he said it was a bolt out of the blue.

"Everybody was able to watch as the Oval Test story unfolded but there is a lot of confusion surrounding this as nobody saw it coming.

"Woolmer did say, however, that Pakistan will still miss Inzamam-ul-Haq [their captain banned for his part in the Oval Test forfeiture] more than these two players. That may be so but this will prove to be very unsettling for the Pakistan team.

"Some may say that this will bring the players closer together and, let's face it, if there is a team used to playing amid confusion it is Pakistan!

"But I think the effect will be one of utter confusion for the players and that will weaken their game out on the field."