Hearing on Shoaib, Asif adjourned

Ebrahim told reporters in Lahore that from November 20 onwards, day-to-day hearing would be held till the case was concluded.

8220;Today we couldn8217;t make much progress but we have told all parties that the appeals need to be disposed of expeditiously and they should come prepared for the next hearing,8221; he said.

However, Mark Gay, a London based legal consultant brought in by PCB, made a brief presentation on the case from the PCB point of view.

Gay, who had also helped the Board fight its case against the ICC after the Oval Test fiasco in August, specialises in dope ban cases.

He will assist the tribunal if they so require, Ebrahim said.

A PCB official said since Gay had fought many cases involving athletes who have tested positive for the same steroid and have been banned, his help had been sought.

8220;He is an expert and his views and advise would be valuable to the tribunal,8221; the official stated.

Shoaib and Asif, both key bowlers for Pakistan and banned for two years and one year respectively by a drugs inquiry tribunal, could miss the 2007 World Cup if their appeals are not upheld.

Both tested positive for banned steroid nandrolone in tests conducted by PCB before the start of Champions Trophy. Sources said that Shoaib, whose career is on line, had asked his legal advisor to prepare a defence based on previous cases of athletes who tested positive for nandrolone and successfully argued that their trainers had given it to them by mistake in nutrition supplements.

British-Canadian tennis player Greg Rusedski was cleared in March 2004 after having tested positive for nandrolone.

Ebrahim said he wanted to see justice done in the case and had set no date to conclude the case. 8220;But obviously we want a conclusion as soon as possible but only after the legal counsels of both players have had a full opportunity to present their cases,8221; he said.

He also insisted the tribunal was totally independent and would take its own decision based on the international anti-doping regulations and the circumstantial evidence surrounding the dope test of the players.

8220;Mark Gay on behalf of the board told the hearing today that the PCB8217;s limited interest in the case was its earliest disposal in accordance with the law,8221; he added.