IAN BOTHAM and Allan Lamb last night insisted they had "no regrets" about bringing the libel action against Imran Khan which may cost them up to £500,000 in legal costs.
But Botham, the former England all rounder, was "astonished" by the jury's majority decision that the ex Pakistan skipper had not libelled him and his old team mate Lamb.
"Astonishment is a fair word to. describe my reaction," he said.
He had not thought about the costs: "That is the least of my worries. I am still a little confused as to how it went against us. If you had been in there 2 1/2 weeks then I think it is a conclusion you bare entitled to come to.
"Imran Khan had to withdraw justification and therefore he had to admit I was not a cheat which is why I am finding it confusing and many other people will find it confusing as well."
Lamb too said he was "disappointed" and "fairly astonished" but he also had no regrets.
"The jury has got to make their decision and you have got to accept that. I don't think it has any implications for my reputation. I came here, I tried to clear my name, and this is what you get... but I am astonished by the jury.
The duo had claimed that Imran had "lashed out" with an "offensive personal attack" on them in India Today magazine in 1994. They said it called them racists and attributed their strong line on ball tampering to their lack of education, class and up bringing.
Botham alone sued over a 1994 story in the Sun, which, he claimed, accused him of cheating by interfering with the ball - something he was adamant he had never done.
Imran, who denied libel, said he was misquoted and was trying only to defend himself against attacks after his admission that he used a bottle top to tamper with the ball during a 1981 county match.
Botham and Lamb said they now planned to spend time with their families. Asked what they though about Imran Khan Botham said: "I regard Imran Khan as a tremendous cricketer."
At the verdict, the former England stars looked stunned while Imran grasped the hand of his pregnant wife, Jemima, who whispered: "We've done it."
As he left the courtroom, Imran said: "Thank the Almighty."
Botham and his wife remained stony faced in their front row seat. Botham once looked across at Imran's delight - and hastily looked away.
Imran said: "We are overjoyed by the verdict. This backs what I have been saying about ball tampering over the years.
"I have never called anyone a racist or low class or a cheat. I am sad this had to come to court. I hope that once and for all the issue of ball tampering will now dealt with by the ICC."
Botham and Lamb's counsel, Mr Charles Gray QC, told Mr Justice French and the jury during the 13 day case that it was a "vile and defamatory" slur to say that cricketers who had spent their careers competing against teams from all over the world were racist.
It was a particularly insidious allegation to make against South African Allan Lamb. And ball tampering was "cheating, according to anybody's right thinking definition of that word," he added.
He claimed Imran was motivated by malice and went "gunning" for the England players, because of his horror at the publicity given to his confession.
Imran insisted he had not accused either man of being racist, but had criticised the section of the tabloid press which referred to "Paki cheats". He also denied calling anyone - and specifically Botham - a cheat in the Sun article. His counsel, Mr George Carman QC, told the jury: "Sport was meant to unite and not divide."
The evidence from people such, as England captain Mike Atherton and former opener Geoff Boycott was that lifting the seam had gone on since "time immemorial".
There was a dramatic climbdown from Imran on the ninth day of the hearing when he withdrew his defence - introduced just before the case started - that his allegations of ball tampering against Botham were justified.
Minutes after the verdict Imran Khan appeared live on CNN and said he would have been bankrupt had he lost. "A complete exercise of futility. I mean a ridiculous situation to be involved in a case like this when I have something much more important in Pakistan.
Asked what difference the verdict made, he said: "The only difference this is going to make is that finally I can concentrate on our justice movement. I have been really tied up with this case for the past two years and for the past month, really involved in it."