When is inconsistency, consistent?

When you are the Pakistan Cricket board, thats when. I see that cricinfo are now reporting that the PCB have backed down over the fines and bans imposed on 4 of their best players after the ill-fated tour of Australia over Christmas.

Younis Khan has now had his indefinate ban lifted, Shahid Afridi has had his fine for ball tampering totally revoked, and the Akmal brothers have had their respective fines for indiscipline reduced.

All this on the back of the lifting of Shoaib Malik’s one-year ban.

Apparently PCB chairman Ijaz Butt recommended (in what fashion does he recommend) to the independent arbitrator that they overturn these bans, in a true example of PCB democracy.

All this begs the question – Why did they even bother in the first place?