Ball tampering is a dangerous game

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In 2001, one of India�s greatest sportsperson, Sachin Tendulkar, was suspended for one Test match and 75 per cent fee but later ICC said it was not a matter of ball tampering. He was removing grass from the ball

CJ: Rakesh Bhandari

Tue, Jan 27, 2009 19:41:01 IST

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CRICKET HAS witnessed bizarre activities with the ball like rubbing the ball on the ground, scuffing with a fingernail or other sharp objects and tampering with the seam of the ball. Now, you ask why it is dangerous. Here is the answer: If you doing all these things while playing, then ICC has made certain laws likes banning the players and forfeiting the match fee for their offence.

There have been many instances of ball tampering, which have come to light due to increase of television coverage. In 1992, Pakistan cricket team was arguably the first to come under scrutiny, when Pakistani fast bowling duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis left the English batsmen clueless through their reverse swing bowling. They were accused of ball-tampering to achieve large amount of reverse swing but no player was found guilty.

Mike Atherton was found guilty of ball tampering in 1994. After 2000, ball tampering cases have increased drastically. Waqar Younis became the first player to receive a suspension (One ODI and 50 per cent match fee) for ball tampering. In 2001, one of India’s greatest sportsperson (Sachin Tendulkar) was suspended for one Test match and 75 percent fee but later ICC said it was not a matter of ball tampering. He was removing grass from the ball without having informed the umpire. Shoaib Akhtar was fined 75 per cent match fee and banned for two ODIs after scratching the surface of the ball in 2003. Rahul Dravid was fined 50 per cent of his match fee, after being caught ‘red-handed’ rubbing a cough lozenge on the shiny side of the white ball.

Nobody can forget the match between England and Pakistan in 2006. When for the first time in the 129 years of history of Test cricket, a match was forfeited after Pakistan refused to take to the field. Umpire Darrel Hair and Billy Doctrove awarded five penalty runs to England after Pakistanis were ruled to have tampered with the ball.

The Oval drama will always be regarded as the biggest ball tampering controversy, which the game has ever witnessed. These are the few cases, which show ball tampering is a dangerous offence because its affects cricket’s reputation and character.

There is long list of controversies related to ball tampering. Some people believe that it is part and parcel of the game but ICC has different plans to tackle this dangerous crime. They want to clamp a deterrent against such activity, and for doing this, they have made certain laws. Law 21.3 (The Result): Umpires awarding the match; Law 42.3: Award five penalty runs to batting side and Law 42.1.2: Umpires shall report the incident to the ICC match referee.

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