Ball Tampering In Recent Times

Cricket's touchiest topic

Feb 1, 2010

Before Afridi decided to have a go at the ball in Australia, there have been many - yet, far less comical - incidents that rocked the cricketing world. Cricketernews.com looks at some of them here.

 

Though Stuart Broad and James Anderson were let off by the ICC, their attempts at digging and rubbing the ball on the ground with the heels did not go unnoticed.

 

Now known as Ovalgate, the controversy erupted when England were awarded 5 bonus runs after umpires observed Pakistan players tampering with the ball. Though play continued for a few minutes until tea, Pakistan team refused to come out to play after tea break. Umpires Billy Doctrove and Darrel Hair awarded the match to England. Inzamam was found guilty of "bringing the game into disrepute". 

 

 

Jan 2004 (India vs Zimabwe ODI at Gabba) - Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid was found guilty of ball tampering in a ODI against Zimbabwe that India won by 24 runs. The third umpire showed this video to referee Clive Lloyd as a proof that Dravid had applied cough lozenge to the shiny side of the ball. He was let off relatively easily, with 50% fine on his match fee.

 

 

May 2003 (Pakistan vs NZ) - Shoaib Akhtar in Dumballa, Sri Lanka After Third Umpire noticed Akhtar of tampering with the seam of the ball, incident was brought to Match Referee G Vishwanath's attention. Akhtar was awared a 2 match ban.

 

 

November 2001 (India vs South Africa) - Tendulkar, Denness et al

In an unprecedented verdict, match referee Mike Denness handed out guilty verdicts to Sachin Tendulkar (ball tampering) and 5 other Indian players of various other charges. Tendulkar was awarded 1 Test ban. Other players found guilty were:

 

Sourav Ganguly - Inability to control team (1 Test + 2 ODI ban)

Virender Sehwag - Excessive Appealing (1 Test ban)

Harbhajan Singh - Excessive Appealing (1 Test ban)

SS Das - Excessive Appealing (1 Test ban)

Deep Dasgupta - Excessive Appealing (1 Test ban)