List of Top 5 Cricket Legends, accused for ball tampering
What is ball tampering?
Ask any fast bowler and they will agree that “happiness is seeing swing in the air”. According to the Law 41 subsection 3 of the Laws of Cricket, the ball may be polished without the use of an artificial substance, may be dried with a towel if it is wet, and have mud removed from it under supervision; all other actions which alter the condition of the ball are illegal. These are usually taken to include rubbing the ball on the ground, scuffing with a fingernail or other sharp object, or tampering with the seam of the ball. The purpose of tempering the cricket ball is to get favourable bowling conditions aka “swing in the air”.
So here’s the list of top 5 Legendary Cricketers accused of ball tampering, and the verdicts that shook the cricketing world:
- Michael Atherton —
In 1994 the former English Captain was accused of ball tampering in a test match against South Africa at Lords. While Atherton never confessed he was fined £2,000 for lying to Peter Burge the match referee .
2. Waqar Younis —
In 2000 the Sultan of Swing was accused of scratching the ball with his thumbnail in an ODI against South Africa played at Columbo. Waqar became the first cricketer to be suspended for ball tampering. He was suspended by match referee John Reid.
3. Faf du Plessis —
In 2013 on the third day of second test in Dubai against Pakistan Faf du Plessis was caught scuffing the ball against the zip of his trousers. South Africa was immediately penalised by the on field umpires by adding 5 Runs to the Pakistan’s total and by replacing the ball. Faf du Plessis was fined 50% of his match fees by the match referee after he pledge guilty.
4. Shahid Afridi —
In a bizarre yet shocking incident the Boom Boom Afridi, then standing in as Pakistan’s captain received two T20 Internationals match ban for biting the ball to readjust the seam against Australia in January 2010. Afridi later reported that he was just trying to smell the ball but he was pledge guilty for ball tampering.
5. Sachin Tendulkar —
We all know for a fact that if there’s an edge and the Umpire says “Not Out”, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar would still turn around, walk back and declare himself out. Thereby once again raising the standard of the Gentleman’s Game. But in the year 2001 while playing against South Africa in Port Elizabeth Sachin was accused of scuffing the seam of the ball. The TV camera’s caught Sachin removing a piece of grass stuck in the seam, but Sachin was accused of Ball tampering. This caused an outrage amongst Sachin fans worldwide. The ICC later cleared Sachin of all charges, while Mike Denness was barred from entering the venue of the next match for allegation of racism. After the whole twist in the tale, Tendulkar was sanctified as “GOD of Cricket” by Indian media and fans worldwide.
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