Sachin, Dravid, Du Plessis: The Unending Ball-Tampering Saga

Another year of international cricket and we have another incident of ball-tampering. This time it’s the Aussies, who are in the midst of big trouble. At the end of Day 3 of the third Test between Australia and South Africa, Australian captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft admitted to tampering the ball during the day’s play. Bancroft used sand stuck to tape to alter the condition of the ball. Smith expressed that the leadership group of the team was well aware of the plan.

As a result, Smith has been handed a one match ban and fined 100 percent of his match fee and Bancroft has been fined 75 percent of his match fee.

Sadly, this is not the first instance of ball-tampering and several high profile players have been charged with it over the years.

The Quint takes a look at fourteen instances of ball-tampering in the past and the different punishments given.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

Ball-tampering has got some big names in trouble, but the biggest name in the list has to be Sachin Tendulkar.

On the third day of a Test match against South Africa in 2001, Sachin bowled four overs of medium pace. While bowling, he scratched the seam of the ball. When the match referee Mike Denness saw the the video of Sachin running his fingers on the seam, he asked for a copy of the recording.

Based on the video footage, Denness handed Sachin a suspended one-match ban and fined 75 percent of his match fee.

However, the bating great always maintained that he was cleaning the seam of the ball.

I was prepared to abandon the tour if need be but wasn’t ready to be labelled a cheat. It was about honour and there was no way I would allow a match referee to cast aspersions on my credibility.

Sachin Tendulkar in his autobiography ‘Playing it My Way’

The surprising thing was that Sachin immediately swung the ball more than any other bowler on that day. But this can never be a strong evidence to charge the cricketer with ball-tampering.

(The Quint doesn’t endorse the views of the persons speaking in the above video.)

2. Rahul Dravid

The ‘good boy’ of Indian cricket Rahul Dravid also found himself being accused of ball-tampering. During a one-day international match against Zimbabwe in 2004, the Bengaluru batsman rubbed an energy sweet which he was eating on the ball. A player is allowed to use only saliva or sweat to shine the ball.

Dravid shined the ball with the energy sweet during the drinks break. He quickly realised that he had put the sweet on the ball and therefore wiped it off. But it was too late.

The third umpire, Peter Parker, reported it to match referee Clive Lloyd, who fined 50 percent of Dravid’s match fee.

It was an innocent mistake, to be quite honest. During the drinks breaks the players eat these energy sweets. Rahul was shining the ball with saliva and at the same time he was eating a sweet. He didn’t realise that until he looked down and obviously saw that yellow stain on the ball and tried to wipe it off. I’ve worked with Rahul Dravid for about four years and he’s what cricket’s all about – he’s a credit to cricket.

John Wright, then head coach of the Indian team

3. Waqar Younis

The great Pakistani fast bowler Waqar Younis was the first cricketer to be banned for ball-tampering. During an ODI against South Africa in 2000, Younis, along with Azhar Mahmood, were caught scratching off the side and seam of the ball with their thumbnails.

Waqar had already been a warning for ball-tampering by the match referee John Reid during the third Test against Sri Lanka before the triangular ODI series involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

After catching Younis in the act again during the ODI, Reid handed him a one ODI match suspension and fined 50 percent of Waqar’s match fee.

Azhar Mahmood was fined 30 percent of his match fee.

When Waqar was asked about the incident, he said:

I’ve been doing the same thing for 15 years.

Waqar Younis

4. Vernon Philander

South Africa’s Vernon Philander, who has taken 193 wickets in 52 Tests, was also charged with ball-tampering during a Test match against Sri Lanka in 2014.

It was a very straightforward case. The umpires caught Philander scratching the ball while reviewing the footage of one of the day’s play of the Test match.

The fast bowler didn’t contest the charge and was fined 75 percent of his match fee.

5. Faf du Plessis

During a Test match against Pakistan in 2013, the third umpire spotted the South African rubbing the ball near the zipper of his trouser pocket.

The on-field umpires, Ian Gould and Rod Tucker, were alerted about the incident, and eventually the ball was changed. The South Africans were given a five-run penalty.

Du Plessis pleaded guilty and was fined 50 percent of his match fee by match referee David Boon.

However, the team manager of South Africa, Mohammad Moosajee’s statement said that the Proteas didn’t contest the charge because a full hearing could lead to a more severe punishment.

As a team we proceeded not to contest it, because as per the ICC regulations a full hearing could lead to more severe punitive measure which could include a heftier fine or even a match ban. Faf showed no intent to change the conditions of the ball. It is harsh to term it ball-tampering. It was done inadvertently to dry the ball.

Mohammad Moosajee

6. John Lever

In 1977, England bowler John Lever was accused of applying Vaseline on one side of the ball to make it swing better during the third Test against India in Chennai. The visitors said that Lever and bowling partner Bob Willis had applied Vaseline-covered gauze above their eyes to divert sweat from their forehead away. No charges were brought.

7. Chris Pringle

In 1990, New Zealand had used bottle tops to tamper the ball during the third Test against Pakistan in Faisalabad, former wicket-keeper batsman Adam Parore said decades later. The tampering increased the swing on the ball and helped seamer Chris Pringle take an 11-wicket haul. No charges were brought.

8. Michael Atherton

In 1994, England captain Michael Atherton rubbed loose dirt from his pocket onto the ball during the first Test against South Africa at Lord's. Atherton said that he used the soil, taken from the pitch, to keep his hands dry. He was fined but avoided suspension and held on to the captaincy.

9. Marcus Trescothick

In 2005, former England batsman Marcus Trescothick said in his autobiography that he used mint-induced saliva to keep the shine on the ball as his team recorded their first Ashes victory after 18 years. The tampering aided the unplayable swing delivered by England bowlers as Australia lost the series 2-1. No charges were brought against Trescothick, who retired before his book was published.

10. Pakistan Team

In 2006, during a controversial Test at the Oval, England were awarded five extra runs after Pakistan were accused of ball tampering by umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove. Pakistan refused to take the field after the Tea break, in protest of the decision, and forfeited the Test. The scandal led to years of conflict between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and current and former players.

11. Stuart Broad and James Anderson

In 2010, England bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson were accused of ball-tampering after the former treaded on the ball with his spikes while the latter appeared to be picking at the seam during a Test against South Africa. The duo both rejected the accusations, with Broad saying he was just being lazy while stopping the ball and Anderson claiming he was absent-mindedly playing with it. Neither player was charged.

12. Shahid Afridi

In 2010, Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi was caught on camera biting the ball during a one-day international against Australia in Perth. Afridi was banned for two Twenty20 internationals.

13. Peter Siddle

In 2012, Australia bowler Peter Siddle was accused by Sri Lanka of raising the seam of the ballduring the first Test at Hobart after the paceman collected five wickets for 54 runs in the first innings. Siddle was later cleared by the ICC.

14. Faf du Plessis

In 2016, Faf du Plessis was charged for ball-tampering yet again during the second Test against Australia at Hobart after the South African skipper applied saliva from a mint or lollipop onto the ball. Du Plessis was found guilty by the ICC and fined his entire match fee.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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