From: srd@ukc.ac.uk (S.R.Davies)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Re: Accusations of Cheating
Date: 26 Aug 92 10:29:47 GMT
Reply-To: srd@ukc.ac.uk (S.R.Davies)
Organization: Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.

In article <1992Aug26.091803@axion.bt.co.uk> dgrove@axion.bt.co.uk (David Grove) writes:
>
>I caught a glimpse of the news this morning in which it would appear that
>Alan Lamb accused the Pakistan bowlers of picking the seam etc.
>
>Without wishing to re-open this can of worms, can someone confirm if:
>
>	a. there has been a formal accusation
>	b. the umpires from the fourth ODI have made a statement as to 
>	   why they changed the ball.
>	c. there has been any response from Pakistan
>
     a.  No. There has been a lot of media speculation, but any formal
         accusation would have to come from the ICC. So far the ICC has
         remained silent, and they may or may not make a formal statement
         on the issue later in the week, after they have received and
         considered the match referee's report.

     b.  It is not appropriate for the umpires to make a statement. The
         final decision to change the ball was made by the match referee
         after consultation with the umpires. The terms of reference for
         the match referee say that he is not required to comment on any
         decisions taken during the match. He has made no public statement,
         but has sent a report to the ICC.

     c.  The Pakistan team managers have strongly denied that the ball was
         changed under Law 42.5 (unfair tampering with the ball), arguing
         that it was changed under Law 5.5 (ball unfit for play), and
         that there has been no illegal tampering with the ball during
         the tour.

     A few comments :

     A tabloid newspaper has quoted Allan Lamb as saying that it was he
 who brought the allegations of ball tampering to the attention of the umpires
 during the 4th ODI, and that the Pakistan players have been doctoring the
 ball all summer. There has been no official response to this yet, but Lamb is
 in breach of his contract with the TCCB by talking to a newspaper, and will
 surely be subject to some disciplinary action. It seems unlikely that he will
 be picked for the tour of India now, so his international career has 
 probably just ended.
     I have seen matches in the past where the ball has gone out of shape,
 and the umpires have consulted with the captains, changed the ball and
 the match has continued. All this palaver seems unnecessary if the ball
 was changed under Law 5.5 ... surely somebody could have simply stated so
 before all this fuss. So it seems to me that if/when a statement is made,
 it will be that the ball was changed under Law 42.5.
     I think there may be some similarities here between ball-doctoring
 and drug taking in athletics .... everybody is doing it, and for the
 most part they get away with it. Everybody keeps doing it because they
 think that all the others are still doing it ... a vicious circle. I
 suspect what will happen is that a statement will be made that the ball
 was changed under Law 42.5, and that there will then be recriminations
 from Pakistan about how all the other Test teams are doing it and how
 they have been singled out for punishment. All in all, it is going to
 be a bitter and unpleasant mess.

     Regards, Steve.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket