Chennai: The cricket world awaits the last word on the subject from Cricket Australia. Reliable word is that a ban – of at least six months – is in the offing for Steve Smith and David Warner, the two leaders of the team responsible for the ball tampering chicanery. But, as James Sutherland travels to South Africa and a full-scale enquiry would be conducted before a decision is made, it is likely that the final word will be some time coming.
As an offence, ball tampering is a level two misdemeanour and merits only one-match ban, which is what a pedantic match referee has awarded. On the other hand, the Australians are boiling over with hate for their national cricket team.
The people and the media are baying for blood and they will probably get it and it’s highly unlikely either Smith or Warne will be able to play IPL.
Ball tampering is as old as the hills. Imran Khan and Sarfraz Nawaz first did it with soda bottle tops hidden in trouser pockets that virtually ripped the leather on one side of the ball. Since then various instruments and innovative substances like Vaseline, sugar in toffees and sweets, sandpaper, sweat and saliva and just about anything to make one side heavier than the other have been used as ‘instruments of change’.
