I watched this ball tampering issue on TV yesterday. (Eng Vs Pak). I found it ridiculous. How the hell umpires allowed batsmen to choose the balls? and why didnt they inform Pakistan skiper when they found that ball was tampered?? I agree that leaving the field was not the best step taken by Injmam, but role of the umpires wasnt clean in this issue. I often find that english/australian umpires are partial towards subcontinental teams. This is not a cricket spirit.
Yes it was poor management all over, it was a complete farce but funny to watch people going up and down the steps. They said Inzamam just wanted to stage a 5 minute protest before going onto the field which is a bit silly, however if the umpire has no clear evidence of ball tampering and has just gone on evidence that the ball has got a couple of scratches on it then he is completley in the wrong and could face trouble. As the commentator said the ball had been on the roof a couple of times, something like this can cause scratches on the ball, the umpire needs proof of seeing it first had before coming to such a big accusation. From my opinion its the umpires fault unless it is found that someone did tamper with the ball.
I don't think anyone's come out of it looking very good. The best course of action would have been to continue the test after the protest. Now it's just blowing up out of all proportion.
Add to that the umpires and they all had a part to play. Most of the analysts here in the UK, Ian Botham, Mike Gatting etc had the same views - It's difficult to condemn any ball tampering as no evidence has been released. If there is evidence then release it. If not apologise to Pakistan. Either way it shouldn't have been handled like this.
I am with the Pakistani team. I agree that the step taken by Inzi wasn’t the good one. But it was an unfair decision by the Umpire I guess. ICC doesn’t even have any footage about ball tampering issue. Now days every team is doing ball tempering players use Vaseline and mint on the ball for the reverse swing. I have heard that point fielder specially grows his nail for ball tempering.
Decisions cannot be changed once taken. I feel Inzamam should have carried on with the game and sought out things later with the umpire and match refree. If Pakistan had done nothing wrong then something could have been done about umpire Hair....he always has problems with sub-continent players. By leaving the field Inzamam did a very wrong thing and this might be treated as something very un-professional and an insult to the game of cricket which will do nothing but act against him.
they forfeited, because they will get to play another match in a month or 2. Forfieting is a bad option as it adds the team to the losing side, if Inzi was so mad, he should have striked back by scoring outs, runs and winning with much fire with'em, making everyone realize that the Umpires decision made Pk's to play so madly. But as usual, our ego always let us behind, but if I would be there, We would have win it :0 although I don't know how to bat or ball well.
I think England wanted just 40 runs to win with a day of play remaining and plenty of wickets in hand?
No, we needed about 40 to draw level with 6 (I think) wickets in hand. Hopefully we would have got a 150-200 run lead and it would have been an interesting final days play.
Thanx for that info. Yes it would have been a nice battle to watch after such issues on and off the field. BTW Inzamam gets a eight match ban now.
Is that suspended? I read in the papers this morning that Pakistan wouldn't play the one day games if he wasn't allowed to play.
I guess this link would help you. I am sorry I am not in a mood to type much...just got home after loads of work (11.40 PM here)
I think his ban is for bringing the game into disrepute with his churlishness (that might be the first usage of "churlishness" in the 21st century) and the fact that he caused the first ever forfeiture of a test match. By protesting the ban, the rest of the team are not doing themselves or their country any favours. Whatever happened to the referee's decision being final and respecting your opponents?
lol I just read this thanks Webby . I personally think that inzamam has done whats right? Not because he is Pakistans Captain but that can lead to something done about that issue but if he continued the game then it was like saying"We dont care and you can do it again" I mean it was going to happen one day if you think that referee was not right?? I mean why does it matter if Pakistan did it or India,Srilanka or Bangladesh but i need to watch that video
There are 26 cameras used in ground to cover the match and about 4 of them are dedicated to the ball to get every touch saved. In history when ever there is allegation of ball tempering, one player is always pointed out guilty of doing such thing. But now here in Oval test Hair has not yet given any evidence about it. Not only Pakistanis but sub continent teams have always suffered whenever Hair is there; We have reported him on many occassions to ICC but ICC has its own rules;
I read today that Pakistan would play the one day games if he is suspended for bringing the game into disrepute. If he's banned for ball tampering then they'll go home.
Yes it might be so. because if Hair fails to provide some evidence and even then Inzamam is banned for some mathes then its not fair at all