But for advanced technology many similar ball-tampering episodes in the past would have been brought to our notice.
I am not making excuses for Steve Smith and his ‘group’ in the now infamous Cape Town Test melodrama on 24th March. Nor I am repeating what has been written ad-nauseam. Smith did something illegal and admitted it. He deserves to be condemned. But what about others in the past when there were not 40 cameras to catch you?
The current mega-controversy reminds me of the Vaseline episode involving England’s fast bowler John Lever in the third Test against India in Chennai of January 1977.
John Lever had made a dream Test debut in the first Test in Delhi in December 1976 with figures of 7 for 46 and 3 for 24 and England had won by an innings.
But the next month in the third Test in Chennai he made bigger news when it was alleged that he had used Vaseline on the ball to help it swing.
The Vaseline incident happened on the second day of the Test just as India’s innings was coming to a close and he had taken five wickets. He was reported by umpire Judah Reuben that he was carrying on his person a strip of surgical gauze impregnated with Vaseline. The umpire considered this to be a breach of Law 46.
The MCC management conceded that there was Vaseline on the strip of gauze but explained that on a hot and humid day both Lever and Bob Willis suffered from smarting eyes due to perspiration running into them from the forehead. On the advice of team physiotherapist, Bernard Thomas, they went out wearing the gauze strips to divert the trickle of sweat away from the eyes.
There were two explanations for the presence of a gauze strip on the ground. Umpire Reuben said that it came adrift while Lever was delivering the ball. The team management claimed that Lever found it a hindrance and discarded it himself.
Former Test great and the MCC manager, Ken Barrington, agreed that there was a technical breach of the law governing ‘fair and unfair play’ but the offence was completely unintentional.
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At a press conference the following day, Barrington and skipper Tony Greig stressed that the gauze strips were not worn until after lunch and by then the England team had made such inroads into the Indian innings that such unfair methods were unnecessary.
Years later, Greig recalled, “What happened was that John Lever had a habit of taking sweat from his brow, which is perfectly legitimate as long as it is only sweat. However, he did mix the Vaseline-impregnated gauze with some of the sweat on his brow, because he had this habit of going straight across his brow.
“So purely by accident, he found himself with a slippery hand and, as a result of that, he decided to get rid of that gauze. He took it off his eyes and put it down at the base of the stumps in front of the umpire. This was picked up by the umpire who recognised that it was a foreign substance and of course that’s how it got out of control.”
How convenient, eh?
(AP Photo/Halden Krog)
Greig continued, “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this was an inadvertent mistake by our physiotherapist and that we weren’t, in any way, trying to pull the wool over [India’s captain] Bishan Bedi and his team’s eyes. In fact, had we been doing that then why would Lever put the gauze down at the base of the stumps? So that’s basically what happened.”
Bedi added fuel to the fire by stating that even after the Delhi Test when Lever had captured ten wickets he had suspicions that a polishing agent of some kind had been used.
Greig forcefully denied this allegation saying, “Bishan Bedi was under a tremendous amount of pressure at that time because the team was 2-0 down, and after that Test match 3-0 down. There was plenty of speculation whether he would hang onto the captaincy.
“He was, I think, grasping at straws at that time. In any event, the explanation from Kenny Barrington and me, and indeed the response from Lord’s got behind my explanation that this was a mistake. I am quite happy to admit right now that it should never have happened, but it did, and there is nothing much we could do about it.”
Despite all the criticism heaped at Australia’s skipper Steve Smith – and justifiably so – at least he was honest to own up.
(STR/AFP/Getty Images)
Can we say the same about the England team 41 years earlier?
Said Bedi this week, “What happened in the ‘Vaseline’ episode then was not quite cricket and what happened now in Cape Town is not cricket either. Different times do not necessarily mean one act of crime was bigger or smaller…but yes with technology ruling the roost and forty odd cameras swooning on every little detail on the field the modern cricketer is definitely more vulnerable.
“During the Vaseline saga only I was vulnerable with the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] literally bowing before the Imperial Cricket Conference. Remember both England and Australia had a right of veto then? And Indian Board officials were mere crumb pickers then. Well, let’s just leave it at that because I’m not enjoying digging graves!”
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Good one Kersi. I was speaking yesterday to Karsan Ghavri one of the Indian medium pace bowlers in the match and someone who was virtually the same speed as a left handed (and arguably far more talented than) Lever. He said it was blatant by the English but because England and Australia ran world cricket then nothing was ever done after Bedi complained and instead India was denigrated for its accusations. Ghavri and I got to discussing that episode of course in light of the #sandpapergate episode.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
And they got paid for it too ?
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
According to Dr. Rabindra D. Mehta, a Sports Aerodynamics Consultant in USA, ball tampering is not essential in order to achieve reverse swing, informs Bipi Dani, an Indian journalist. Interestingly, Imran Khan, the former Pakistani captain, who was Dr Mehta's school friend, endorsed these views first to this researcher. Speaking over the telephone from California, he said, "Basically, you do not have to roughen one side for reverse swing.... even a new ball will reverse, but only at very high speeds (90 mph plus)". The researcher, however, added, "There are two advantages of creating one side rough and the other smooth. One can obtain reverse swing (at nominal speeds) with the rough side facing the batsman and with the seam straight up, one can produce contrast swing....this is where the ball swings towards the smooth side as the "experts" keep pointing out". "With reverse swing, the ball will swing in a direction opposed to that of the seam....i.e. a ball with the seam pointing towards the slips will swing into the batsman (what should be an out swinger becomes an in swinger!!)". "Letting one side of the ball roughen up during play takes some time. That is why ball tampering has become popular. I can describe having seen many samples at Lord's .... the players know what to do and how to do it ... the trick is not to get caught! "
Big Daddy
Guest
In those days everyone wore brylcreem and vaseline in their hair and it wasn't there to make them look pretty.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
The headline is fixed now, Atawhai. Thanks for pointing out the errors.
mark bp
Guest
ball tampering has been going on for the last 30 years since pakistan "invented" reverse swing.... are you nieve to think south afrrica were not doing it as well. The administrators of the game have failed to address this...... beg to differ with you buddy. the guys that have been busted before from england... sth africa... pakistan and india all denigh ball tampering.... and got light penalties. faf du pleis is still the south african captain... right? it takes great CHARACTER to admit making such a big MISTAKE and indeed cover for others in the team and other staff. bancroft is a grown man as is steve smith and the rest of the team and supporting staff. im sure no one was forced to do anything.
Paul
Roar Guru
sorry but he threw Bancroft under a bus by asking/forcing him to so what he did, then should have fronted the media without Bancroft, because he and he alone, was responsible for this as captain of the side. He should have shown he was a real leader by say "no" when the idea was floated at lunch. His real COURAGE and CHARACTER will be demonstrated over the next 12 months, because he'll have to manage the fallout from his decision. I genuinely hope he does, but just can't see it. I'll bet he takes a long leave of absence from the game, which is another way of saying he's running away.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#mick There's three elements of ball tampering. The polishing of the 'clean side', The abrasion of the 'rough side'. And picking at the seam. Players have got in trouble for apparently picking grass out of the seam - if in doubt ask the umpire to do it. Polishing - via 'foreign substances' may have been going on for sometime but it's not legal. And the abrasion - we've seen the new ball deliberately roughed up, scraped on the ground, finger nails into it etc and that's been cracked down on. A player 'accidentally' stepping on it will come under scrutiny (Cummins??). Bottle tops have been admitted to being used in the past (Imran Khan......a cricketing great.....but a cheat?).
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Sorry, Atawhai. My mistake. Of course, it should be Greig. Thank you.
mick
Guest
What are these idiots on about ball tampering has been going on for years if its not Vaseline its cough drops in the mouth and then saliva rub on ball its been going on for decades so its no revelation they are all at it whether its the Olympic Games or Cricket where ever prestige or money is involved it will carry on regardless of all inquiries
BrainsTrust
Guest
I remember there was some allegations certain Australian bowlers were using vaseline in the eyebrows was it Max Walker I think. Also when the Pakistan bowlers first started using reverse swing Greg Chappell got hold of the balls to check what had been done with them as he was suspicious, thats when they saw one side had been polished and the other was rough. What was that players name I think Faqih and Greg Chappell complained that the opposition were swearing when I think he took a catch and they were calling his name, Seems very strange when you hear stories of swearing these days.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
It's Greig, Kersi.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Atawhai Drive, my headline was: Remembering the Vaseline saga of 1977 involving Greg, Lever and Bedi.
Slane
Guest
They used moisturiser on the ball.. that's the joke.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
Pampering? Greg? Fix the headline, people.
mark bp
Guest
a big mistake from steve smith..... however.... steve smith has shown COURAGE and CHARACTER to openly admit he did wrong and take full responseability for cam bancrofts actions. the guy has shown himself to be a REAL LEADER. he has shown himself not to be a COWARD like past players that have been caught and pleaded inocent. shame on cricket administators for not nipping this in the butt 30 years ago when pakistan "invented" reverse swing.