England’s 2005 Ashes team ball tampered, their former captain Mike Atherton ball tampered and another ex-skipper, Michael Vaughan, has suggested both James Anderson and Stuart Broad were involved in ball tampering.
That is why it’s so odd that many English pundits, ex-players and fans have been trying to claim the moral high ground over tampering.
The latest candidate is Monty Panesar, who slammed Steve Smith in an Indian newspaper, claiming he should always be known as a cheat and should never be considered a cricketing great because of the sandpaper incident.
Only last week Panesar’s former team-mate Steve Harmison was taunting Smith, saying the Aussie can’t be forgiven and would be remembered above all as a cheat.
Yet both have strong links to ball tampering. Panesar wrote in his autobiography that he ball tampered with his zipper and that his national team-mates used sun cream and mints.
Meanwhile, Marcus Trescothick – Harmison’s former team-mate – wrote in his autobiography that he was the designated ball tamperer in the 2005 Ashes side, using specifically chosen mints to help gain the wild reverse swing England’s quicks achieved that summer.
Trescothick in no way portrayed his actions as those of a rogue operator. Rather, he gave the impression the whole team was in on it, that it was systematic tampering. This is the same team that was feted again and again this series by commentators and fans.
Yet some of those same English spectators have run the risk of a hoarse throat screaming abuse over and over and over at Smith, David Warner or Cameron Bancroft – or all three.
(AP Photo/Halden Krog)
That trio brought shame upon Australian cricket. What they did was inexcusable, they deserved to be harshly punished and duly received a tougher penalty than any other nation would hand out.
Mere weeks after the sandpaper incident, Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal was caught ball tampering by the ICC, yet his country not only refused to punish him but backed him as if he was the victim.
South African cricket authorities acted similarly when their skipper Faf du Plessis tampered not once but twice.
Funnily enough, despite South Africa being the victims of the sandpaper incident, South African players, ex-cricketers, pundits and fans have been nowhere near as vicious in their treatment of the Aussie trio as have the English.
The English press and fans have gleefully used the incident as a stick with which to beat not just Smith, Warner and Bancroft but the whole Aussie team.
They have also attempted to portray all Aussie cricketers – sometimes even Australians as a nationality – as boorish, untrustworthy people who deserve every fleck of bile being sprayed at them.
Many articles in the UK press this past 18 months have smacked of taking the moral high ground, positioning Australian cricketers as being louts compared to their English equivalents.
It seems they had forgotten. Forgotten that Ben Stokes mocked a disabled child on camera.
They had forgotten that Craig Overton was banned for two matches in county cricket for a foul-mouthed, racist tirade at a British-citizen Pakistani opponent, who he told to “Go back to your own f***ing country.”
They had forgotten the South African side and Michael Vaughan were adamant the England team ball tampered in 2010. Despite being known as one of England’s biggest media cheerleaders, Vaughan put Anderson and Broad in the spotlight over tampering in that 2010 Test series.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Vaughan dedicated an entire article to this topic in the UK’s Daily Telegraph, saying of England: “There is no doubt in my mind that they were trying to change the condition of the ball”.
Think about that for a moment. This is the same former captain who led the side that Trescothick admits used to ball tamper.
Vaughan was clearly suggesting in a national newspaper that he believed England ball tampered in South Africa. The South African team made a formal complaint to the match referee, who later cleared England, about what they believed to be persistent ball tampering in that series, with Anderson and Broad in the crosshairs.
Vaughan agreed with the South Africans in his article.
“Stuart Broad has been stopping the ball with his boot all the way through this series,” Vaughan wrote.
“On day three of the third Test, the cameras caught him doing this in the 15th over. Then he threw the ball to James Anderson, who had a play at the area where Broad’s spikes had created a tear.
“If this had been a game involving Pakistan, and Shoaib Akhtar or Mohammad Asif had been pictured using their fingers on the ball, there would have been uproar. As it was, Anderson is a lucky man.”
Yet both Anderson and Broad have delighted in taking digs at the Australians over the sandpaper incident, as if their own behaviour had never been called into question.
England have no moral high ground. Not in regards to ball tampering or the behaviour of their players in a wider sense.
Henri Craemer
Guest
"Let they who are innocent throw the first tock." Dealing with sporting offences is something that must be done consistently. You can't have different standards for the same offence. Ultimately it's how your behavior reflects on the sport you play. THAT, and not team standards, should be the measure. One must also try to be objective in the matter. I know this article comes from an Australian source. The Ausies are my absolute sworn enemies in cricket. I'll even go as far as to support Rwanda if they play against them . (Relax, it's only cricket.) Still, you have to give the Devil his due. If a man, like Steve Smith, has done the crime and the time, and he comes back and shows a better self, shouldn't he be respected for it? This comes from a huge Protea supporter.
Brendon Hollis
Guest
You sandpaper your bat you fool.
Brendon Hollis
Guest
As an official umpire I've asked players in Wagga Wagga first grade to throw the white ball in on the full in 40 over matches. When it comes in from the supremely fit and skilled boundary riders in the first over of the match it's pretty obvious they are trying to not only soften the ball but darken the white ball. Straight out cheating. One club in particular were using the tactic and they lifted there game on instruction from then on whenever I umpired there one day games. Not an issue with the red ball.
Nick George
Guest
One thing nobody other than Australia has done is to conspire to cheat and for the vice-captain (with the connivance of the captain) to exert pressure on a junior player to do the dirty work. I think it has to be accepted that ball tampering has been done by most if not all countries, but this was something of a different order. I am not sure that "cheating" is the right word, though it certainly trips off the tongue more easily than "nefarious conspiracy".
Rob
Guest
Australia retained the Ashes, get over it and stop whining. Warner and Bancroft cheated, Smith as skipper took the tap too for not stopping it. It happened, your lot accepted it, they got punished and cricket has moved on. Ball tampering has gone on since year dot, every cricketer knows it. What they did took it to another level. Rolling the ball in the dirt, altering your saliva content, kicking the ball, yes they are ball tampering but they aren't the same as taking sandpaper onto the field! Englsnd fans booed them for fun as much as anything, just the same as you lot boo Broad for not walking when he nicked one to Haddin, who dropped it to slip. Get over it. Smith is a great player, he was the undoubted difference and he's yours.
WAYNE BENNETT
Roar Rookie
Back in my day when i was 16 (early 80s) it was zync cream used from off my nose it made the ball swing crazily. I often wondered as almost all players back in that era of zync cream had it on the nose if they did the same
Rugbyrah
Roar Rookie
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/how-does-australians-punishment-stack-up-to-previous-ball-tamperers-20180329-p4z6tv.html https://www.livemint.com/Sports/5Oi4IluEJZ4S3xMJ6oRckO/Major-balltampering-incidents-in-recent-cricket-history.html
Mon
Guest
Nawwww lil NumbBus is gonna start crying into his pot noodle in a minute!! Mr NumbBus I would take more of an interest in the obvious failings of your own 1st XI rather than worrying about imaginary scenarios. ‘If we held the Ashes...’ Exactly buddy. And we don’t want to hear about your special relationship with your sister either.
Crispy Duck
Roar Rookie
I think we behave like pigs when people come over to Oz so can hardly moan about reciprocated behaviour. I think the behaviour of smith, warner and bancroft in tampering was appalling, but only marginally worse than anyone else (going all the way back to atherton). I'm personally hacked off by the boos as i think the guys manned up and took it on the chin more than any other nation. However, we've been acting like thugs since Ian Chappel so if other countries want to use it as an excuse to sink the slipper in then they've got every right. Our treatment of visitors has been boorish for decades so we have reaped what we have sown.
Philip O'Donovan
Guest
You really are seeking either to forget or change history.Smith and Warner were the instigators in creating what has been described as a "toxic culture" within the Australian cricket side.This resulted in them being the most despised of all international cricket teams.Ultimately it manifested itself in Sandgate.An incident that was reminiscent of Laurell and Hardy in its execution and brought ball tampering to a whole new level.But it was not just the incident and the utter stupidity of the culprits to believe they would not be noticed in front of 22 cameras.No it was the lying to the onfield umpire,the lying in the press conference afterwards and then of course the tears. No,England and its players have never come close to dragging the game of cricket to such depths.However much Smith,Warner and Bancroft seek to redeem themselves this will always be their epitaph.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
I will always remember Michael Vaughan the same way (except for the all time great bit).
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
It's almost like it doesn't take 2 sides to tango eh FunGus?
Dan
Guest
You could also say, take Stokes out of your side and you would not have won the third test ! (Can also say the same thing if there was an umpire that didn’t need replays to determine a plumb lbw.) And while we’re at it, take out the West Indian bowler who took out our best batsman for one and a half tests. 3-1 would of been more indicative of series but anyway. Either way, the Aussies retained the ashes, and talk of the Aussies not beating you is irrelevant. Maybe England are use to getting trophies for a draw ?
ken gargett
Guest
yes, read it. this was supposed to go in, in response to old fallopian's comment a long way above but the machine put it here (although who knows where ts will end up). so it gave a very wrong impression to what i intended. i completely agree with you (dunning kruger, in case this gets relocated).
jeremy cogdon
Guest
Watch the 2nd innings at the MCG ashes 2010-2011. England bowled beautifully first innings (I have no questions of them cheating) and then racked up 500 with not an ounce of swing. 11 overs into the 2nd innings Anderson starts getting it reversing after Australia didnt swing a ball. Watson (I think hits the ball in the fence) and there is clearly a man made mark on the ball. David Saker was the bowling coach as he was in SA, interestingly enough Anderson and Broad couldnt swing the ball in Australia as they had done the previously series.
Is rail fall owe.
Guest
England, rather than punish their cheats, have a history of glorifying them. William Webb Ellis has a World Cup trophy named after him after he cheated in football by picking up the ball in his hands to score because of his inability to use his feet.
James Butcher
Roar Rookie
You first.
Pacman56
Roar Rookie
Grow up.
James Butcher
Roar Rookie
Oh look here comes the big man with a made up name to offer his pearls. :laughing:
Pacman56
Roar Rookie
Nothing that intelligent