luckyeddie said:
You are a little naive on this matter. Ball-tampering has been going on for more than a century - and it will still be going on in another hundred years.
still doesnt get around the fact that most bowlers DON'T mess with the ball...and also that it is against the laws (and the spirit) of the game.
If the laws are changed to allow tampering with the ball, then fair enough.
I dont know whether I am being naive...and if I am, I am quite saddened by the fact that it now appears to be acceptable to cheat (and that is what it is).
I have played cricket (from under 10's to now) for 23 years..in that time I have honestly never picked the seam or scatched at the ball...and I have only known one person and suspected one other of doing so. I dont see how the actions of a few can justify this kind of few.
In my opinion, if you have been caught altering the state of the ball, you should be banned for a fair amount of time, no questions asked.
Godofcricket,I support Australia,my team have had their fair share of success, it isnt a case of sour grapes. I want the game to be played in a fair manner. In my mind, there was something well dodgy about the bowling in that World Cup...and in fact by the Pakistan bowlers in most games around that time...and it seems damned strange to me that the amount of reverse swing generated after all of the media attention seemed to diminish,and no bowler since has come close to reversing the ball that far and so out of the blue.
To me , ball tampering is as much cheating as match fixing......and as I say, just coz it has happened in the past, doesnt make it right