Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

[The Coon Dog]

Controversial Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has made a meal of an apology for his bizarre ball-biting incident, saying every cricket side in the world tampers with the ball anyway.

Afridi will miss Friday's tour-ending Twenty20 clash against Australia at the MCG after being slapped with a two-match ban for chomping on the ball in Sunday night's one-dayer in Perth.

And the limited-overs ace hardly covered himself in glory by telling Pakistan's Geo TV that all sides tamper with the ball.

Article in full...

[hujsh]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

So all sides tamper, some just aren't good at hiding it? He obviously lacks subtly with this and the 2005 test against England as prime examples of how not to tamper.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

I'm not a cricket afficionado, but that's really bad, IMO. A two match ban doesn't seem sufficient, in my book.

[chef]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

I'm not a cricket afficionado, but that's really bad, IMO. A two match ban doesn't seem sufficient, in my book.

Me too, 12 month ban would be more appropriate. The most blatant cheating I can remember.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Bloody Afridi, always thought those South Australian's were dodgy!

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Bloody Afridi, always thought those South Australian's were dodgy!

Haha, I was just about to post "no wonder we bombed out against the Vics!"

[Jasper]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Its a wonder that ledge hasnt been on saying its not clear that Afridi wasnt ball tampering.

Afridi is very lucky that its just a 2 game ban.

[Sedat]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Not condoning for one second the sheer mindless stupidity of Afridi to start tucking into the kookaburra like it was a granny smith apple, but because all 3 forms of the game now so overwhelmingly favour the batsmen I can half-understand why bowlers occasionally resort to some trickery with the ball - grounds are much smaller, pitches are glorified roads, bats are heavier. We are regularly seeing 400+ scores in ODI's these days whereas 15 years ago we would gasp in shock whenever a team scored over 300. Cricket is supposed to be a fair and equal battle between bat and ball - the game has become skewed far too much to the advantage of the batsman.

Brendan Julian on Inside Cricket last night suggested that all bowlers simply be allowed to tamper with the ball. That might be a little drastic but it will certainly redress the current imbalance between bat and ball.

[GVGjr]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Cricket is supposed to be a fair and equal battle between bat and ball - the game has become skewed far too much to the advantage of the batsman.

In test cricket I think the administrators would agree but they want to see all the limited over games pretty much play out their time and the best way to keep the crowds coming is to provide the bats the best chance to dominate.

I see nothing wrong with the bowlers dominating the game in 40% of the games but a vast number of supporters who attend 1 days games want to see the ball heading towards the boundaries on a frequent basis.

[chef]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Brendan Julian on Inside Cricket last night suggested that all bowlers simply be allowed to tamper with the ball. That might be a little drastic but it will certainly redress the current imbalance between bat and ball.

That would be a recipe for disaster IMO.

[Twodogs]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

It all depends on your definition of what ball tampering is. Loading up one side of the ball with saliva and rubbing all the shine off the other side over the course of 30-40 overs so that the ball will reverse is done with the intention of changing the ball's condition. Is that ball tampering?


To answer Afridi's claim though. I'm perfectly prepared to believe that every side Afridi has played in has as a matter of course tampered with the ball in an illegal fashion contrary to the rules and the spirit of the game. I'm not so sure about other teams doing it so often or so blatantly though.

I'd be interested to hear Darrel Hair's take on all this. Hopefully it will occur to a journalist to ask him.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Me too, 12 month ban would be more appropriate. The most blatant cheating I can remember.

Sorry you must have a short memory. If Warne got 12 months for being a drug cheat then 12 months for biting the ball is very harsh.

[chef]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Sorry you must have a short memory. If Warne got 12 months for being a drug cheat then 12 months for biting the ball is very harsh.

I don't think you can compare the two.

[GVGjr]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Sorry you must have a short memory. If Warne got 12 months for being a drug cheat then 12 months for biting the ball is very harsh.

Warne didn't get suspended for being a drug cheat. He got suspended for taking a tablet(s) that was on the banned list that could potentially mask drug taking.
He was not found guilty of taking a performance enhancing drug. I think his penalty would have been more severe.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Every side ball tampers: Shahid Afridi

Warney got off lightly let's be honest. he should have received a further 12 months for the most idiotic B/S excuse for his drug taking. As for Afridi I just don't get why you would bother to tamper a white ball when it's already scuffed up . Stupid act and he got off lightly