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Ball Tampering General Discussion

Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
So this was touched on in the Aussies Shame thread but I think it is worthy of further discussion and I'm interested to see if many share my opinion with regards to a soft approach re ball tampering.

We all know that it is widespread to varying degrees and I'm fairly convinced that every team partakes in it in some shape or form, one of the greatest spectacles in cricket is the art of reverse swing........do we really want that removed from the game? So the question is what should be tolerated and what shouldn't and is there a way of having a soft approach to ball tampering without teams taking files and meat cleavers out onto the pitch with them.

One thing that baffles me slightly, to artificially rough up one side of the ball is considered out of line........but why do we accept the preserving of the shiny side to be acceptable? Honestly, what is the difference in rubbing one side of the ball in the dirt and the other on your trouser leg?

I don't know what the answer is, I mean you can't just legalise ball tampering or it will get ridiculous, but I also don't want to see them clamping down on things like throwing the ball in on the bounce or putting a bit of saliva on the ball (mint induced or otherwise).......is the balance right now where only really blatant stuff that is caught get's dealt with?
 

Athlai

Not Terrible
Ball tampering has been legalised and it's rubbing it against your pants, thats the line.
 

stephen

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
If they are going to do something like this it would be best to do it by ball regulation - allow the ball to have different amounts of lacquer on each side and mark the shiny side.

Fair and would have the same effect as ball tampering.
 

howardj

International Coach
I think the distinction needs to be drawn between ball shining - lollies, sunscreen already on you, and saliva - and actually taking objects out there (such as sandpaper, tape etc.) with a view to altering the condition of the ball.
 

Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
Is sweat and spit illegal now? I do it all the time in Senior Bs, standard shining practice innit?
This is where it's stupid IMO. AFAIK, spit is OK but not if you have mints or chewing gum in your gob. How the **** do you police that?
 

morgieb

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The line (there's that word again) should be with foreign objects (that is you can't tamper with the ball with objects that you wouldn't have on you in the field anyway). Ball tampering with objects on you (like saliva, sunscreen, whatever) is generally OK, sandpaper or bottle tops a no-no.
 

Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
The line (there's that word again) should be with foreign objects (that is you can't tamper with the ball with objects that you wouldn't have on you in the field anyway). Ball tampering with objects on you (like saliva, sunscreen, whatever) is generally OK, sandpaper or bottle tops a no-no.
I reckon this is just about how it is policed now by the umpires.......but it's not according to the rule book. So do the rules need to be changed so there isn't this grey area or should it just be left alone and let it (sort) of manage itself like it does now.
 

MagicPoopShovel

U19 12th Man
Yea foreign objects should be the line. Sweat, Saliva is fine.

I've thought of legalizing it but keeping it to nails , sweat , saliva. Does that work? Fk knows.
 

Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
Yea foreign objects should be the line. Sweat, Saliva is fine.

I've thought of legalizing it but keeping it to nails , sweat , saliva. Does that work? Fk knows.
You just said in the other thread there should be a zero tolerance to it, and put it alongside match fixing..........sweat, saliva and scratching at the ball with your nails is tampering with it, so is shining the thing on your trousers afaic.

You can't have it both ways.
 

MagicPoopShovel

U19 12th Man
You just said in the other thread there should be a zero tolerance to it, and put it alongside match fixing..........sweat, saliva and scratching at the ball with your nails is tampering with it, so is shining the thing on your trousers afaic.

You can't have it both ways.
I was just debating what the alternate options there are to solving it. I do think it should be a zero tolerance issue. But if that's not gonna happen maybe these are some things we could look at. Maybe?..

I thought that's why we had this thread.
 
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outbreak

First Class Debutant
Ryobi can expand from domestic to international, each team gets a set of power tools to use on the ball but no other objects or tools allowed.
 

cnerd123

likes this
What defines a foreign object? Sunscreen from your face? Your shoe laces? Your saliva mixed with the gum/mint/whatever it is you have in your mouth? How about sweat mixed with gel or hair styling product?

Personally I'd define a foreign object as something no cricketer should reasonably have on them over the course of the game. So like, they can't bring in a tool to tamper the ball with, but we let them openly use tricks like sucking on mints, or rubbing dirt into the ball, or even picking at the seam with their fingertips.
 

Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
What defines a foreign object? Sunscreen from your face? Your shoe laces? Your saliva mixed with the gum/mint/whatever it is you have in your mouth? How about sweat mixed with gel or hair styling product?

Personally I'd define a foreign object as something no cricketer should reasonably have on them over the course of the game. So like, they can't bring in a tool to tamper the ball with, but we let them openly use tricks like sucking on mints, or rubbing dirt into the ball, or even picking at the seam with their fingertips.
That doesn't stop Afridi biting a chunk out of the ball though does it.
 

Arachnodouche

International Captain
Just don't pick at the ball for godsakes. With anything. Period. Polishing is fine, distorting the shape of the ball as is, not fine.
 

morgieb

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What defines a foreign object? Sunscreen from your face? Your shoe laces? Your saliva mixed with the gum/mint/whatever it is you have in your mouth? How about sweat mixed with gel or hair styling product?

Personally I'd define a foreign object as something no cricketer should reasonably have on them over the course of the game. So like, they can't bring in a tool to tamper the ball with, but we let them openly use tricks like sucking on mints, or rubbing dirt into the ball, or even picking at the seam with their fingertips.
Yeah, this is what I was referring to re: foreign objects. Not sure if that counts mints or stuff, though.
 

cnerd123

likes this
I'd allow for mints, gum, sugary drinks, wrist bands, caps, shoe laces/spikes, fingernails,and even watches and sun glasses if they want to get really creative.
 

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