SHOCK HORROR
WELL THIS GOT YOU HERE TO THIS BLOG ANYWAY......IT'S NOT TRUE....YET!
The views of many cricket lovers, pro and amateur appear to be split on the issue of what constitutes ball tampering and whether the rules should a) be relaxed or b) be axed. Glenn McGrath. the most successful Australian fast bowler in the history of cricket, albeit a seam up bowler primarily, has reportedly rejected the calls for ball tampering rules to be weakened. Jeff Thomson, he of the whip arch action and sometime fast bowling colleague of Dennis Lillee, has stated that the rule should be scrapped. In Pakistan I imagine 50m + people would agree with Thommo!
But Derek Pringle, the erstwhile Telegraph cricket writer appears in the Woolmer camp as someone who would like to see changes. Similar in action to Woolmer, Derek played for Cambridge and Essex I recollect, and latterly England and I think it fair to say that their joint statistics at international level would have been much improved if "converse swing" and over eagre "working" of the ball had been allowed and accepted practice back in the 70's & 80's. Ho ho ho!
Derek though does have a different slant altogether on the events of the eventful Oval Test. He says that the ball (not the same ball as the one Inzie allegedly doctored along with his team mates you understand) in the 1st innings bowled by Asif and Gul swung like a....what was it?....banana perhaps. Suspicions were equal between the umpires (apparently) and English players using their binoculars from the pavilion. How are these Pakistan bowlers achieving so much swing, and reverse swing to boot? Stranger still apparently Asif polishes the ball using both of his trousered flannels legs but only one side went cherry. What can it mean Dr Pringle? Perhaps Asif had used the wrong Sketchley's or more sinister, his girl friend, wife or partner had applied transparent nail polish or as Bob suggested was being used around various grounds, spittal from fruit drops. What a great opportunity for the advertising boys had been missed here. Can you imagine Opal Fruits as sponsored by Pakistan Cricket Board being plastered all over the players kit? This may not be so far from the impossible because I hear through the grapevine that Coca Cola sweets are NOT being used any longer in the sub-continent. I jest not!
So if Bob and Derek, Atherton and others, have their way you can put the noble game to bed, sleep easy, and know that games wont last 5 minutes let alone 5 days. Leggies and offies will be history. Batsmen like Hick, Tendulkar, Trezzie and other's wont last as long and the whole need for umpires will be transplanted by Sony on pitch camcorders held by various fielders. One can picture these signals being transported back to the Sky Newsdesk as catches go down along with broken camcorders. Oh well the new sponsors can pay and Mike Proctor can take the blame if the ratings collapse. Hehhhh! I've got a better idea Bob! Why not gift out cricket balls with packets of Opal Fruits so that the kids can practice. After all the kids of today in England do need to catch up on their counterparts in Lahore!
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