Melbourne | 25 March 2018

Steve Smith is not the first captain to instruct his team to alter the condition of the ball.

Test cricket has seen its fair share of dramas as the fielding side attempts to gain an unfair advantage by altering the condition of the ball. The list of guilty players has increased in recent years as the advantages of reverse swing has been better understood.

Late 1970s: Imran Khan accused of ball tampering by Botham and Lamb

The issue of ball tampering was brought to a head in Imran Khan's book. Ian Botham and Allan Lamb had accused Imran of tampering in the late 1970s in county cricket. Botham and Lamb took Imran to court over defamation in 1996. Imran won the most expensive libel case in cricketing history when he successfully defended himself against accusations that he had labelled former England captain Ian Botham a ball-tamperer and a racist.

1994: Michael Atherton uses dirt to tamper with the ball

It came as a major shock when TV footage showed England captain Michael Atherton rubbing something onto the ball during the Lord's Test against South Africa. Atherton was summoned to a meeting with match referee Peter Burge at the end of play. Dogmatically he insisted he had never used any substance to alter the condition of a ball in his career as he fronted the press. But when he saw the footage Atherton acknowledged that he had not mentioned the dirt in his pocket to the match referee and he was subsequently fined £2000.

2001: Sachin Tendulkar accused of ball tampering by Mike Denness

Sachin Tendulkar was the culprit in the 2001 ball tampering issue. Television cameras picked up images that suggested Tendulkar was involved in scuffing the seam of the cricket ball. He was charged and had a fine imposed by Mike Denness during the second Test of India's 2001 tour of South Africa.

2006: Darrell Hair charges Inzaman in Oval Fiasco

The umpires ruled that the Pakistani team led by Inzaman Ul Haq had been involved in ball tampering. They awarded five penalty runs to England. Darell Hair changed the ball sensing that it had been tampered with. Pakistan incensed by the decision, protested by not taking field after tea.

2010: Shafid Afridi banned for biting ball

The umpires were forced to change the ball as Shahid was caught on camera biting the ball with Australia precariously placed at 7-178 and needing 35 more runs for victory off 30 balls to chase down Pakistan's 212. Afridi acting as captain for the injured Mohammad Yousuf was up on a serious charge of ball tampering before ICC match referee Ranjan Madugalle he was banned for 2 matches.

2013: Faf du Plessis uses zipper to tamper with ball

South Africa's Faf du Pless was fined as South Africa were penalised five runs for ball-tampering and the team was the subject of a hearing after play on the third day of the 2nd Test. Replays showed Faf du Plessis rubbing the ball over a zip on his trousers.

2016: Faf du Plessis fined again for ball tampering

Skipper Faf du Plessis was found guilty of ball tampering for the second time in just over three years. He copped a fine but avoided a match ban. Du Plessis pleaded not guilty and faced a three-hour hearing with ICC match referee Andy Pycroft after he was charged with 'changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 42.3' by the ICC CEO Dave Richardson following the tourists' victory in the Hobart Test.

2018: Steve Smith admits instructing Cameron Bancroft to tamper ball

Australian captain Steve Smith and senior players hatched a plan to tamper with the ball during the third Test against South Africa. Cameron Bancroft was first seen taking something out of his pocket and rubbing the ball in the palm of his hand. He was then confronted by umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth. Bancroft later admitted to the offence and was charged by match officials.

 

Last Updated: 26th March 2018.

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