Michael Clarke calls accusations of cheating DRS-'funny'

Michael Clarke of Australia speaks at a Press Conference

Michael Clarke has called the accusations levelled against players cheating the Decision Review System (DRS) as “funny”.

“I find the accusation quite funny,” Clarke said.

“I can’t talk for everybody but if it is the case we are talking about cheating, I tell you there is not one person in the Australian change rooms who is a cheat.”

Australia’s Channel Nine had reported that players from both teams had applied silicon tape on the edges of the bat so as to beat the hotspot technology, which shows a mark on the bat if a player had edged the ball.

Hot Spot uses infra-red imaging technology which identifies any contact that a batsman may have made when he played the ball. There will be a bright mark that will appear on the bat in the case of any contact.

Clarke further elaborated, that it was not in the Australian culture to engage in this king of activity.

“That’s not the way we play cricket.” Clarke told ABC Sport.

“I know no-one is going to the extreme of saying ‘put this on your bat because it will help you beat hotspot’.

“It’s hard for me to talk for other players but I’ve never heard any conversation about that in the Australian change room and I can guarantee you my bat manufacturer (doesn’t do that).

“I didn’t know there was such a thing you could do to hide nicking the ball on Hot Spot.” he concluded.

The whole issue was first came to the fore when Channel Nine doubted Kevin Pietersen‘s dismissal, on the final day of the third Ashes Test. There was an apparent sound as the ball passed the bat of the batsmen, but Hot Spot had indicated no edge, leading accusations that there was the application of a foreign material on the bat.

Pietersen has reacted angrily, calling the whole episode as a case of “bad journalism.”

The ICC President Dave Richardson has also rubbished the claims made by Nine. He also said that Geoff Allardice the ICC general manager has left to Durham to hold discussions regarding the use of the DRS and not for investigation, as had been alleged by the Channel.

For more related information on the issue read here.