5 Captains who have been charged for ball-tampering 

In the past few months, there is one controversy that has been creating major headlines in the cricketing world. The ball-tampering saga has had a big impact in the last three to four months.

First, it was the Steve Smith-led Australia who were guilty of tampering the ball in South Africa in March earlier this year. And now, the Dinesh Chandimal-led Sri Lankan team have been accused of changing the condition of the ball in a Test match against West Indies at St Lucia.

Dinesh Chandimal was quite unhappy with the umpires’ decision to change the ball and felt that his team had not done anything wrong. Hence, the Sri Lankan team did not take the field in protest. The Sri Lankan players kept going on the field and returning to the dressing room and there was chaos in the middle. The game was delayed for almost a couple of hours and after numerous discussions with the officials, the match referee and the Sri Lankan board, the players took the field.

And about a day later, the ICC has charged the Sri Lankan skipper for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct (Level 2.2.9) which relates to ball-tampering or altering the condition of the ball.

However, this is not the first time when a captain has been accused and charged for ball-tampering. Hence, here’s a look at instances where captains were charged for ball-tampering.

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#5 Michael Atherton – England vs South Africa, Lord’s (1994)

Michael Atherton was let off with a fine.

It had barely been a couple of years since South Africa were back playing Test cricket after being banned for about 22 years. It was their 10th visit to the United Kingdom but they had won just two Test series’ before. However, it was after 29 years that the rivalry between the two sides resumed.

In the first Test at Lord’s, former England captain Michael Atherton created a big controversy after he used dirt from his pocket and put it on the ball. Batting first, on the back of skipper Kepler Wessels’ fine 105, South Africa posted 357 in their first innings. Allan Donald bowled a fiery spell as he took 5/74 helping the Proteas skittle out England for just 180.

The hosts had already conceded a big lead and the game was quickly slipping away. England were bowled out on the third morning and South Africa were slowly taking full control of the game. And Atherton during that innings (on the third day) decided to rub the ball with some sand which was in his pocket. He was caught on camera and was breaching Law 42.5.

Atherton in his defence tried to suggest that to keep his hands dry so that the rough side of the ball stays dry and his sweaty hands don’t moist the rough part of the ball.

The former opening batsman was not fined or banned by the ICC by the England Cricket Board (ECB) imposed a £2,000 fine. England went onto to lose that Test match but made a good comeback and squared the series 1-1 in the final Test match.

#4 Inzamam ul-Haq - England v Pakistan, The Oval (2006)

Inzamam ul-Haq was unhappy with the umpires' decision to change the ball.

In 2006, when Pakistan toured England, they played 4 Tests, 5 ODIs and 1 T20I. After a high-scoring draw at Lord’s in the first Test, England beat Pakistan comprehensively in the next two Tests.

However, the fourth and final Test began on a different note. Pakistan who had won the toss and put the hosts into bat first bowled terrifically and dismissed them cheaply. Mohammed Asif and Umar Gul took 4 wickets apiece as the visitors bowled England out for just 173 in their first innings. Pakistan then dominated with the bat scoring 504 and taking a huge lead. England did make a good recovery as they reached 298/4 at Tea on Day 4.

But there was one incident that didn’t go down well with the Pakistan team. Umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove had changed the ball and awarded in the 56th over after they accused the visitors for altering and illegally changing the condition of the ball.

The Inzamam ul-Haq led Pakistani side wasn’t happy with the decision and hence didn’t take the field after the Tea break. They remained in the dressing room as the two umpires and the two England batsmen walked out to the middle. There was a lot of confusion as there were numerous between the Pakistan officials, the ECB officials and the match referee.

After almost an hour’s delay, the Pakistan side were ready to take the field. However, things got worse as the umpires decided not to take the field after Pakistan’s behaviour. Hence, the drama ended after the umpires handed England the match and deemed it as Pakistan forfeited the game, which was the first instance in Test history.

Skipper Inzamam ul-Haq was banned for four Test matches as he was in charge of his team’s behaviour and actions on the field. Even though the Pakistan side was cleared of all the charges later the ban stayed as the skipper brought disrupt to the game.

#3 Shahid Afridi - Australia v Pakistan, Perth (2010)

Shahid Afridi was caught on cameras biting the ball.

Shahid Afridi has had his fair share of controversies throughout his cricketing career. This incident is the famous ball-biting one which took place at the WACA in Perth in an ODI.

During that tour, Pakistan were thrashed 3-0 in the Test series and they hadn’t won a single game in the 5-match ODI series. 0-4 down in the series, Pakistan won the toss and batted first. After a top-order failure, Pakistan got to 212 and were bowled out in the 50th over.

Despite the low score, the game was heading towards a close finish as Pakistan bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals to peg the Aussies back. However, in the latter stages of the game, Afridi was caught by television cameras biting the ball. This was brought to the notice of the on-field umpires by the third (TV) umpire Rod Tucker. The ball was changed after the information was passed on and Pakistan went onto to lose that game in the final over.

Afridi who was the stand-in captain and also Pakistan’s T20 skipper was banned for two T20Is after he pleaded guilty in a hearing with Ranjan Madugalle (the match referee for that game).

#2 Faf du Plessis – Australia vs South Africa, Hobart (2016)

Faf du Plessis was accused of chewing mint while shining the ball.

South Africa were one of the few teams who consistently went to Australia and beat them in their own backyard. They had done it in 2008 and 2012 and were set to do it again in 2016.

After a stunning comeback in the first Test in Perth, the Proteas sealed the series in the second Test in Hobart as they dismissed the Aussies for 85 and 161 in the first and second innings respectively. They won by an innings and 80 runs as Australia suffered a rare series loss at home.

However, the ‘Mintgate’ controversy broke out as Faf du Plessis was accused of applying mint saliva on the ball. Later, the ICC charged the South African captain for tampering the ball as he used an artificial substance to shine the ball. TV replays and footage revealed that du Plessis did have mint in his mouth while he was applying his saliva to shine the ball.

Faf du Plessis challenged the decision as well but to no avail as the ICC fined 100% of his match fees and also added three demerit points against his name.

#1 Steve Smith – South Africa vs Australia, Cape Town (2018)

Smith and Bancroft admitted in the press conference that they tried to alter the state of the ball.

The Steve Smith-led Australia had handed a 4-0 Ashes drubbing to England and embanked the tour of South Africa with good confidence. They won the first Test handsomely but the hosts came back strongly in the second to square the four-match series.

It was a riveting battle as both teams were fighting tooth and nail to win the series. In the third Test in Cape Town, the Proteas batted first and scored 311. Australia fell short in their reply as they managed to get to just 255. After bagging a handy 56-run lead, South Africa looked in a good position of controlling the game.

But all hell broke loose when Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera trying to alter the condition of the ball with a yellow tape. Skipper Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft admitted in the post-day press conference that it was a deliberate and pre-planned and the leadership group were aware of it. They thought it would give them some advantage with the ball and aid reverse swing.

Smith and David Warner (who was a part of the leadership group) were removed as captain and vice-captain respectively in the middle of the Test match. They were also banned for one Test match by the ICC. Bancroft got away with three demerit points by Cricket Australia handed him a 9-month ban. Smith and Warner were given one-year punishments (bans) by Cricket Australia.