Banned cricketer makes return after 9 months, Pant and Paine's banter continues, and more - Cricket News Today, December 29 2018

#2 Marais Erasmus pulls up Tim Paine for employing negative tactics

Tim Paine

Australian captain Tim Paine was called up for employing negative tactics to keep Rishabh Pant off strike during the ongoing Test against India in Melbourne.

Pant was on strike on the last ball of the 35th over which was being bowled by Pat Cummins. However, Paine had instructed his bowler to bowl on the leg-side so that it would be left alone by Pant, thus bringing Jadeja on strike for the next over.

However, umpire Marais Erasmus declared it as wide and then spoke to the Australian captain.

"If he had bowled a ball down leg and then you had then dived, I would not have deemed it to be deliberate,” the umpire told Paine on the field.

Test Match Playing Conditions law 2.2.1.4 states, “For bowlers whom umpires consider to be bowling down the leg side as a negative tactic, the strict limited over wide interpretation shall be applied.”