From 'dirt in the pocket' to 'Sandpaper Gate': A look at two of Cricket's biggest ball-tampering scandals 

#2 The 'Dirt in the pocket saga'

The 'dirt in the pocket' affair

When: England vs South Africa, Lords, 1994

While the English team were casting doubts on the possible malice of Pakistani bowlers getting prodigious reverse-swing back in 1992, two years later, they found their captain at the centre of a massive 'dirt in the pocket' saga at the Mecca of cricket, Lords.

It was the summer of 1994. South Africa had just returned from a 29-year exile and was touring the English isles for the first time since readmission. England was bowled out for 180 in reply to South Africa's 357.

With the match slipping away, it was just before tea on the third day when English skipper, 25-year old Michael Atherton decided to alter the aerodynamics of the bowl by slipping in some 'dirt' from his pocket. The British tabloid reacted in frenzy over the video footage and soon a massive furore ensued.

Atherton addresses the media

Atherton recorded the proceedings of the incident to the English management of using the dirt in a bid to keep his hands and the ball dry three-four times, clearly a violation of Law 42.5, which states that no one shall rub the ball on the ground or use any artificial substance to alter the condition of the ball.

However, it was not the story that Atherton told the match referee, Peter Burge. When summoned by Burge, Atherton panicked and claimed to have the dust only to dry his sweaty hands. Atherton was fined 2,000 pounds- half for illegitimately using dust and the other half for lying to the match referee.