Sports

Of ball-tampering and batting collapses

Whether his action was deliberate or not, Du Plessis should have been given a commensurate punishment.

Editorial October 28, 2013

It must be noted that in the past, several Pakistan players, including Shahid Afridi and Waqar Younis, have served match bans for being found guilty of ball tampering. Given this fact, the penalty given to Du Plessis is just a slap on the wrist.

Controversy never seems to be too far from the Pakistan cricket team, whether it involves allegations of spot-fixing or infighting within the team. However, in a surprising turn of events, it was South Africa, Pakistan’s opponents, who found their convincing innings and 92 run win over the national side in the second Test of the two-match series, marred by controversy, when their batsman Faf du Plessis was found guilty of ball-tampering. Du Plessis was caught by television cameras rubbing the ball near the zipper of his trouser pocket. This led the umpires to award a five-run penalty to Pakistan. Later, match referee David Boon fined Du Plessis 50 per cent of his match fee, justifying the lenient penalty by saying that he believed his act “was not part of a deliberate ... attempt to unfairly manipulate” the ball’s condition.

The penalty and the statement given by Mr Boon brings into sharp focus what some are calling double standards in handling matters pertaining to ball-tampering. It must be noted that in the past, several Pakistan players, including Shahid Afridi and Waqar Younis, have served match bans for being found guilty of the same offence. Given this fact, the penalty given to Du Plessis is just a slap on the wrist. Whether his action was deliberate or not, it is quite clear that what he did was illegal and should have been given a commensurate punishment, given the ICC’s tough stance on the issue in the past. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s questioning of the penalty as being ‘inconsistent’ is entirely justified.

That being said, it must also be acknowledged that South Africa’s annihilation of Pakistan in the Dubai Test was comprehensive. The world number one side proved its mettle after going 1-0 down in the first Test with a superb all-round performance. Pakistan’s batsmen again displayed the same technical flaws and questionable temperament when the team collapsed to a pitiable 99 in the first-innings. After that show, the result of the match became all but a foregone conclusion.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2013.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.