Pakistan having a ball, tampering?

Television commentator and former player Tony Greig told the newspaper that Pakistan’s players appeared to be trying to tamper with the ball during their 10-run win over Australia in Group `B’ at Headingley on May 23.

At one stage during the game, Greig had said: "That’s not acceptable. That’s a bit naughty." When Australia played Pakistan last week they asked for the ball to be changed near the end of their innings, arguing that the white surface had become dirty and was hard to spot. Pakistani skipper Wasim Akram protested vociferously, saying the Australians were trying to gain an unfair advantage by getting a ballintroduced which would swing less.

The issue of ball tampering exploded into a major international controversy during Pakistan’s 1992 tour of England.

England star Ian Botham phoned the press box to tell journalists of his suspicions while his team-mate Allan Lamb went public in a newspaper, accusing Pakistan of cheating.

Pakistan’s highly-talented pacemen Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram — who is the current captain — were the targets as they made the ball swing radically in the final stages of games. Pakistan said the accusations were based on sour grapes because their rivals were not good enough to swing the ball.

Several players, including Pakistan’s legendary Imran Khan, have since said ball tampering has been rife in the sport. Wasim Akram wrote in The Sunday Telegraph: "I can categorically deny that Shoaib or any other member of the Pakistan team tampered with the ball then or at any other time. Credit is never given where credit is due".