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19 March 2024

England accused of ball-tampering against Lanka

Alastair Cook and Joe Root of England look on as umpires Aleem Dar of Pakistan and Billy Bowden of New Zealand inspect the ball during the ICC Champions Trophy Group A match between England and Sri Lanka at The Kia Oval on June 13, 2013 in London, England. (GETTY)

Published
By Staff with Agencies

A storm is brewing in the Champions Trophy with England being forced to deny allegations of ball-tampering during their match against Sri Lanka.

The furore, blown into the open by former England captain Bob Willis, started when umpires Aleem Dar and Billy Bowden changed one of the two balls in the 26th over of Sri Lanka`s successful run chase at the Oval on Thursday evening in the ICC Champions Trophy.

"Let's not beat about the bush - Aleem Dar is on England's case," Willis told Saturday's edition of the Sun tabloid.

"He knows that one individual is scratching the ball for England - who I am not going to name - and that's why the ball was changed," insisted Willis, one of England's greatest fast bowlers.

"Have you ever heard about the batting side or the umpire complaining about the shape of the ball?" added Willis, one of only four England bowlers to have taken 300 Test wickets.

England captain Alastair Cook has angrily dismissed it saying that the bowlers can reverse swing the ball because of their skill and hard work.

Cook was visibly upset when the umpires had changed the ball as they believed that it was out of shape, although he believed that the ball was reaching the optimum condition to start reverse swinging.

“The ball was changed because it was out of shape. That was the umpire’s reasoning," Cook was quoted as saying in The Sun.

“The umpires make those decisions, so you have to accept them. Sometimes you don’t think they are the right decisions but there’s not much you can do about it.”

Fast bowling legend Willis, speaking on Sky Sports, had alleged in an incendiary claim that one English player had been illegally damaging the ball with his fingernails.

Willis, an England captain in the early 1980s, told the Sun: "How naive does Alastair Cook think we are? He didn't want the ball changed. So why was it changed?

"It is OK for the ball to scuff through natural wear and tear - but against cricket's laws to use fingernails or other means to alter its condition."


An ICC spokesman has said: “The umpires and match referee cannot talk about specific incidents during a tournament.

“But our understanding is that the ball was changed because it went out of shape.”

Reverse swing has been considered something of a dark art ever since the ball was changed during a one-day international between England and Pakistan at Lord`s in 1992.

James Anderson is England’s king of swing both reverse and orthodox.

England gained it against Australia at Edgbaston last Saturday and won by 48 runs, but were  blunted by Sri Lanka losing by seven wickets.

Last week, umpire Dar was seen speaking to Bopara during the final match of England’s one-day series against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, The Sun reported added.

And former Aussie speedster Dirk Nannes, working as a summariser for BBC Radio, suggested sweets were brought out to Bopara by the 12th man during Saturday’s victory over Australia in Birmingham.

In 2009, former England player Dermot Reeve accused Bopara of ball-tampering during a domestic match in New Zealand — a claim that was strongly denied.