Cricket: International (history, ancedotes, trivia)
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The game
By ‘Talk’
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on a field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the runs scored by the batting team. A run is scored by the striking batsman hitting the ball with his bat, running to the opposite end of the pitch and touching the crease there without being dismissed. The teams switch between batting and fielding at the end of an innings.
In professional cricket the length of a game ranges from 20 overs of six bowling deliveries per side to Test cricket played over five days. The Laws of Cricket are maintained by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) with additional Standard Playing Conditions for Test matches and One Day Internationals.[1]
The ball
Balls used in 2018
DUKES, KOOKABURRA BETTER THAN SG?, October 12, 2018: The Times of India
Three main types of balls are used in Test cricket worldwide. They differ in the stitching process, with each manufactured to an extent to suit the strengths of the home team.
• The handmade SG balls used in Tests in India have declined dramatically in quality, feel Virat Kohli and R Ashwin. Both players say the machine-made Kookaburra ball made in Australia, and the handmade Dukes made in England, are of superior quality.
• The SG has a more pronounced seam which, in the past, remained pronounced for almost the entire length of the innings. It used to help spinners grip the ball better and aid fast bowlers in releasing the ball with an upright seam. It swings more when one side becomes shinier than the other, than when new. It helps spinners get drift, and pacers reverse-swing, as the innings progresses. Kohli and Ashwin say the seam doesn’t stay upright for long anymore.
• The Kookaburra’s seam fades fast. It swings and wobbles more when new but as the seam gets less pronounced the swing deteriorates. The subsequent lack of seam is a hindrance for finger spinners in gripping and getting purchase off the pitch. The Kookaburra favours leggies and hit-thedeck type of bowlers.
• The Dukes has a more prominent seam than the Kookaburra, and stays prominent for 50 overs. It swings the most, and is more suited to the seam-and-swing type of deliveries effective in England.
• Test Matches in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe are played with the Kookaburra. Test Matches in England and the West Indies are played with the Dukes. The SG is used only in India.
Kohli wants Dukes ball, not SG
October 12, 2018: The Times of India
Says Red Ball Used In Tests In India Is Of Inferior Quality Than Dukes & Kookaburra
If skipper Virat Kohli has his way, he’d play all Test matches played with the Dukes ball. Every Test-playing nation has its own choice of ball and in India it’s the ‘SG Test’ which is used. Recently, though, players have started complaining about the quality of these handmade balls, with offie R Ashwin earlier expressing his displeasure with the SG ball, saying it goes soft very quickly. On Thursday, skipper Kohli supported Ashwin’s viewpoint.
“I totally agree with him (Ashwin). To have a ball scuffed up in five overs is something that we haven’t seen before. The quality of the ball used to be quite high before and I don’t understand the reason why it’s gone down,” he said, making his case for the Dukes ball.
“A Dukes ball is still good quality. Kookaburra is still good quality. Whatever limitations a Kookaburra might have, the quality is never compromised. The Dukes ball, I think, is the most suited ball according to me for Test match cricket. And if there’s a situation, I would vouch for that to be used all over the world because of the consistency of the ball and how the bowlers are in the game at any stage. Even the spinners, because the seam is so hard and upright, and the seamers as well. If the ball is hard you can get that extra pace, but if the ball goes so soft in 10-12 overs, then your effort comes down by 20 per cent.”
Test cricket is already suffering from poor attendance and the Indian skipper reckoned failure to maintain the quality of the ball would result in too many dead sessions. “I think the quality of the ball has to be maintained, there’s no doubt about that. Otherwise, you have too many dead sessions in a Test match, which you don’t want to see. You want to see exciting cricket and guys working hard for runs, being in the battle all day.”
Ball-tampering
5 FAMOUS TAMPERING CONTROVERSIES
From The Times of India Sunday, March 25, 2018
• John Lever was using vaseline to shine the ball during England’s tour of India in 1976-77, and getting prodigious swing. Tests on the ball revealed a greasy substance. The matter was hushed up then but still refuses to die down.
• Sachin Tendulkar was suspended for one game for allegedly tampering with the ball during the infamous ‘Mike Denness’ Test between India and South Africa in Port Elizabeth in 2001, after TV images showed him cleaning the seam. The ban on Tendulkar was subsequently revoked.
• Waqar Younis became the first player to be fined and banned for a game for ball-tampering during Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2000. He was working on the ball with his fingers.
• Inzamam-ul Haq forfeited the game after Pakistan were accused of ball-tampering against England during the Oval Test in 2004.
• Rahul Dravid was heavily fined during India’s tour of Zimbabwe in 2004 after using a half-eaten lozenge to shine the ball.
• 2018, March: Australia captain Steve Smith has said his side deliberately tried to tamper with the condition of the ball using a “foreign object” on the third day of the third Test against South Africa at Newlands on Saturday in an orchestrated attempt to gain an advantage.
Batsmen Cameron Bancroft has been charged by the International Cricket Council, although the quantum of punishment had not been made public at the time of going to print. Smith told reporters that it was a deliberate plan from the “leadership group” of the side, but added he would not step down as captain.
“It’s not within the spirit of the game. The leadership group knew about it, we spoke about it at lunch,” Smith told a news conference. “I won’t consider stepping down from captaincy. I am not proud of what has happened. It’s not in the spirit of the game. My integrity and the integrity of the team has been damaged and rightfully so. It’s not on and it won’t happen again, I can promise you.”
Bancroft was spoken to by the umpires on the field regarding an object that television footage appeared to show him take out of his pocket before shining the ball.
He was then shown putting the object down the front of his trousers before speaking to the on-field officials Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth. Bancroft turned out his pockets and showed the umpires a black piece of cloth.
“I had discussions with match officials, I’ve been charged with attempting to change the condition of the ball,” Bancroft said. “We had a discussion during the (lunch) break and I saw an opportunity to use some tape, get some granules from the rough patches on the wickets and change the condition. It didn’t work, the umpires didn’t change the ball.”
‘PANTGATE’ SHOCKER!
• Australian cricketer Cameron Bancroft was caught on TV shoving a small, sharp yellow object down his pants after using it to work the ball on the third day of the third Test in Cape Town.
• After local broadcasters SuperSport zeroed in on Bancroft using the object on the ball after the 43rd over, umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth got into a discussion about the condition of the ball and asked the player for an explanation. Before the umpires walked over to him, Bancroft was again shown on TV taking something out of his right pocket and clearly shoving the object down his underpants.
• Caught in the act, Bancroft then took out a black cloth, like the type used to house or clean spectacles, from his other pocket and showed it to the umpires. The umpires did not change the ball nor penalise the Australians five runs, the on-field penalty for changing the condition of the ball. Bancroft subsequently revealed he had been charged with attempting to change the condition of the ball.
• The camera also caught SA skipper Faf du Plessis, sitting in the dressing room, gesticulating to his teammates about the act, and Australia coach Darren Lehmann with an anxious look on his face.
• The latest controversy comes a day after Pat Cummins laughed off suggestions he had tampered with the ball by stepping on it.
• The last series between Australia and South Africa in 2016-17 featured a ball-tampering controversy when Proteas captain Faf du Plessis was found guilty of using a mint to shine the ball. Du Plessis was found guilty.
• Under the ICC code of conduct, tampering is a level-two offence and usually carry up to four demerit points, or the equivalent of a one-Test ban for a player if found guilty.
Disciplinary action
Dope bans
January 10, 2018: The Times of India
CRICKETERS BANNED FOR DOPE OFFENCE
KUSAL PERERA: The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper was given a four-year ban after failing a dope test in December, 2015.
Substance found: A steroid known as 19-Norandrostenedione
UPUL THARANGA: The left-hander Tharanga had been banned for three months in 2011 for a doping violation.
Substance found: Glucocorticosteroids – prednisone and prednisolone.
MOHAMMAD ASIF & SHOAIB AKHTAR: The duo was banned from all forms of cricket in November 2006 after failing a drugs test. Akhtar, then 31, was banned for two years while Asif, then 23, was slapped with a one-year ban. The tests were carried out three weeks before the ICC Champions Trophy that was to be held in India that year.
Substance found: Steroid named nandrolone.
IAN BOTHAM: Legendary English allrounder was suspended for smoking cannabis in 1986. He admitted to it in a newspaper interview and was subsequently suspended for two months.
SHANE WARNE: The Australia legend was sent home a day before the 2003 World Cup began in South Africa. He was banned for a year.
Substance found: A diuretic called Moduretic
STEPHEN FLEMING: The New Zealander was found guilty of using marijuana in 1993-94 along with Dion Nash and Matthew Hart. Danny Morrison reported the incident to team management and Fleming was fined $175 and banned for a brief period.
PRADEEP SANGWAN: In 2013, BCCI banned Delhi pacer for failing a dope test.
Substance found: Stanozolol
JESSE RYDER: The maverick Kiwi tested positive for two banned stimulants present in weight loss supplements. He got a six-month retrospective ban.
Economic performance of nations and cricket
The ODI ranking is for July 2019
From: July 6, 2019: The Times of India
Three of the four top-ranked teams in the ICC World Cup are also the leading performers on the five parameters of socio-economic progress shown here. Although there is great variation in the level and pace of progress across countries, improvement in socioeconomic conditions by and large correlates with better cricket. A good example is the contrasting performances of Bangladesh (improving) and Pakistan (deteriorating) in recent years, which broadly track the state of their economies.
ICC’s best cricketers of the year
2016
The Times of India
’Mankad’ing
`MANKADED' EXPLAINED
The Times of India Feb 03 2016
From: March 27, 2019: The Times of India
When the batsman at the nonstriker's end has left his crease before the ball has been released and the bowler removes the bails, the batsman is said to have been “Mankaded“. Ethically, the bowler should warn the batsman at least once before effecting such a run out.
The term was first coined when Vinoo Mankad ran Bill Brown out in the Sydney Test in 1947-48. The dismissal got extensive coverage in the Australian press, with Mankad being accused of unsportsmanlike behaviour.Despite this, Don Bradman, the then captain of Australia, defended Mankad, saying that he had warned the batsman leading up to the event.
FAMOUS PAST INCIDENTS
Courtney Walsh let Saleem Jaffar off with a warning in the last over of a 1987 World Cup match in Lahore. Pakistan's last pair was at the wicket and they needed four off the last over when Walsh refused the run-out that would have sealed the match. Pakistan knocked off the runs, costing the Windies a potential semifinal spot. After a number of warnings were given to Peter Kirsten during India's tour of South Africa in 199293, Kapil Dev ran the South African out at the non-striker's end. This was the last such dismissal in international cricket.
OTHER INCIDENTS
Ian Redpath by Charlie Griffith in Adelaide, 1968-69; Brian Luckhurst by Greg Chappell in Melbourne, 1974-75; Derek Randall by Ewan Chatfield in Christchurch, 1977-78; Sikander Bakht by Alan Hurst in Perth, 1978-79; Grant Flower by Dipak Patel in Harare, 1992-93.
The dead ball debate
DEAD-BALL DEBATE | The Times of India
Ashwin’s dismissal of Buttler on [25 3 2019] has got the ‘spirit of cricket’ debate raging again. The incident has also exposed the grey areas in the interpretation of laws set by the Marylebone Cricket Club, which are followed by ICC. TOI takes a look…
• LAW 41.16 SAYS “if the non-striker is out of his/her ground from the moment the ball comes into play to the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the bowler is permitted to attempt to run him/her out. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one in the over. If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal dead ball as soon as possible.”
• THE OTHER ASPECT IS if the ball could have been deemed ‘dead ball’. Law 41 says: “The ball does not leave the bowler’s hand for any reason other than an attempt to run out the nonstriker under Law 41.16 (Non-striker leaving his/her ground early).”
• LAW 20.6.1.1 SAYS the ball will not count in the over if the striker has not had an opportunity to play it.
• ACCORDING TO LAW 20.4.2.9, the ball is declared dead ball if the ball does not leave the bowler’s hand for any reason other than an attempt to run out the non-striker. Ashwin’s pause for a second has exposed this grey area. An ICC umpire told TOI: “The umpire could have called it a dead ball. But there is no time frame set for it. It’s up to the umpire’s discretion.”
• FAIR PLAY AND UNFAIR PLAY The umpires shall be the sole judges of fair and unfair play. If either umpire considers an action, not covered by the laws, to be unfair he/she shall intervene without appeal and, if the ball is in play, call and signal dead ball and implement the procedure as set out in 41.19.
Run-outs
Some run-outs that turned the match
The Times of India, Jun 13 2017
KLUSENER VS AUSTRALIA
(SA vs Aus | 1999 World Cup semifinal) South Africa -with Lance Klusener and Allan Donald batting -needed one run to win from three balls of the final over against Australia. Klusener mis-hit Fleming's delivery to Mark Waugh at mid-off and took off for a single. Donald busy watching the ball and didn't hear Klusener's call. Both batsmen were soon at the non-strikers end and Donald then tried to attempt a run. But it was too late and the Aussies were through to the final.
DARREN LEHMANN VS VIRENDER SEHWAG
(Australia vs India | 2003 World Cup final) After losing Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly cheaply in their chase of 359, Sehwag steadied the ship with a gutsy 81-ball 82. A shot to mid-off, however, saw Darren Lehman scampering in and breaking the stumps, leaving Sehwag short of his ground and ending India's hopes of a fightback.
JONTY RHODES VS INZAMAM-UL-HAQ
(SA vs Pakistan | 1992 World Cup group match) It remains one of the most iconic images from cricket history. Inzamam's desperate attempt to return to his end after a mix-up with Imran Khan and Jonty Rhodes storming in from backward point, ball in hand. Instead of taking aim, Jonty launched himself into a gravity-defying, Superman dive, throwing himself at the stumps and uprooting all of it, with Inzy left just outside the crease.
VIV RICHARDS VS AUSTRALIA
(Australia vs West Indies | 1975 World Cup final) Viv may have faltered with the bat in the final, but he stole the show later with three stunning run-outs to leave Australia tottering. He first packed off opener Alan Turner and then sent back the Chappell brothers -an under-arm flick removing Ian and an astonishing one-stump direct hit to snare Greg. Australia failed to recover from the setback, handing Windies the inaugural World Cup title.
ROHIT SHARMA VS TIM BRESNAN
(India vs England | 2013 Champions Trophy final) It was one of the worst collapses England had endured. Requiring 21 runs from 16 balls to win their first 50-over title, England choked and lost four wickets in eight balls. India were fantastic on the field, with Rohit Sharma stealing the show with an athletic swoop from cover to set up Dhoni and send Bresnan back to the pavilion. 13 Number of run-outs from 11 matches in the Champions Trophy this year Source: ICC
RUN-OUTS COMPLETELY MY FAULT: DU PLESSIS
South Africa's Faf Du Plessis took responsibility for p the run-outs of skipper AB de Villiers and David Miller, admitting that on both occasions, it was his t call that became other batsman's undoing. “ “Yeah, all those run-outs are completely my n fault. There were opportunities for us in the o game, Quinton (de Kock) and me started getting g a nice partnership together after 10 overs, where s India bowled really well. To have that kind of runout (involving De Villiers) was never part of the plan. AB at the crease would have meant pressure for opposition,“ he admitted.
However, he was more disappointed about the mix-up with Miller as both ended at one end.“What happened after (De Villiers run-out) was not great. That changed the game entirely. A big opportunity in the game gone, India just didn't give us anything. I accept the responsibility,“ said Du Plessis.
