ECB more Than Involved as Row at Oval gets murkier

[Mr Hutt]

Upon reading several articles on cricinfo today, I came across this one in the Hindu by Ted Corbet
http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/21/stor...2105221700.htm

In it he says "The whole affair began, according to tales sweeping the Oval ground, when an England and Wales Cricket Board official went to the umpires' dressing room in the morning and asked them to watch out for ball tampering by the Pakistan players".

Now considering that England had been bundled out for 173 odd runs in the first innings, I find this alleged behaviour by an ECB official to be quite alarming if proven... and this really smells of the 92-93 series, if you cant play Pakistan pace bowling, they probably are cheating!!!

So in fact all my friends claiming the ECB has nothing to do with this need to research a bit, they have indeed have started this problem. What do you think?

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Avkar

in it he says "The whole affair began, according to tales sweeping the Oval ground, when an England and Wales Cricket Board official went to the umpires' dressing room in the morning and asked them to watch out for ball tampering by the Pakistan players"

I wonder where stories like these come from?, I wonder if "The Hindu" will do a follow up?.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Avkar

So in fact all my friends claiming the ECB has nothing to do with this need to research a bit, they have indeed have started this problem.

I have absolutely no reason to doubt that all manner of rumours were being heard around the ground yesterday, and I've no reason to doubt that this rumour was one of them... but the newspaper article does nothing to indicate that these were MORE than rumours: no direct accusation is made.

Ted Corbett undoubtedly had evidence of rumours... but he appears to have no evidence that the rumours had any basis in truth: in the absense of any explanation of how the rumour started, speculating about ECB involvement seems unwise!

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Rachael

in the absense of any explanation of how the rumour started, speculating about ECB involvement seems unwise!

That's my view too Rachael; at this stage, this is no more than a rumour with no proof. Now, if Ted Corbett had quoted a named source, and attributed this rumour to someone "who should know", it would be different.

[greg]

I think the way the press works we will probably have all sorts of rumours doing the rounds over the next few days until there is some sort of end to this by way of fines,bans and whatever else is needed by the ICC.

[Mongoose]

I've heard on BBC Breakfast this morning that Duncan Fletcher reportedly saw Mike Proctor before Sunday's play to raise concerns. However, not much seems to have een made of this, and I can't find the story on the BBC website. Maybe it's just another rumour they were mentioned, or maybe I imagined it in my fevered state amid all that's happened over the last 2 days.

[Maranello]

It has been reported in the Telegraph by Derek Pringle today (link). I don't think this leaves any doubt. IMHO, these seem to be the actions of a mean-spirited and paranoid individual. And a hypocrite too, consdering what England did during the Ashes (ie reverse- swing, not ball tampering).

Originally Posted by The Telegraph

In a dramatic twist, England were dragged into the centre of the fourth Test ball-tampering furore yesterday after it was revealed that their coach, Duncan Fletcher, had visited match referee Mike Procter before the start of Sunday's climactic play at the Oval.

A spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board, James Avery, admitted Fletcher spoke with Procter before play but denied he had made a "specific complaint about the state of the ball". Yet sources close to the team have revealed that Fletcher did play agent provocateur, a role that probably influenced Darrell Hair's decision to pull Pakistan up for ball-tampering in the 56th over of England's second innings. [...]

Fletcher also dropped hints to Sky TV during the last Test, making inquiries as to why their cameramen were not homing in more on the ball when Pakistan passed it around the team. While there is nothing wrong with asking the question, the motives for doing so are blurred, especially when England had already won the series.

England's coach is hardly operating from the moral high ground, either, following last year's Ashes series when reverse swing helped them win the series. Back then the Aussies were convinced that England were using sugar solution to coat the ball and help them achieve this, though it was left to the injured fast bowler Nathan Bracken to level the accusation.

Then there is the not-so-well kept secret that Mohammad Asif demonstrated the art of swing in all its guises to his team-mates at Leicestershire when he played for them earlier in the season. This was Asif's only Test of the summer and England's dossier on him would have contained that information. After all, Leicestershire's coach is Tim Boon, one of Fletcher's support staff until this year.

[greg]

Oh well this development makes me look foolish after defending the ECB yesterday.

[Rachael]

It's front page news: "England's coach pointed the finger at ball 'cheats'" - not good!

Quite why he'd want to is what bamboozles me: unless he had a personal reason to want to undermine a particular player, the opposition coach or the Pakistan board... it seems an entirely senseless thing to even CONSIDER doing, especially with the series in the bag!!!

If any charges are proven I'd lose any last vestiges of respect for Fletcher: aside from anything else I'd hold him culpable for putting Hair and then the ICC in an invidous position.

[greg]

Although there are also reports that Asif was warned by the umpires while playing for Leicestershire earlier this season for tampering with the ball.

All very interesting.