Are all fast bowler's cheating?

[Mr Hutt]

Wasim, Waqar, Imran, Angus Fraser, Holding a lot of very big names.. who claim that ball tampering is how a bowler makes the ball reverse swing. If this is the case then have we as sports fans been misled by all our balling greats over the years, that it is only a few people that cheat and scuff the ball while others use genuine conditions and spit shine the bowl to achieve the desired effect, after reading this quote from holding i think it is quite clear that what we believe is indeed not the case, and thus this brings into question the very law, i think it is time it should be changed, shocking but read this

You can ask any fast bowler. If he says he has never tampered with the ball, he either has just started playing, or is lying."
Michael Holding reveals the guilty pleasure shared by all fast bowlers

[Wanderer]

Originally Posted by Avkar

You can ask any fast bowler. If he says he has never tampered with the ball, he either has just started playing, or is lying."
Michael Holding reveals the guilty pleasure shared by all fast bowlers

Ooohhh...that is a generalisation by Mr Holding....I am sure we are going to hear some interesting replies from former and currently playing fast bowlers.

Is this quote on cricinfo, Avkar?

[Mr Hutt]

yep it is in the quotes section

[DomainK]

Originally Posted by Avkar

You can ask any fast bowler. If he says he has never tampered with the ball, he either has just started playing, or is lying."
Michael Holding reveals the guilty pleasure shared by all fast bowlers

When I was doing my computer course, one of teachers used to tell me "If you want to completely understand any type of 'security' u must know how to break it". I believe he was true. Does that mean all big network programmers are hackers? Not necessarily.

If yor are a fast bowler and are very passionate about what you do, you will naturally be curious about the science behind the swing and how you can cotrol it. So you will start learning from others and then u will start experimenting....first in the legal ways like spit and sweat and then one day you will find yourself takeing the means that rules dont allow. You would want to see how tampering changes the way the ball swings...not because you want to cheat, but because you want to learn it indepth.

But yes, If you do it in a competitive match, thats cheating. However, I am sure bowlers do it while they play practice matches.

[criticsker]

I dont think all fast bowlers cheat. If any one does , he can het caught coz Match refree can report .

[Wanderer]

Hi there criticsker...and welcome.

Unfortunately, match referees do not report these all the time it seems.

[DomainK]

Originally Posted by criticsker

I dont think all fast bowlers cheat. If any one does , he can het caught coz Match refree can report .

I wish it was that simple.

[gangstacocacola]

things like these do happen, michael holding is right, all fast bowlers in some way tamper the ball. england fast bowlers in the ashes threw the ball to the wicket keeper on the bounce to rough up one side of the ball. its just not bowlers. at the end of an innings when 9 odd wickets have fallen, batsman scruff up the pitch to aid their bowlers when they ball. there are many rules, but they just bend them.

[cantplaycantalk]

Yep, but throwing the ball in on the bounce is legal, even if it effects the ball, as is eating sweats (mints) while you are playing, and hence if you have sugary minty saliva that is ok as it is still spit shining the ball. (Unless I have misunderstood the laws somehow?)

Using a bottle top or fingernail etcc isn't legal, does everyone tamper with the ball?
Well everyone shines the ball on only one side and allows the other to get roughed up, so yes everyone does.
The question is does everyone Illegally tamper with the ball?

[DomainK]

Originally Posted by cantplaycantalk

Yep, but throwing the ball in on the bounce is legal, even if it effects the ball, as is eating sweats (mints) while you are playing, and hence if you have sugary minty saliva that is ok as it is still spit shining the ball. (Unless I have misunderstood the laws somehow?)

If I am not wrong, Rahul Dravid had sweet in his mouth and he took some of it and rubed it on the ball.....thats y he was punished.