http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21694843-10389,00.html
Sris chuck a tantrum
Paul Malone
May 09, 2007 12:00am
IT'S a bit rich coming from the country which gave world cricket a figure as polarising as Muttiah Muralitharan.
Sri Lanka's cricket authorities say they will discuss making a complaint to the International Cricket Council over Adam Gilchrist's use of a squash ball in his batting glove during his matchwinning 149 in the World Cup final.
"It was unethical for Gilchrist to use a squash ball to give unfair advantage," Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Kangadaran Mathivanan told a news agency.
He said the matter could be raised during next month's ICC annual general meeting as a breach of law 42 relating to fair and unfair play to ensure only approved protection equipment is used.
Australia's world record Test dismissals holder Ian Healy said "it was quite laughable".
"I did have a good giggle about it when I heard about it," he said yesterday. "As I understand it, he (Gilchrist) used the ball to stop his bottom hand from allowing the bat (handle) to spin. It's like putting padding in your glove.
"Let them all put squash balls in their glove and see how they go. Maybe a tennis ball is better – they could try that." Healy said he could see no validity in the rules of cricket for a challenge to Gilchrist's use of a squash ball, which one Sri Lankan newspaper described as a "performance-enhancing device".
"I'd find it difficult to see that they would go to the ICC, but if they do I'd be confident the ICC would pooh-pooh it," said Healy, who evidently has more confidence in the judgment of the ICC than many.
"All protective equipment and strappings which sportsmen wear are performance-enhancing. I'm not too sure a squash ball would enhance the performance of too many people."
If the Sri Lankans succeed in squashing Gilchrist's initiative, an Asian cricket country would have taken ball-tampering to a whole new sphere.
To sheet home the credit for Gilchrist's whirlwind ton in Barbados to 24g of rubber is a fair stretch.
The West Australian dasher scored his 149 from 104 balls, including 13 fours and eight sixes.
Meanwhile, Murali is 34 wickets behind the world Test wicket-taking record of Shane Warne (708).
A handful of Tests more, including a series in Australia this summer, and Sri Lanka's favourite bowler will, in the eyes of many, have chucked his way to a world record.
And won't that be a proud day for those who value fair play in cricket?
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21694843-10389,00.html
Sris chuck a tantrum
Paul Malone
May 09, 2007 12:00am
IT'S a bit rich coming from the country which gave world cricket a figure as polarising as Muttiah Muralitharan.
Sri Lanka's cricket authorities say they will discuss making a complaint to the International Cricket Council over Adam Gilchrist's use of a squash ball in his batting glove during his matchwinning 149 in the World Cup final.
"It was unethical for Gilchrist to use a squash ball to give unfair advantage," Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Kangadaran Mathivanan told a news agency.
He said the matter could be raised during next month's ICC annual general meeting as a breach of law 42 relating to fair and unfair play to ensure only approved protection equipment is used.
Australia's world record Test dismissals holder Ian Healy said "it was quite laughable".
"I did have a good giggle about it when I heard about it," he said yesterday. "As I understand it, he (Gilchrist) used the ball to stop his bottom hand from allowing the bat (handle) to spin. It's like putting padding in your glove.
"Let them all put squash balls in their glove and see how they go. Maybe a tennis ball is better – they could try that." Healy said he could see no validity in the rules of cricket for a challenge to Gilchrist's use of a squash ball, which one Sri Lankan newspaper described as a "performance-enhancing device".
"I'd find it difficult to see that they would go to the ICC, but if they do I'd be confident the ICC would pooh-pooh it," said Healy, who evidently has more confidence in the judgment of the ICC than many.
"All protective equipment and strappings which sportsmen wear are performance-enhancing. I'm not too sure a squash ball would enhance the performance of too many people."
If the Sri Lankans succeed in squashing Gilchrist's initiative, an Asian cricket country would have taken ball-tampering to a whole new sphere.
To sheet home the credit for Gilchrist's whirlwind ton in Barbados to 24g of rubber is a fair stretch.
The West Australian dasher scored his 149 from 104 balls, including 13 fours and eight sixes.
Meanwhile, Murali is 34 wickets behind the world Test wicket-taking record of Shane Warne (708).
A handful of Tests more, including a series in Australia this summer, and Sri Lanka's favourite bowler will, in the eyes of many, have chucked his way to a world record.
And won't that be a proud day for those who value fair play in cricket?
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21694843-10389,00.html
