"It has been revealed soon after the emphatic Australian win against Sri Lanka in the 2007 Cricket World Cup, that the star batsman and man of the match, Adam Gilchrist used a squash ball to improve his grip in his bottom hand. The confusing gestures he made soon after reaching his century before going on to make 149 out of 104 balls was to in fact, that the person who made the suggestion.
In light of the stellar performance of Gilchrist when every other batsman including Matthew Hayden failed to maintain a strike rate of 100%, this so called `squash-ball grip` becomes quite intriguing, if not illegal or cheating, I dare say. Consider this: Wicket keepers are only allowed to wear gloves with no webbing (except between the index finger & thumb). Fielders are
not allowed to wear gloves that might help them grip the ball better. Bowlers are not allowed to wear plaster on their fingers even if there is a genuine injury. Batsmen are only allowed approved gear for protection. A fielder needs to obtain the permission of the umpire prior to
leaving the field. A batsman must obtain the consent of the opposing captain to get a runner, even if there are obvious injuries preventing him from running.
Need I mention about banned substances that enhance performance? Clearly, Gilchrist used a non-traditional foreign object to enhance his grip. Perhaps even his mis-hits going over the boundary for a six is an example of the undue advantage gained by this enhanced grip. To say that a man who has been in poor form throughout the tournament just came back to stellar form during the all important final, and that the squash ball is just a coincidence is simply naïve.
After all, these are guys who wanted SLC investigated for a mere team selection policy. Had the roles been reversed, and Sanath Jayasuriya was the one with the squash-ball, I`m sure the cricketing world would be on fire now with all sorts of accusations fired at Sri Lanka for cheating.
I am quite surprised that no one has raised this issue yet. I hope that SLC and whoever is responsible will raise this issue, and if nothing else make sure that the rules governing such things are made clear for the future."
Source - BBC, CNN, lankanewspapers.com
Related Articles:
http://churumuri.wordpress.com/2007/05/04/churumuri-impact-adam-gilchrist-and-his-squash-ball/
http://churumuri.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/gillys-hidden-ball-helped-hit-more-4s-and-6s/
http://churumuri.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/how-legal-was-adam-gilchrists-hidden-ball/
http://churumuri.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/world-cup-finals-was-sri-lanka-vs-gilchrist/
18 comments:
Fans from both Australi and Sri Lanka have become so predictable. Everytime one nation wins, the other is ready to degrade the performance. Sri Lanka wins - Aussie fans: "Boo..they have a chucker. Boo, they have a fast bowler who chucks now as well. Boo...without Murali they can't win". If Australia wins - Sri Lankan fans: "Boo they are assholes. They don't play cricket like gentlemen. They are big-headed. They are over-coached. They are cyborgs."
Waaaa waaa waaa booo boooo boooo....Christ, for once just give credit where it's due.
There is nothing in the cricket laws that say its illegal - nothing. Its a loopholes and one that will be fixed if the MCC and the ICC feel that it gives a batsman an unfair advantage. Right now, no respected cricket authority has raised any questions. Ergo, it will remain a non-issue.
Match should be played again? Are you that cut off from reality?
Hi Theena, thank you for ur valuable comments.
Well I don't think the final should be replayed... I just think the issue should be discussed in international circles and shown that it does provide the batter with an unfair advantage. Thus the Gilchrist innings will autmatically be scarred.
Anyway that innings was full of mis-hits and slogs and there was clearly something that wasn't right. They should check on these guys bats too. Ian Chappell and Michael Holding also pointed this out...
Oh give it a rest. They kicked our fucking arses. They smashed all our bowlers for sixes and fours, and no team in the entire tournament ever came within a sniff of beating 'em. Save it for the SL tour of Oz.
The law specifically prohibits a player from using equipment other than that permitted. And nowhere in cricket's 42 laws is there a mention of a squash ball as a permitted item.
If Dennis Lilee's aluminium bat and Ricky Ponting's graphite-coated bat could be deemed illegal, if Hansie Cronje's earpiece experiment was not OK, if Scott Styris had to remove all the bandage from his right hand before he could bowl in the super eight match, can Adam Gilchrist's 'hidden ball' pass muster?
No law can, of course, take the sheen away from Gilchrist's knock. Batting with a normal grip against the world's best bowlers is tough enough, batting with a squash ball in one of your gloves is worse. To score 149 scintillating runs is, well, incredible.
Still, two questions arise: If using a squash ball isn't ok as per the laws of the game, is his innings legal and does it count? And if it doesn't count, can Australia claim to have won a hopelessly one-sided and farcical victory?
Does the law say anything about what you wear 'under' the gear? I think not, and this is where I see the Sri Lankans giving petty excuses.
'The keepers are not allowed to wear gloves with webbing between the fingers'
'The bowlers are not allowed to wear plaster in their fingers'
'You cant hit with an Aluminum bat'
Does it say anything about what the interior of the gloves has to be made of?
Does it say anything about what should the grip of the bat be made of?
No it doesnt. And I dont think the two questions you have put up at the end count (For all you know its just one question, you have already assumed that its illegal).
For once learn to accept mistakes and the fact that you lost
I do not think that what was inside or outside the quipment is the issue here. Neither do I accept that this is a lame excuse by the DSri Lankans for losing.
What must be investigated is whether the use of the squash ball within the glove was done with the intent of enhancing the batting ability in order to be able to bat better thah without the use of the ball. If this can be ascertained and established then it certainly is an intent to cheat.
In the run up to the 96' World Cup or after the Australians questioned Aravinda's bat. Whether they did this before or after the final i'm not entirely sure. Firstly all equipement used in any international cricket match has to be within the rules of the ICC regulations. That means only equipement that is permitted can be used, looking into this deeper taking a glove that is permitted and modifying it would be technically against the rules in providing an undue advantage. These rules are available on the ICC website. There is a special rule section on equipment.
Leaving the rules aside and looking at it from a mechanics/physics point of view. If the squash ball was held in the right hand of a right handed batsmen the effect would not be significant. But in the left hand of a right handed batsmen the squash ball absorves the balls force as it hits the bat thus allowing the hand to gain maximum forward momentum. Yes the tension in a squash ball would obviously provide substantial grip but the tension would also act as an absorbant to the balls force.
Having said this i think Mahela is too much of a good sportsmen to raise an issue about this. If it were Arjuna i have no doubt it my mind that he would have said something. But in my heart i do hope in the coming weeks something will be raised.
Oh and Theena, go fuck yourself.
Oh yes i admit we lost, with all the odds against us and in the dark.
Geez! u suggest the finals should be replayed jus for that reason? Pardon me, but that's the stupidest idea that I have heard. Think it over man...:-)))
Lanka Personalities said...
"...What must be investigated is whether the use of the squash ball within the glove was done with the intent of enhancing the batting ability in order to be able to bat better thah without the use of the ball. If this can be ascertained and established then it certainly is an intent to cheat."
If i am not mistaken Gilchrist him self as admitted that use of the ball is purely to enhance batting performance or one might argue it is to improve gripping performance.
This is mentioned in both CNN and FOX Sports. Links follow:
http://msn.foxsports.com/cricket/story/6750260
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SPORT/04/29/cricket.gilchrist.reut/index.html
Proud Sri Lankan,
I have a theory that most Australian and Sri Lankan fans are assholes. You are going to be the president of the Sri Lankan contingent. Congratulations, idiot.
You people talk as if Gilchrist has never done this before. Cast your mind back three months: this was the same man who came within a ball of beating Viv Richards' record for the fastest century.
Now if someone like Justin Langer had been part of the world cup squad and had played an innings like that, I would have been suspicious. But this Adam Gilchrist. He's done it time and again for the past eight years.
Thushan Sanjeewa
However and anyone said, this is a big cheat and Gilcrist is a cheater. no argument on it. this is similar as some takes drugs before playing a game. only difference is this a physical trick. if ICC has spin, they should ban this victory and should ban Gilcrist sportship in cricket. But surely, they (ICC) will not get any further action becuase SL is one of Asian country and they bow their head toward Aussies. Simply this is matter of SKIN COLOUR. para suddange hati ohama thamai.
All these are very good comments.
Which means the mice gathering are done and the solution is presented among the mice? Now we need some one to tie the big bell around the cat’s neck. Who is willing to do that?
ICC officials should know this and at least here after this should not happen.
A Sri Lankan.
The Australian media has picked up on this story this morning. Thought you'd like to know :)
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All,
Gilchrist's innings is against the cricket laws at the WC Final. He had a hidden squash ball inside is hand glove. This is against the true interest of the game and it is definitely not true sportsmanship. If he was honest, he could have informed about it to the umpires or the Sri Lankan captain before starting his innings, but he didn't, he was hiding it till he scored a century to gain undue advantage and destroy Sri Lankan hopes.
It was not a natural innings. Sri Lanka did not loose against Australia, they lost against illegally stronger Gilly.
If a Sri Lankan did this, we all know how Australians would have behaved, we know how they treated and even today treat great Murali, the best bowler in history of cricket. So, we shouldn't be negative or feel bad about pushing this, we need to take this to the highest level possible.
Do a Google search, many people are writing and talking about it, but it needs to go to the international level, so please forward this to all you know, write in your websites, inform the media, create an awareness and get respective cricket administrators to act.
May be the final match can be cancelled or replayed. At least, if all accept that it was becuase of an illegal innings that Sri Lanka lost, the SL team can be considered the world's best cricket team even though they don't hold the cup!
Regards,
True Cricket Lover
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