^^^^^ The "so called ball tampering" was not noticed by the umpires. It was the South African ex-player Fanie De Villiers who first noticed it and went ballistic during the live coverage.
That's what commentators do, what exactly they are supposed to do? Close their eyes and shut their mouth? when 100 cameras focusing on player's crotch "Hiding Sandpaper"
I never said that what they did was the right thing. My only complaint was about the quantum of punishment. I felt that it was excessive and was influenced by the South African media's witch hunt against Smith and Warner.
I had pointed out one very important thing in the past. Many of the legendary pace bowlers had previously admitted that they used to tamper the original condition of the ball, using Vaseline, sweat, towels.etc. The so called "banana swing" was achieved by roughening one side of the ball by erasing it with a rough towel and then applying sweat or saliva on it (thereby increasing the weight of that half).
This has been going on for many decades and very few of the bowlers got punished for that.
Quoting my old response for this..... i agree overall except "South African media's Witch hunt" Its Normal and that's how Media reacts to any controversy, Australian media reacted in same fashion.
Bhai, Believe or not Ball tempering has always been a big part of test cricket. before we had a few cameras on the ground now every move is monitored and it's completely different from Spot fixing. Make no mistake to mixing them up together.
One year ban is a very long period but CA took a tough and bold decision in this ball-tempering Saga due to backlash in Aus. not to mention Prime minister's comment was cherry on top IMHO.
Can you imagine the same thing happening in India if Virat Kohli gets caught in the same situation? Big No from BCCI even ECB or CSA.
Smith and Warner went a step further and used sand paper (instead of towel). But the ICC laws don't differentiate between a towel and sand paper.
My questions are:
1. Why players using sand paper are banned, while those using towels are not punished at all?
Debatable... 99% times towels are used when ball gets wet, never witnessed in Test match so far except when rain interrupted the game-play and outfield is wet.
2. Why three Australian batsmen were banned for ball tampering, when they didn't bowled a single ball during the entire innings? Are you saying that these three players are more guilty when compared to the bowlers who delivered those balls?
Nope, i completely agree on this argument, I had fair amount of suspicion on one bowler -- Mitchell starc-- He lost his reverse swing ability for 1 full year after this saga.
2. Starc forgets how to bowl an old ball. he used to be lethal with the old ball.
Quoting his statement when he earned Man of the Match taking 9 wickets in Durban against South Africa
He even told Cricket Australia's website, cricket.com.au, that it took a group effort to get the ball in the right condition for reverse swing.
What group effort? Ball tampering? not attacking but just wanna know what Aussie thinks about Starc. Shane Warne is very vocal about him may be due to personal grudes or may be he's hinting something very serious which lead to us Back to Sandpaper gate saga.