Comments on: Video of Shoaib Akhtar “fiddling” the ball

By: Mahmood

Mahmood — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:08:30 +0000

I dont know who gave them a right to be a judge. They all were medium or may be low lever players in their time and they should think before they open their mouths against the fastest bowler of the world.
I have noticed that they have given a Label to the Pakistani of unconsistent team of the world. They dont realise that there is alot things are happeneing in Pakistan. Its hard to focus on cricket when you are under so much pressure and scrutiny.
My question is why English team isnt unconsistent who beat austaralia in test series and lost one day series, would you call it consistency?
We love cricket and we want to see good cricket away from all sort of politics and racism and cricket mafia (david lloyd, naseer hussain and ian botham) should realise that they are not helping cricket at all. They have no right to make their comments on critical issues, their jobs should only be telling us whats the score is and how many wickets had gone down, thats it.

By: captan

captan — Tue, 15 May 2007 07:49:44 +0000

I do not believe on this video.He is a capable blower but he is little over excited.Watch this video , the quality of his blowing.
http://www.dekhona.com/watch.php?v=icacgoooo

By: AA

AA — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 01:50:54 +0000

MALCOLM SPEED!

The sacking of Zaheer Abbas is a direct slap on your face. Yes! you have a system in place of policing, arrogance and bureaucracy which explains the events happening behind the closed doors of ICC. It seems the ultimate survival for you and your lot entirely boils down to ruining careers of Pakistani cricketers! . Imagine how may families, children are affected by your ill managed, pathetic, guttless decisions and statements.

The pakistani fans have had enough of you and think of you as a lot of losers who already have got a million and one complaints against youself.

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 21:33:01 +0000

I don’t think this ball tampering issue has anything to do with racism, its whats called being competitive.

If the Aussie’s were over here we would try and accuse them of cheating at every oppurtunity, especially when we’re losing!

By: Zia Kidwai

Zia Kidwai — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 01:31:06 +0000

“If video evidence was the only criteria, taking the analogy of crime, we would not be able to prove a lot of murders and half the jails would be empty,” said Speed. ”

Please take a chill pill and refer to cricinfo. Mr Speed has preemptively attempted to minimize the lack of video evidence for ball tampering as he criticizes Inzi for making irresposible statements before the actual hearing.If there is no video evidence of ball tampering at Oval, any other evidence has to be extremely strong to prove culpability. He gives the analogy of murderers found convicted in the court of law without an eyewitness account.Unlike ICC, proper judiciary system rests on sound principles of justice, and is governed by rules and regulations of the highest order.

To develop this totally inappropriate analogy further, if this case of ball tampering rests on appearence of the ball as the only possible evidence, it would be thrown out of the court and dismissed on the first day of pretrial hearing.That certainly would be the case if Michael Holding ,Geof Boycott , Ian Botham or Nasser Hussain were in the hot seat of a Judge , as has been evident from their respective expert comments. I have been impressed by the objectivity of their expert comments

By: Sunny

Sunny — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 10:41:30 +0000

So let’s get this correct. Not having the video evidence means that the person can’t be culpable but also when there is evidence, it’s still not culpable? Get real.

You (and this is just like Inzi — first let’s protest and throw a hissy fit by taking a “higher ground” and then come back and pretend nothing really happened) can’t have it both ways.

The reality is that us sub-continentals don’t have street smarts. Stupidly we pick around the seam when the rest of the world has moved onto mints and sunscreen

As Michael Holding said, everybody does it. The Pakistanis just have to get a bit smarter.

By: Khurram Mushtaq

Khurram Mushtaq — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 06:53:55 +0000

England is loosing, they would have lost the first ODI as well but were saved becuase of the rain and then there is this D Hair issue.

My feeling is Pakistan is going to beat England in this series 4-0. And sadly this great performance will be tarnished by the silly media whose making non-issues into issues just to increase their own viewership.

By: omar hussain

omar hussain — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 06:28:13 +0000

This is absolutely ridiculous for Sky or any other network to candidly keep an eye on Pakistani bowler, it just shows how the Pakistani bowlers are being watched and being discriminated, and the audacity of the Australians to say that no one is above the game I would love to see what they would say or do if Aleem Dar would have accused them of such wrong doing.

By: sami khan

sami khan — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 06:07:43 +0000

well i think he was just sracthing the dust from the ball and nothing else that we can say that he was doing ball tempreing.i think the bowler can do some thing to change his pace and line and bastman should had to play this if he is a bastman infact.

By: Zainub

Zainub — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 01:41:09 +0000

One of the commentators here asked, who asked sky to focus on the ball soo much? Well, I don’t know, for sure. But I’d probably ask instead why only Pakistan are the target of such intense focus, I can well assure you that, if similar levels of scrutiny were applied to other teams, namely this very England team, you could well spot many ‘inccidents’ like these.

The fact is, as Mickey Holding said, every bowler in the world has tampered with the ball at some stage of his career (Holding actually says ask them, and if they so no, either they’re lying or they’ve just begun playing).

So you might well go and do super slow mos of England (and Australian) fielders and bowlers during the last years’ Ashes and prove to me that they never ball tampered, and then come and start talking to me about Shoaib and co.

And then perhaps, some of our England fans can also explain why we should not feel victimised, if not by blatant racism, then at least major double standards.

By: AA

AA — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 23:30:20 +0000

Look! this is not an issue of being victimized.

Like our Jumbo Jet quad engine benzene packed starts for a
take off demands some discipline at the airport. The control tower however instead of monitoring weather conditions, traffic queues rather comes up for criticism on approach and take off angle of attack. The lad fair dinkum! has been for the past years is a major stakeholder in this multi billion dollar industry. The aviation authority however grooming the lad with some respect or medals instead took the path of unawareness of an issue which is there. The real hearbreak which I feel for the lad is when those fokker and cessna models are lifted up beyond the skies! I hoped they had some professional ethics and conduct though!
The launch of a new Airbus A380 from the other end will be blind folding for the authorities. For your information this is a NEW COMER! HELLO!!. I don’t know what mockery will be cooked up out of this. We are waiting!
The lads have a big heart to turn up for us for the next game.

By: Saqib Butt

Saqib Butt — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 22:41:16 +0000

When are people going to realise that the Pakistani’s are the kings when it comes to swing. Now they’ve got Waqar as the bowling coach its even more reason for the ball to swing.

Well done to Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton for useless commentating. I mean what are they trying to do to the game.

Pakistan is a nation of cricketing greats full of venom and talent. That is the sort of tough competition I want to see as a spectator not Sky Sports thinking they’re smart.

By: Zia Kidwai

Zia Kidwai — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 21:40:55 +0000

If a flick of the thumb can constitute ball tampering, then a bowler should not be allowed to use the thumb for purposes of delivering the ball. Get real!

Also Mr Speed’s analogy related to lack of video evidence of balltampering at the oval to the conviction of murderers despite the lack of video evidence is totally inapproprite. Yes, murderers are convicted without eye witnesses,if the circumstantial and DNA evidence is strong but if a full uninterrupted video recording by 26 cameras at the site of murder fails to confirm the killer or the act itself, the alleged murderer cannot and should not be convicted. I would have expected Mr Speed to be more objective and sane while drawing such inappropriate analogy.

Yet another blow to my trust in the widom of people at the highest ICC level!

By: Bowman

Bowman — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 16:38:02 +0000

I think what happened with this incident that it was picked up on sky cameras live but the commentators decided to ignore it.

I’m guessing that sky suddenly received a bunch of e-mails concerning the incident and thought it was neccesary to replay the incident.

I don’t think it was enough to be considered ball tampering, but what Shoaib did was completely idiotic, i don’t care if he was getting dirt off, he must know there’s a better way than scraching it with his thumb on the tour when the first ever fourfeited match occured due to ball tampering.

And Pakistan fans, stop feeling victimised, your not treated any different to anyone else.

By: Lakshala

Lakshala — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:24:05 +0000

The pity is that ex-cricketers as commentators are fanning such controversies. I would like Nasser Hussain to make a public statement holding a hand to his heart that he has never seen his teammates clean the ball the same way in every match of his cricketing life. Why didn’t he remember these rules then? Skysports should do what was done to Dean Jones by another sports channel. Show Nasser Hussain the door.

By: Jyotirmoy

Jyotirmoy — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 12:42:17 +0000

Cricket is becoming boring where the media is focussing on these non issues. Is the ball a piece of ornament that has to go back to the umpire for getting rid of dirt and dust.
A good bowler will get wickets and a good batsmen will make runs no matter what the bowler does with the ball.
Just play the game. All these crap are killing the game.

By: Sunny

Sunny — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 12:32:18 +0000

I am sorry but this is too much. Everytime you criticise the Pakistanis, its racism! That’s getting a bit old.

Its not Shoaib Akhtar’s job to clean the ball. It’s the umpires. And why is it that Pakistan players always forget the rules? Inzi doesn’t know what obstructing the field is. Afridi doesn’t know that digging holes at a good length is illegal. The entire team forgets that tea is only 15 mins. Seriously, folks!

Of course the weak management of all sub-continent teams is at fault here. Usually they are plush rewards / kickbacks to former stars. Sadly, cricketing genius doesn’t always translate to managerial nous off the field.

By: Sparky

Sparky — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 10:16:57 +0000

The majority of comments displays how much people are irritated with the Sky’s behaviour. Watching the match one can undoubtedly come to a conclusion what Sky’s intension was. Focusing the ball from hand to hand and from fielder to bowler up to the mark (welldone Sky). Try to be proving itself as 4rth umpire or Judiciary unnominated just to create controversies is what the aim. Espesially the Pakistani team which is more vulnerable to such controversies because of their weak and management. Who asked the cameramans of Sky sports to keep eye on the ball and the fielders, was it ICC? was it ECB? or Darel influenced?
The comments from the panel of commentrators were so pathetic that it is wast of time to say anything on those.

By: Ahmer

Ahmer — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 09:19:27 +0000

i think if Shoaib or in fact any other bowler would have scrathed the ball with the thumb even 10 times the same way as was shown by sky cameras, nothing would have happened to the ball.

By: Mani

Mani — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 09:01:32 +0000

this was hilarious.. the sky ppl were focusing on the ball the whole time as would any one else after the oval fiasco.. they managed to pick up only one instance of a thumb flick across the ball… and played it in super slo mo which makes it look 10 times worse than in normal speed.. one flick of the thumb for what ever reason during the whole game can’t be considered ball tampering which is why the referee didn’t take action.. now if he had been scratching the ball 3/4 times with his thumb that would be obvious.. in any case akhtar is a complete idiot for not making absolutely sure that he doesn’t do anything that can even be remotely seen as ball tampering.. if i was playing i would hold the ball only with two fingers and keep it in view of the cameras.. not practical i know.. but that might be the only way to get sky off your back.. they did not zoom in even once when the english bowlers were bowling..

By: wicketkeeper

wicketkeeper — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 08:42:08 +0000

How crazy and stupid the commentrators can get.
Ask the umpire to clean every piece of dirt from the ball?
By that token you should be allowed to rub the ball on your trousers. Let the umpire do it for you.
No one should be allowed to wipe off any dew from the ball. Let the umpire do it for you.

If that is how umpires are supposed to be involved in the game then why not let the umpires play the game and let the players watch them ‘how to do it the proper way’.

By: Oracles

Oracles — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 08:15:07 +0000

I thought SKYSPORTS is the 4th match referee. I miss good ol cricket without all this biased media reporting. I think SKY was trying to prove a point in favor of D.Hair.

By: Shahzad

Shahzad — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 07:49:15 +0000

There is no evidence that Shoaib is tampering with the ball & thatâ€™s why he is cleared by match referee. As far as Nasir Hussain is concerned he is just trying to hail his team after continuous losses in ODIs. SO KEEP CRYING NASIR but be sure u can’t win this way.

By: Danish

Danish — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:57:21 +0000

Its a biased attitude developed towards the Pakistani team, I think they’re probably afraid of the lethal pace attack they got!

By: Imran Shahid

Imran Shahid — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:48:15 +0000

Thats unfair !!! Ball tampering can not be done in 5 seconds they should bring that issue if they see it more than one time. There are more than 20 camera’s recording the game you cant really hide anything. I think commentator watch their words and concentrate on the game. If we dont put some kind of restrictions for the commentators they will openly critisize players and we just had a pretty good example of Dean Jones making a racail comments for Amla from South Africa.

By: shoib

shoib — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:47:16 +0000

Yes the comments of Nasser are not appropriate. And Mr KP stop being disrespectful to Pakistani’s . Paki’s is a slur. Shoib

By: Faraz

Faraz — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:44:05 +0000

As Inzi said, the matter was of self respect. When one wrongly accused by someone, his reaction would be like Inzi and boys.
The Sky group should appologise of accussing Shoaib doing cheat.

By: Zeeshan iqbal

Zeeshan iqbal — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:25:27 +0000

i think neutral peoples have the more knowledge about the cricket rather than the professional commentators…this time i m totally disagree wid nasser…he sould have been comments on the basis of evidence…y dont u leave these things for the match refree and ICC.

By: Manzoor

Manzoor — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:17:24 +0000

Cricket is a wonderful and exciting game.It is gaining it’s increasing day by day arround the globe.At this time silly issues like “ball tampering” should be avoided for the benifit of this game.It is my opinion that time has arrived for the ICC to rethink about the related cricket game rule to avoid further controversies and divisions.

Manzoor
Dhaka
Bangladesh

By: Kishor

Kishor — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 04:33:37 +0000

This is the limit….
Pakistan is on the threshold of racism…
Australian team or even the south african team would have cancelled the tour and return back. But the pakistani management is so weak and can do nothing…
They should have packed their bags and booked the tickets to home on the fourth day of the Oval test, and this time sue sky sports and the commentary team for spoiling the image of pakistan
What is the point of going back to his(Shoaib) run-up mark and run down and ask the umpire whether he could clean the ball rather than bowling…
Nasser you should be ashmed yourself of being a cricketer… you should be called as the controversier…

By: Aloo Ka Fan

Aloo Ka Fan — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 02:33:44 +0000

Ban all pak bowlers. They always tampers the ball. Right from Sarfraz, Imran, Wasim, Younis and now Shoaib. ICC should remove all the records of pakis bowlers who did ball tampering….

By: AJ

AJ — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 01:52:21 +0000

I dont see how that can be termed as “tampering” in any way shape or form! I am surprised at those who could make such a claim!!

By: imran kazmi

imran kazmi — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 01:11:07 +0000

I think west got to live with the fact that pakistanis are better fast swing bowlers than they are and they have been reverse swinging for last 20 years.Try and improve your batting abilities against them rather than keep on acquising them of cheating all the time.
cheers
Imran Kazmi.

By: Ali Abbas

Ali Abbas — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:47:39 +0000

Shoaib is the bowling force of Pakistan. Imagine how many life hours he’s spent mastering the art apreciating that his weaponry includes those killer yorkers, offs, ins, sloweez and the worst part the deceiving bouncers. These 75mm dia red or white balls are like mini coconuts which I wouldn’t be suprised if bowlers like him (if any!) would swallow one day on field.
There is an item in called stress ball. If a camera is fitted on any bowler in this world just picking up the hand/ bowl contact i bet you can see worst scenes than that in and still i will call it a unconcious finger movement or contact with the bowl. Its about the marrriage of the bowlers finger with the bowl itself. I am not opening up the sweet saliva issue now.

So far as the media is concerned we all know how the media is like. For example Michael jackson turns up at the balcony with his baby and shows the world Hey I have a beautiful baby and the headlines Oh my God they read !
MJ dangles a baby over the balcony!

Possibly the issue is media friendship. Pakistan team ignore what the media writes about them or they don’t seem to protect their reputation. I would say that s Shoaib spell does tend to show the world magical cricket. A cricket footage you can’t get by watching the whole Bangladesh or Zimbabwes lifetime cricket footage. it is inspirational. Such allegations are a preemptive strike on pakistan cricket and the boys are good enough to respond. They should get there performance do the talking and luckily they happen to be performing excellent.

By: BA

BA — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:58:32 +0000

You are right. They would, and they should pull out from the tour. Any team should if they are being treated impartially.

By: KP

KP — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:31:29 +0000

Amazing…
Match Refree should refer to the rule book again, but he would not because he is afraid of paki’s pulling out from the tour.

By: John Gavey

John Gavey — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:22:50 +0000

I totally agree with Bilal. If Nas Hussain is unable to focus on cricket and he is more interested in controversies then he should give up commentary. I dont think there is any evidence of ball tampering in the footage. Sky sports has disgraced itself by initiating and then unneccesarily focusing on the issue.

By: Mohammad Bilal

Mohammad Bilal — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:19:09 +0000

Sky sports was trying to create a new controversy and Nasser Hussain should be ashamed of himself because as a comentator you need to be impartial. We must focus on Cricket and forget all these issues. Sky should be penalised for their irresponsible role.

Cheers
Bilal

By: Rehan Tahir

Rehan Tahir — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 20:22:55 +0000

this sux….whats happening to cricket…its more like the WWE drama..where u r more engrossed in the acting and the controversies rather than the matches….

By: John

John — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 19:53:34 +0000

a useless bit of commentary, these guys should stick to cricket and let these matter be handled by the match referee.

By: Mustafa Shaikh

Mustafa Shaikh — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 19:37:58 +0000

Thanks for sharing this video, doesn’t seems to me that he was tampering the but in other words we could say that he was picking the mud out of the surface infact shiny surface, some times it happens that bowler don’t bother to go to umpire and asks to clean the mud while the game is going in a good rythym any ways players nowadays have to be very very careful about these things because media needs points to put on note or to show a mole whole as a cave.