Hear Hear Wasim!
KARACHI, Nov 21 (AFP) - Pakistan pace bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis showed sympathy for star Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar Wednesday as they called for the ball-tampering laws to be clarified.
They said it should be the umpires on the ground who decide whether or not a ball has been tampered with, not a match referee watching television.
``How can a match referee take decisions on the basis of television footage when the on-field umpires have not reported ball tampering,‘’ Pakistan captain Younis told AFP.
``The International Cricket Council must decide on that. How can a match referee take a decision in such a manner,‘’ said Younis, who like Tendulkar, has also fallen foul of the regulations through television.
Indian batting star and part-time bowler Tendulkar was fined 75 percent of his match fee and given a suspended one-match ban during the second Test between India and South Africa at Port Elizabeth.
Match referee Mike Denness took action after television pictures showed Tendulkar running his thumb down the seam of the ball while he was bowling.
Younis was suspended for one match on the same count when match referee John Reid of New Zealand acted on television footage during the tri-nations series in Sri Lanka in July last year.
``During the match, a ball is always being inspected by the two umpires and it’s up to them to report on ball tampering,‘’ Younis said.
``I didnt see the footage so I cant comment on (Tendulkar), but there could be a lot of things, a bowler clears grass from the ball and there could be a lot of things,‘’ he said.
``It’s very common that someone clears the ball, picks the seam and it’s been going on for years.‘’
Younis, and his pace partner Akram, were also accused of ball tampering during Pakistans victorious 2-1 tour of England in 1992.
``During my 13 years of international career I have been targeted for tampering but nothing came out of it,‘’ Akram said.
The action against Tendulkar drew howls of outrage in India, with one newspaper calling for the ongoing tour of South Africa to be cancelled, and cricket authorities demanding Denness stand down from the third Test.
But Akram said India would have to accept the decision.
``Pakistan had to bear the brunt when Waqar Younis was suspended last year, and Inzamam-ul Haq was suspended for showing dissent,‘’ said Akram.
``The match referee must not punish on TV footage but again it’s up to the ICC to decide about the powers.
``ICC has given all powers to umpires and match referees and one has to abide by that.
``The decision cannot be taken back because it could create chaos.‘’
Australian captain Steve Waugh applauded Denness’s decision saying it showed the ICC was no longer prepared to tolerate on-field misbehaviour.
http://www-usa.cricket.org/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2001/NOV/978647_AFP_21NOV2001.html
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