Faf du Plessis charged with ball tampering

[BestHookerFarrah]

FOOTAGE has emerged of South African captain Faf du Plessis appearing to use a mint or lolly to shine the ball during Australia’s second Test flogging in Hobart.

In what appears to be tactics similar to those used by England during the 2005 Ashes series to enhance the ball’s ability to swing, the footage shows du Plessis repeatedly licking his finger before rubbing the Kookaburra.

A white product can briefly be seen in his mouth.

Du Plessis has been in hot water before for the work he’s done on the ball, as recently as the first Test in Perth where he was warned by the umpires for deliberately throwing the ball into the ground.

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis shining the ball.
In 2013, du Plessis was fined 50 per cent of his match fee after he pleaded guilty to ball tampering.

There was plenty of speculation during the 2005 Ashes about how England’s bowlers were able to produce prodigious swing, both reverse and conventional, while Australia’s pacemen struggled to produce the same result.

In 2008, former England batsman Marcus Trescothick confirmed he used peppermint sweets to shine the ball.

“It had been common knowledge in county cricket for some time that certain sweets produced saliva which, when applied to the ball for cleaning purposes, enabled it to keep its shine for longer and therefore its swing,” Trescothick wrote in his autobiography Coming Back To Me.

Trescothick confirmed he was also used the tactic four years prior, during the 2001 Ashes series, and nearly had his secret tactic exposed.

“As I dived to gather the ball at square leg, I landed on my side and a shower of Murray Mints spewed out of my trouser pocket all over the grass right in front of the umpire,” Trescothick wrote

“Fortunately, neither he nor the two batsmen seemed to take much notice as I scrambled around on all fours trying desperately to gather in the sweets before they started asking awkward questions.”

No action was taken against England 11 years ago, however law 42.3 of the MCC cricket laws state that a fielder may polish a ball, “provided that no artificial substance is used”.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...l/news-story/e224e30baa7feeb6cd73e8a4b2b1ecf0

 

[TIGER14]

Reverse the result.
Clearly we would have won if not for this blatant cheating.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

They should void the result and suspend Faf (who has form) for 10 tests.

That'll teach merkins not to cheat.

Won't ever happen though.

 

[hineyrulz]

Like they needed to cheat to beat our sorry bunch of plodders.

 

[Pennies]

What a scandal. I also saw one of the South African bowlers rubbing one side of the ball up and down his pants near his willy, he might have transferred his jock itch onto the ball. No wonder your batsmen couldn't occupy the crease for long periods.

 

[JJ]

Yeah, just awful - you could see when Warner got out on day 1 there was something very wrong going on

 

[Bazal]

As long as he doesn't rub the alleged lolly on the ball, who gives a f**k? How is it different to chewing gum to produce more saliva?

 

[The Charlatan]

Our boys can hold their heads up high now, clearly this affected the result...

/sarcasm.

 

[JJ]

Is this a cunning plan from the PR department at Cricket Australia?

 

[The Charlatan]

Is this a cunning plan from the PR department at Cricket Australia?

As cunning as a fox who has just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Who cares,we shouldn't take away from what a bunch of donkeys our players are,they deserved to be laughed at,good job Faf.

 

[mozza91]

Is this a cunning plan from the PR department at Cricket Australia?

If Faf did this against NZ we'd still be hearing about it in 30 years time.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Should be suspended for having a name like faf.

 

[Bazal]

In all fairness if my name was Francois I'd shorten it somehow as well...although not sure Faf would be my choice.

 

[simmo1]

The whole mint saliva helps shine the ball thing is rubbish imo. Me and everyone else who I know who's tried it hasn't noticed any difference to the amount of swing.

Could be we're just shit though.

 

[JJ]

Swing had little to do with Australian problems

 

[Twizzle]

true, it wasn't swing, it was seam that did us as well as some accurate bowling

fact of the matter is that Faf is altering the ball with an artificial substance which is not allowed under the rules, so whether it helped the saffas or not is irrelevant, I'd say he will cop a fine but I cant see him being suspended

 

[Twizzle]

Australia v South Africa: Faf du Plessis charged for ball tampering, team-mates offer support

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis will plead not guilty to charges of ball tampering handed down by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Du Plessis received the level-two charge on Friday shortly before team-mates all congregated at a media conference to support the captain, who was filmed shining the ball with saliva while also having a lolly in his mouth.

A hearing will be scheduled for du Plessis to defend the charge, with the skipper facing a 50 to 100 per cent loss of his match fee, or potentially a one-Test or two-ODI ban.

Under cricket rules, a player may shine the ball provided no artificial substance is used.

The South African squad stood behind star bat Hashim Amla as they fronted the media at the MCG, the day before they play a Victorian XI under lights.

"The reason everyone is here is to stand together, really, and to show solidarity to something ... we thought was actually a joke," Amla said.

"It's not April, but the allegation against Faf was ... a really ridiculous thing.

"As a team, we're standing strong, we've done nothing wrong. It's basically a joke."

It was then put to Amla that his captain was under investigation over the incident.

"Whether it is or not, we've done nothing wrong and I know Faf has done absolutely nothing wrong," he said.

"I chew bubble gum while I'm on the field - you want me to brush my teeth after lunch?

"We're standing out on the field for two hours ... there was no malicious intent whatsoever."

As officials tried to change the topic, Amla and some journalists had a testy exchange about the subject.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-...du-plessis-charged-for-ball-tampering/8038874

 

[Twizzle]

Some pretty silly comments from Amla there, he thinks he has a right to cheat by the sounds of it.

 

[hineyrulz]

Do think its been blown our of proportion, but the comments from Amla were dumb.

Faf has got form for this as well, the funny thing is it's not like they need to cheat to beat us anyway.