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https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...loy-on-stump-microphones-20180303-p4z2n0.html
Australia's ambush marketing ploy on stump microphones
By Chris Barrett
3 March 2018 — 6:00am
Durban: Australian players have taken matters into their own hands after the team's request for stump microphones to be turned down was denied, cheekily promoting rival South African and ICC sponsors in the field during the second day of the first Test.
The development follows
Fairfax Media's report on Thursday that Australia had asked the host broadcaster and match officials to have the fader for the stump mics turned down between balls and when the ball is dead during the series.
Having had their wishes ignored, Steve Smith's side took matters into their own hands at the start of South Africa's first innings at Kingsmead.
Television network SuperSport, whose broadcast of the series is being aired on Fox Sports in Australia, picked up several players mentioning the beer XXXX. Just across the boundary fence at the south-west corner of the ground is a marquee emblazoned with the logo of Castle Lager, the official supplier of Cricket South Africa.
One player was also heard to say to one of the umpires, who are sponsored by airline Emirates: "How good is Qantas?"
Both XXXX, owned by Lion, and Qantas are Cricket Australia commercial partners.
"I wouldn't say it was a protest," all-rounder Mitchell Marsh said. "I'd say it was a great opportunity to give our sponsors a bit of a plug...Qantas, thank-you for getting us here safely.
"It was a bit of a joke to give the sponsors a bit of a plug."
The ploy was a throwback to the 2006 series between Australia and Bangladesh when Adam Gilchrist led a light-hearted protest against the stump mics being left up. While encouraging Brett Lee from behind the stumps he offered some free advertising for several companies that were either sponsors of CA or the Test wicketkeeper.
"Come on Bing - one for the boys at Travelex now," Gilchrist said. "Plenty of energy from a Milo Energy Bar. Keep it well oiled with Castrol boys. Come on."
SuperSport were not concerned by the latest tactic.
The Australian team have been unhappy about on-field audio being left up between balls when they are abroad in recent years. Channel 9 has an operator that turns the fader up and down as balls are being bowled for internationals in Australia, but that is not always the case with foreign broadcasters and particularly in South Africa, where the stump mics are usually not adjusted.
Australian officials claim that the practice of sound effects being beamed out around the world when the ball is dead is in breach of ICC guidelines, but they are not enforceable.
Australia's reason for wanting the audio turned down is not, they say, to allow them to sledge their opponents without being heard.
They argue that there should be an element of privacy on the ground in such a competitive arena and without it players can be caught out, and often charged by the ICC as a result, if they happen to swear in frustration or say anything else undesirable in the heat of the moment.
On Australia's last visit to South Africa, for limited-overs matches in 2016, Aaron Finch was picked up for uttering an expletive on his way off the ground after being sent packing via a controversial catch.
Last year Australia was angered when the Board of Control for Cricket
posted video and stump microphone recordings of a stoushbetween two Australians - Smith and Matthew Wade - and Ravindra Jadeja on its website.
As for the on-field banter on Friday, South Africa's AB de Villiers described it as "quite nice".
"They were very friendly compared to last time," he said. "It's the usual stuff. We expect some verbal stuff out there when you're playing cricket in general. It gets the juices flowing. I particularly enjoy it.
"And from the other side, we also get stuck in and try and unsettle the batters. It's part of the game."
