Just like the majority, former international umpire, Cyril Mitchley is also taken aback by the recent ball-tampering scandal.
However, Mitchley is convinced the malpractice is rampant in international cricket.
On the third day of the Cape Town Test, Australia opener Cameron Bancroft was captured using yellow tape to scruff up the ball. Once the broadcasters repeatedly aired the footage and even displayed it on the giant screen, Bancroft was seen slipping the yellow tape inside his trousers.
Later, Bancroft and skipper Steven Smith admitted the team had pre-planned to alter the condition of the ball.
Smith revealed the ‘leadership group’ of the team made plans to change the condition of the ball.
On the very next day, Smith had stood down as Australia’s Test captain. He was also banned for one Test by the ICC. On the other hand, Bancroft accumulated three demerit points.
The turn of events had shocked the entire cricketing fraternity, and Mitchley is not an exception either.
“I am wondering why they [the Australians] did it. It’s difficult to comment on that, but I am very surprised Bancroft did what he did because there are so many cameras on the field,” Mitchley told mid-day.
“Having been in the game all my life, it’s very sad to see people taking to cheating to win cricket games. I am sure that it [ball tampering] goes on. I don’t know who, when or how… but it goes on! It’s just that this particular guy got caught. No one can tell me that teams in the rest of the world are 100 per cent innocent,” concluded Mitchley.
He further said on-field umpires, Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong did a good job with the controversy.
However, he wondered why the ball was not changed.
Here is the news feed:
Mohammed Shami receives a ‘get well soon’ message from Hardik Pandya