Either the match wining 149 of Adam Gilchrist or the squash ball hidden in his glove is no news further.The longest ever world cup in the history of Cricket is still not end.
“His (Meuleman's) last words to me before I left the indoor training centre where I train with him in Perth were, 'Well, if you are going to use it (squash ball), make sure when you score a hundred in the final you show me and prove to me you got it in there'. I had stayed true to that.” - These few sentences by Gilchrist, took the cricket world by surprise. Even now, we all are surprised, that is not for Gilchrist’s squash ball – but for the silence kept by both the ICC & the Sri Lanka Cricket.
“If this is legal, can the fielding team use baskets to catch the ball? Sanga could have applied some Glue on his gloves so that he could have got Gilchrist out.Dilshan could have used special shoes that spring through air to stop all the sixes. Sanath could have had a longer bat etc wide. There are so many gadgets to use. Why Sri Lankan team did not use any gadgets like the Aussies?” - questions a Cricket fan in Yahoo Answers. He believes Gilchrist cheated, as most of the non-Australians.
“If Dennis Lillie’s aluminum bat and Ricky Ponting's graphite-coated bat could be deemed illegal, if Hansie Cronje's earpiece experiment was not OK, if Scott Styris had to remove all the bandage from his right hand before he could bowl in the super eight match, can Adam Gilchrist's 'hidden ball' pass muster?” - Krishna Prasad questions in Yahoo Cricket.
“No player uses equipment other than that permitted” – states the Cricket law. Under its 42 laws, use of a squash ball never listed.
All in all, Sri Lanka Cricket has a case to file.
If Jayasuriya had the squash ball in his glove, ICC would have broken the ice so soon, may be the same night the final played.
Final Say on WC 2007.
ReplyDeleteCounty cricket | Australia
by Tylor- 02 May 2007
I do not believe it's the D/L method that took the game away from the Sri Lankans but the ICC/officials did.
End of 16th over:
Aus - 98/0
SL - 102/1
This is where the rain starts to fall.
End of 20th over:
Aus - 137/0
SL - 124/2
The game should have been stopped at the end of the 16th over to protect the pitch. At this point, they should have made a plan to play off four more overs so that they can finish it off in 20 overs.
If it's the case, the lankans would have had 4 overs (24 balls) and 9
wickets including Jeyasuriya's and Sangakkara's to get 36 RUNS.
Scoring 36 runs in 24 balls is not too difficult of a task for many teams and certainly not for Jeyasuriya and Sangakkara. THIS IS WHY I FEEL THAT THE LANKANS WERE ROBBED.
Just imagine how things would have been if it's the Indians who were on the receiving end of this fiasco instead of lankans. I can promise you that the ICC would have been in flames.
Final note:
Nothing can change what has taken place. As a cricket fan you are
disappointed, as an Aussie fan you are delighted, and as a lankan fan such as myself we are heart broken. Not only because we felt cheated but also it's not that easy for teams to make it to the finals often (except for the Aussies) and when you have to lose because of things that has nothing to do
with cricket.. It's hard to swallow but life goes on.
Well said, I mean the comment. I do not think the squash ball made a huge difference in giving more power to Gilly's shots BUT it helped him to play in the 'V', I really dont think you can build case for it. Try playing with a squash ball in ur glove, its really hard :)
ReplyDeleteYes ICC/Umpires/Match Refree lost the match for us, we should have stopped at the 16th over :) Now its gone, lets move on :)
I agree on what you have questioned. I beleive as Sri Lankans; this is not the first time we were treated badly either in the game or anything except the game. But we Sri Lankans always tried/ is trying/ will try to play the game as a game. We Sri Lankans are popular among all over the world because of our honesty. PRABATH, don't get angry about these incidents. What happened to Darryl Hair? Time gave him the answer and on the other hand who is Murali for the cricket? He is the no 1 spinner we ever saw.
ReplyDeleteHere is enough proof to show that there is a probelm here and ICC should take a decision about Australia holding the cup any longer. It's against the spirit of the game. Gentlemans game is at Risk. Mr. Speed, we want you to act! ICC Board, Country Cricket Boards,,,we want you to think about the credibility of the game. SL Cricket Board has to come forward fast into action.
ReplyDeletehttp://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/293237.html
http://www.nationnews.com/story/316743561716978.php
Use the following email to spread this all over the world to save the game being manipulated as people wish. Send it to many peole as possible, icluding Australians and cricket adminostrators.
All,
Gilchrist's innings is against the cricket laws at the WC Final. He had a hidden squash ball inside is hand glove. This is against the true interest of the game and it is definitely not true sportsmanship. If he was honest, he could have informed about it to the umpires or the Sri Lankan captain before starting his innings, but he didn't, he was hiding it till he scored a century to gain undue advantage and destroy Sri Lankan hopes.
It was not a natural innings. Sri Lanka did not loose against Australia, they lost against illegally stronger Gilly.
If a Sri Lankan did this, we all know how Australians would have behaved, we know how they treated and even today treat great Murali, the best bowler in history of cricket. So, we shouldn't be negative or feel bad about pushing this, we need to take this to the highest level possible.
Do a Google search, many people are writing and talking about it, but it needs to go to the international level, so please forward this to all you know, write in your websites, inform the media, create an awareness and get respective cricket administrators to act.
May be the final match can be cancelled or replayed. At least, if all accept that it was becuase of an illegal innings that Sri Lanka lost, the SL team can be considered the world's best cricket team even though they don't hold the cup!
Regards,
True Cricket Lovers
The official view is that what Gilchrist did was legal:
ReplyDelete"...But MCC are the final authority on matters to do with the Laws, so I asked their head of cricket, the former England opener John Stephenson, who confirmed: "The official view is that you are correct. It is no different to wearing inners, etc."
See here
Sri Lanka Cricket's interim committee official, K. Mathivathan told The Island today that Sri Lanka Cricket will take this as a serious issue, and take the matter to net ICC meeting scheduled to June. He further added "It's unethical for Adam to do that, and laws could be brought to prevent doing such things in the future"
ReplyDeletehttp://different-stroke.blogspot.com/2007/05/sri-lanka-cricket-to-question-legality.html
JUNE??????? Thats too late,,we want an action soon! this needs to be pressed politically as well.
ReplyDeleteThis how "The Daily Telegraph" an Australian online news paper reports the incident.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21671221-5001023,00.html
gilchrist didnt have a real advantage over the squash ball...
ReplyDeletecheck this out
http://www.kanabona.com/2007/05/gilchrist-and-squash-ball.html
tried to explain the dynamics of whacking a six