Gilchrist - A Cheat??

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From news.com.au

CRICKET fans on the sub-continent have questioned Adam Gilchrist's match-winning innings in the World Cup final because he had a squash ball inside his batting glove.

Gilchrist belted 149 off just 103 balls to rip the rain-shortened final away from Sri Lanka but cricket bloggers in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India have now asked whether the Australian wicketkeeper's innings was "legal".

After the match, Gilchrist said he had "something" in his left glove during his innings and when he reached his century he repeatedly pointed to his left batting glove with his right hand.

"I had a little message, to wave to someone at home in Australia about something in my glove," Gilchrist told the post-match media conference.

He then confirmed the message was for his batting coach and former West Australia player Bob Meuleman who, Gilchrist said, had advised him to carry a squash ball in his left, bottom hand to help him with his grip.

"His (Meuleman's) last words to me before I left the indoor training centre where I train with him in Perth were, '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."

Some cricket fans are now asking whether, if Dennis Lilee's aluminium bat, Ricky Ponting's graphite-coated bat and Hanie Cronje's earpiece were declared illegal, Gilchrist's squash ball should be deemed an illegal artificial aid to batting.

To read what the bloggers have to say go to: http://wordpress.com/tag/cricket-etcetera/

"Two questions arise," wrote one blogger. "If using a squash ball isn't ok as per the laws of the game, is his innings legal and does it count? And if it doesn't count, can Australia claim to have won a hopelessly one-sided and farcical victory?"

Another blogger said Gilchrist had indicated the squash ball in his left glove helped him with his grip during his "stupendous knock".

"But that's also where questions over the legality of Gilchrists innings, or the seeming lack of it, come in," he wrote.

"Can a batsman carry an object, in this case, a squash ballnot connected with cricket to help him on the field? Did he secure the prior permission of the umpires? Was the fielding side captain aware of the use of the squash ball? Did (Sri Lankan captain) Mahela Jayawardene approve its use?

"And, above all, and in a manner of speaking, did Gilchrists hidden ball give him an unfair advantage in knocking the daylights out of the Lankan bowlers?"

He lists the law of cricket No.3 as saying:

"Before the toss and during the match, the umpires shall satisfy themselves that

(a) the conduct of the game is strictly in accordance with the Laws. (b) the implements of the game conform to the requirements of Laws 5 (the ball) and 6 (the bat), together with either Laws 8.2 (size of stumps) and 8.3 (the bails) or, if appropriate, Law 8.4 (junior cricket). (c) (i) no player uses equipment other than that permitted. (ii) the wicket-keepers gloves comply with the requirements of Law 40.2 (gloves)."

Jerome Gasperson joined the blog from Australia: "You have very valid points and there are a few more unanswered questions that are worth pursuing further:

1) Gilchrist never used the squash ball in the past and also in any of the other 10 games prior to the finals. Did the squash ball help?

2) Gilchrist was out of form and didn't score many runs in the whole World Cup tour apart from the finals. Did the squash ball provide Gilchrist the required assistance to bring him back to form?

3) The World Cup final was between Sri Lanka and Gilchrist (not Australia). All other in-form Australian batsmen were struggling to score except the out-of-form Gilchrist who had this squash ball to enhance his grip or did it?

4) Most of his shots, mainly his eight sixes, were massive and cleared the grounds. Did the squash ball help?

5) The number of sixes hit by Gilchrist amounts to eight in the finals, compared to two in the previous 10 games. Is it because of the squash ball?

6) Gilchrist's average without the last innings would have been a mere 30.40 compared to the 45.30 after the finals. Did the squash ball help to boost his average?

7) Gilchrist's strikerate without the last innings would have been 91.57 compared to the 103.89 after the finals. Again, did the squash ball provide that extra power?

"I am not taking anything away from Adam Gilchrist's excellent innings," Gasperson wrote.

"That was an amazing innings which will be remembered by many for years to come. However, the question still remains: is it legal to use such equipment and will it provide assistance?"

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I thought this was a very interesting article - it raises some very serious questions as well...

I like to think that the use of a squash ball in his glove wouldn't make him a cheat, but there are some glaring points made that suggest otherwise!

[mighty_tiger_79]

give Sri Lanka the cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dissident]

Interesting ... people on the sub-continent questioning if something is legal ....

[rod_rooster]

People from the subcontinent accusing other of questionable conduct

[stampy]

what a joke that crap coming from that craphole they call the sub-continent, cheating bastards who do they think they are?

By the way has anyone heard that gladston small has been appointed coach of pakistan?

Try and choke him you dodgy C@#$S!!!!!!!!

[am Bays]

By the way has anyone heard that gladston small has been appointed coach of pakistan?

Try and choke him you dodgy C@#$S!!!!!!!!

Welcome to April Stampy....LOL

[Rik E Boy]

By the way has anyone heard that gladston small has been appointed coach of pakistan?

Try and choke him you dodgy C@#$S!!!!!!!!

Welcome to April Stampy....LOL

May the 4th be with you Young Jedi.............

regards,

REB

[heater31]

If Gilly's a cheat then Murali is a f**king chucka



When I bat I wear batting inners am I a cheat ???????

[Hondo]

Would a squash ball in a glove helped Gatting prevent the ball of the century .....?

Point being .... if Sri Lanka had bowled well enough they would have got him out regardless of what he had in his gloves, FFS they were beaten fair and square

[Dogwatcher]

That's bloody ridiculous.

Maybe Steve Waugh's record should be reconsidered because he carried that red rag around for the second half of his career and his average skyrocketed!

If they could have got him out for less they would've.

[BPBRB]

No different than other batsman having their palms taped, then putting on a pair of thinner inner gloves - much the same as wicket keepers do, to absord the shock of the bat making contact. All the half a sqaush ball did was stop his hand rotating when his bat was swinging! He could have put a folded up hanky in there for the same effect.

FFS those curry munching murdering match fixing corrupt cheats from the sub continent have sunk to an all time low with this one yet they cry and threaten umpries and and refuse to play in Australia if anyone questions that "chucker" who sadly will hold the all time wicket taking record shortly. No wonder Murali smiles all the time because he knows he is cheating and is getting away with it. It is reverse racism because he is an asian with black skin. If a white bloke chucked like him they would have been out of international cricket years ago.

I say bring them down to Australia for a 4 test series playing 2 tests on each of the Gabba and the WACA and open our bowling attack with Tait and Lee and dish up some "serious chin" music to the whinging losers. Some idiot on one of those Cricket forums thinks it is unsporting and illegal that our aggresive Aussie bowlers always target the rib cage area! FFS!!


To those stupid one eyed fantical lovers of Murali I hope you spent the aid dollars sent to your country after the Tsunami wisely. If there is any left over go and buy yourselves a some brains, common sense and sportsmanship and learn how to be gracious losers.

[Dissident]

I've read almost all the replies on that link in the first post, replies from English people, Sub-continent people and Aussies.

Damn, without sounding racist (hopefully) the Sri Lankian people (and sub continent ones) on there really don't read/listen/understand/use logic/use intelligence.

Squash Ball = POWER ENHANCING?

What a joke.

[Dissident]

And as somebody replied on there with ...

Gilly was dropped on 30 .... they could have had him out then. And no one would have said a thing about it.

[BPBRB]

I hope I didn't sound racist?

[Dissident]

I hope I didn't sound racist?

Compared to ..... ?

[heater31]

has any one read the thread recently the curry munchers in Sri Lanka are accusing the Aussies of having increased endurance by using drugs sadly I think the only one on drugs is the author of the article

[BPBRB]

I hope I didn't sound racist?

Compared to ..... ?

A WASP, card carrying member of the Aryan Nation or the KKK?

Sig Hiel!

[mal]

I wouldnt call a guy who WALKS a cheat ?

[Grahaml]

Not sure why it seems to have been missed, but one of the blogs actually answers the question. In regards to equipment, there is no mention of the batsman's gloves having to conform to a standard. They list stumps, balls, bats et al yet no mention of gloves. And I'm 100% sure the umpires never ask what a glove is made of. My conclusion is that since there is no law declaring this illegal, there is nothing wrong with doing it. It also says about umpires being satisfied. This means if the umpires allow it, it's allowed so long as the ICC haven't issued a ban before the game. I think the short answer is, with no rule existing defining the material and dimensions of gloves, you can make them out of anything. And with no rule saying what you can and can't put inside your gloves (inners, bandaged, splints etc being used commonly) what grounds could they have to dispute the legality of putting a squash ball in a glove?

[MightyEagles]

If I had a squash ball in my glove when I batted, it would have hinded my performance, not helped it.