Seven Indians hauled up by Match Referee

By Our Special Correspondent

PORT ELIZABETH, NOV. 19. Monday's breakfast was far from interesting for almost the entire Indian team. Seven of them who are playing in the ongoing second Test against South Africa were hauled up for a disciplinary hearing by the International Cricket Council (ICC) Match Referee Mr. Mike Denness, who has not shown himself as a man with a iron hand, yet, because he has not taken a decision after the hearing.

One of them summoned by Denness - Deputy to Tony Lewis on England's tour of India three decades ago - was Sachin Tendulkar for a potential case of breaching Law 42 (3) that deals with `changing the condition' of the ball.

Newcomer Virendra Sehwag, playing his second Test, was reported on two counts; claiming a catch at silly point of Jacques Kallis off the bowling of Harbhajan Singh (West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs was banned for two matches three months ago in Zimbabwe for not maintaining the spirit of the game) and then for excessive appealing. Similarly, Deep Dasgupta, Harbhajan Singh and Shiv Sundar Das were reported for excessive appealing when Kallis and Shaun Pollock were batting on Sunday evening. The captain, Sourav Ganguly and vice-captain Rahul Dravid, were apparently told about their roles as prescribed in the Laws of the Game (2000 code), especially with regard to the `Maintaining the Spirit of the Game'.

Although the `outcome of the disciplinary' hearing, was not officially known till 3 p.m. on Monday, unofficial witnesses suggested no immediate threat of Tendulkar being punished for the alleged violation of Law 42 (3), the very fact that he was called for a disciplinary hearing is viewed as a blot on what has been so far a clean international career since 1989.

According to reliable sources in the team, Tendulkar explained to the Match Referee that he was only `cleaning the ball' (removing grass from the seam). He was told that he should have done it in the presence of the umpire(s).

There have been unreliable stories of the circumstances leading to Mr. Denness requesting the official broadcaster of the match, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for a copy of the footage showing Tendulkar `working his fingers on the seam', during the four overs he bowled in South Africa's second innings on Sunday. One was that a cameraman brought the incident to the attention of the SABC officials; another was that the third umpire Mr. Rudi Koertzen brought the incident to the notice of Mr. Denness. As the specific law explains a fielder is not allowed to interfere with the seam and Tendulkar was caught by the camera in the very act of working on the seam, though not with intentions to change the condition of the ball. There is a clear message in the unpleasant episode, which is that the players at international level have to be educated about the laws of the game, especially Law 42 which details on the `fair and unfair play' part of the game.

Some years ago Michael Atherton was caught in the act of breaching this law relating to changing the condition of the ball. It became to known as the `Dirt in the pocket' tampering case, against South Africa. Even before the Match Referee Mr. Bob Cowper could take action, Ray Illingworth who was sort of a supremo, fined Atherton œ2000 for the act of indiscretion and not telling the truth. Tendulkar is the second biggest name among batsmen to be alleged to have been trying break Law 42. According to sources, the match umpires Russell Tiffin and Ian Howell did not find anything untoward in the ball.

Law 42 Fair and Unfair play (3) The match ball - changing its condition (a) Any fielder may (i) polish the ball provided that no artificial substance is used and that such polishing wastes no time (ii) remove mud from the ball under the supervision of the umpire (iii) dry a wet ball on towel (b) It is unfair for anyone to rub the ball on the ground for any reason, interfere with any of the seams or the surface of the ball, use any implement, or alter the condition of the ball, except as permitted in (a) above (c) The umpires shall make frequent and irregular inspections of the ball (d) In the event of any fielder, changing the condition of the ball unfair, as set out in (b) above, the umpires after consultation shall (i) change the ball forthwith.

It shall be for the umpires to decide on the replacement ball, which shall, in their opinion, have had wear comparable with that which the previous ball had received immediately prior to the contravention (ii) inform the batsman that the ball has been changed (iii) award 5 penalty runs to the batting side (iv) inform the captain of the fielding side that the reason for the action was the unfair interference with the ball (v) inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable of what has occurred (vi) report the occurrence as soon as possible to the Executive of the fielding side and any governing body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain and team concerned.

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