Ball tampering ghosts from 1992
There is hardly any series between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 and England without controversies. It can be the 1992 ball tampering allegations, or the recent spot fixing controversies.
The cricketing relationship between two countries has always struggled. Pakistan will always consider England racist, and for England, Pakistan are a bunch of cheaters.
The recent match fixing controversy has taken it their turbulent relationship to a new low. Three Pakistan cricketers, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir, and, Salman Butt have been accused by British media for spot fixing but nothing has been proved as yet.
There has been a history of British media targeting Pakistani cricketers.
Pakistani fast bowlers were playing in the county cricket, Aqib Javed for Hampshire, Waqar Younis for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lancashire-c806. All of them had pretty good success swinging the ball in English conditions. They could not digest the swinging talent
of Pakistan fast bowlers. So the British media with the support of English cricket board thought of ball tampering allegations. They might have thought if our bowlers can’t do it, how can there bowlers do it?
In the World Cup 1992 final, England were chasing a Pakistan’s target of 250 runs to lift the trophy. In pursuit they were going along nicely, it was 141/4 in 34 overs. Allan Lamb and Neil Fairbrother were all set to take England to victory.
Then skipper, Imran Khan, called his premier fast bowler, Wasim Akram back into the attack. Neil Fairbrother said to Allan Lamb, “Watch out for an out-swinger”. Allan Lamb in reply said, “how he can bowl an out-swinger, coming left arm around the wicket
ball coming in and going out”? The very next bowl he found out, Akram cleaned up Chris http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lewis-c72807 with a big in-swinger.
Allan Lamb accused Wasim Akram for ball tampering.
The World Cup final victory was followed by the controversial England tour. The England summer of 1992 will be best remembered for the havoc that two W’s created for English batsman. In the summer of 1992 English batsman were running and jumping for shelter.
Wasim and Waqar were at their devastating best. They, both took 43 wickets between them at an average of 24. Pakistan beat England by 2-1 in the 5 match Test series.
The 5th Test match of the series at The Oval was the series decider. The score line for England was 3/182. The changed ball did the trick. England collapsed from 182/3 to 207/10. It was the brilliant swing bowling from Waqar and Wasim, which led
to the English demise. In all, they took 15 wickets. Pakistan had to chase only 4 runs, which they did without losing a single wicket.
The ODI series was played in parts. The first two ODIs were before the Test series, and the other 3 were after the 5 match Test series. England, who was beaten by Pakistan in the World Cup final 92, took an unassailable lead of 3-0.
The fourth ODI was affected by bad weather and was forced into the 2nd day. England was set a modest target of 205. England was 172/5. This was the time when it started to reverse. Waqar and Wasim devastated English batsman again.
The English fell 4 runs short. In between the innings they doubted the extravagant swing. Umpire http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Parker-c80761 stopped the play and took hold of the ball. They called match referee Deryeck Murray. After having a look at the ball, he agreed that
it had been tampered with a finger nail, or some other instrument. They told Pakistan’s manager, Intikhab Alam that they are going to change the ball. Intikhab Alam made no objection.
After Pakistan won, the manager of the Pakistan cricket team went to the umpire and said, “Thank you for changing the ball”.
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