Australia A v India A: Ishan Kishan under fire for umpire clash amid suggestions of ball tampering
India A has been cleared of ball tampering after stunning scenes to start Day 4 in Mackay, with allegations from umpires amounting to nothing by the time the game was over, writes BEN HORNE and MITCHELL TURNER.
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Stunning accusations of ball tampering against the touring Indian team mysteriously vanished in an extraordinary start to a powder keg Test summer.
Cricket Australia released a statement late Sunday clearing India A of any wrongdoing despite stump mic audio earlier capturing umpires appearing to allege India had been scratching the ball in their tour match against Australia A in Mackay.
In the statement, CA clarified that the ball was changed during the fourth innings of the match “due to deterioration.”
Indian players and officials shut up shop and did not front the media to answer questions after play.
As the Monkeygate scandal nearly proved nearly two decades ago, following through with allegations against India can sometimes prove more trouble than they’re worth when you’re the host nation at the whim of the most powerful cricketing powerhouse on earth.
The decision to clear Indian players of ball tampering on Sunday came after a heated exchange to begin day four between umpire Shawn Craig and Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, with Craig overheard on the stump mic stating that the ball change had come due to the actions of the Indian players.
“You scratch it, we change the ball,” Craig was overheard saying.
After being told he was being placed on report for umpire dissent, Kishan was also mysteriously cleared of any wrongdoing by CA.
Kishan was overheard on stump mic saying that the umpires’ ruling was “a very stupid decision,” with Craig replying that his behaviour was “inappropriate.”
“You’ll be on report for dissent, that’s inappropriate behaviour,” Craig said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has yet to release a statement on the incident and Indian players and officials were shielded from talking to the media after play.
Umpires Shawn Craig and Ben Treloar elected to change the match ball before the start of play on the fourth and final day, citing scratch marks which had appeared on the original Kookaburra.
A back-and-forth exchange was caught on stump mic, with Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan drawing the ire of Craig for “inappropriate behavior.”
“It’s not up for discussion,” Craig said to Kishan when the Indian remonstrated with him over the change of ball.
What has really drawn the attention of the cricket world is what Craig said next, with the umpire indicating that it was the deliberate actions of the Indian players that had caused the ball change, bringing into question exactly how they were made to appear.
“It is because of your actions we changed the ball,” Craig was captured saying.
Australian A captain Nathan McSweeney said in a post-match press conference he was unaware of the details of the incident.
“I was at the strikers end when the umpires said they’d changed the ball, I’m not sure what quite for, I didn’t notice any change in the ball personally,” McSweeney said.
BALL-TAMPERING ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST INDIA A
Allegations of ball-tampering made against India A have overshadowed Australia A’s victory in their first tour match, with one player from the tourists reported for dissent.
Umpires Shawn Craig and Ben Treloar elected to change the match ball before the start of play on the fourth and final day, citing scratch marks which had appeared on the original Kookaburra.
A back-and-forth exchange was caught on stump mic, with Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan drawing the ire of Craig for “inappropriate behavior.”
“It’s not up for discussion,” Craig said to Kishan when the Indian remonstrated with him over the change of ball.
“That’s a very stupid decision,” shot back the keeper, prompting the umpire issue the reprimand.
“You’ll be on report for dissent, that’s inappropriate behaviour,” Craig was heard saying on stump mic.
But what has really drawn the attention of the cricket world is what Craig said next, with the umpire indicating that it was the deliberate actions of the Indian players that had caused the ball change, bringing into question exactly how they were made to appear.
“You scratch it, we change the ball,” Craig was overheard saying.
“It is because of your actions we changed the ball.”
The Indian camp has yet to make any comment on the incident, while Australian captain Nathan McSweeney said in a post-match press conference he was unaware of the details of the incident.
“I was at the strikers end when the umpires said they’d changed the ball, I’m not sure what quite for, I didn’t notice any change in the ball personally,”
McSweeney said.
The controversy has overshadowed McSweeney’s own brilliance on day three and four, as he partnered with Beau Webster to steer the Aussies to victory with an 88 not out that’s sure to draw the attention of selectors.
“I think I’m playing pretty well at the moment, I’ve played some of the best innings I’ve ever had recently,” he said.
“Hopefully I can continue to get better, and if that opportunity comes I feel like I’m ready, but if it doesn’t then I’ll continue to work hard and hope that one day I can get that call-up.”
12.33PM: MCSWEENEY, WEBSTER STEER AUSSIES HOME AS TEST CALL-UP BECKONS
Nathan McSweeney may well have one foot in the door for a Test debut this summer after steering Australia A to a seven-wicket victory against India A at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena.
The 25-year-old was named skipper of the team and after a decent first innings performance has climbed to a new level in the second innings, making 88 not out and partnering with Beau Webster (61) to see the Aussies home early on day four.
It will be very hard for the Australian selectors to look past McSweeney despite him not being a specialist opener at state level, with plenty of Test legends from Ian Healy to Ricky Ponting backing the South Australian to join Usman Khawaja at the top of the order.
If this match had any selection implications whatsoever, then McSweeney will have to be front and centre of any considerations for the Test team.
12.20PM AEDT: WEBSTER REACHES HALF-CENTURY
Beau Webster has joined his batting partner Nathan McSweeney in passing the half-century mark, with the number five batsman producing another impressive showing after his 33 in the first dig.
The 30-year-old Tasmanian was not one of the names in the mix for Test selection this summer, but nonetheless his performances with the willow in tough conditions will have drawn plenty of attention.
12.05PM AEDT: MCSWEENEY POWERS AUSSIES AHEAD
Australia A is well on the way to victory on day four of its tour match against India A, with the fourth-wicket partnership between Nathan McSweeney and Beau Webster passing three figures.
McSweeney (64) and Webster (46) have been two of Australia’s most impressive batsmen in both innings as they look to close out the match inside the first session on the final day.
11AM AEDT: MCSWEENEY NOTCHES HALF-CENTURY
Just two legal deliveries into day four, Nathan McSweeney has brought up his half-century with a leg glance through mid-wicket for four.
The 25-year-old skipper has been the pick of the top four batters by far in this match, and selectors will be hard-pressed to overlook him for the available spot in the Test team.
The final day of Australia A’s tour match against India got underway 12 minutes early (9.48am local time) to accommodate the 3.3 overs missed last night due to bad light.
Aussie batsmen Nathan McSweeney and Beau Webster resumed on 47 and 19 respectively, with 86 runs needed for victory.
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Originally published as Australia A v India A: Ishan Kishan under fire for umpire clash amid suggestions of ball tampering
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