Ex-Aussie opener ‘in shock’ at ball tampering response, umpire ‘hung out to dry’

A former Aussie Test player has slammed the response to ball tampering claims, claiming “if it wasn’t India it would be different.”

Former Test opener Ed Cowan has slammed Cricket Australia’s response to the ball tampering controversy in last week’s Australia A game, suggesting the umpire’s claims were swept under the rug because of the upcoming Test series against India.

On day four of the game between India A and Australia A in Mackay, India’s players argued with the umpires because the match ball had been changed overnight.

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Umpire Shawn Craig was overheard on the stump mics telling the touring players: “You scratch it, we change the ball … it is because of your actions we changed the ball.”

India A wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan wasn’t happy with the decision and got into a heated discussion with umpire Shawn Craig over the ball change.

“No more discussion, let’s play,” Craig was overheard saying on the stump mic.

“This is not a discussion.”

Kishan replied: “So we have to play with this ball? That’s a very stupid decision.”

His comments weren’t received well by Craig, who responded: “Excuse me. You’ll be on report for dissent. That’s inappropriate behaviour.”

“You scratch it, we change the ball,” Craig was overheard saying.

Umpire Shawn Craig speaks to players of India A before Day 4 of the Australia A game in Mackay. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Later on Sunday, Cricket Australia released a statement saying the match ball had been changed “due to deterioration”.

“Both teams’ captain and manager were informed of the decision prior to the start of play,” the statement read. “No further action is being taken.”

Speaking on the ABC Grandstand Cricket podcast, Cowan said he was shocked there wasn’t support for the umpire.

“Shawn Craig, it feels has been hung out to dry here badly,” Cowan said.

“Has had no support from his employer. He has seen something on the field and in his best judgement, tried to rectify that.

“Then Cricket Australia have worked out that they’ve got an issue.”

“The issue is, similar to any other time India are aggrieved, they threatened to maybe pull a tour or they threatened X, Y and Z and people retreat.

“I’m in a bit of shock actually that an actual press release would come out and say, having heard the audio — that an umpire thought it had been scratched and well within their rights to change the ball — that it’s like, ‘Oh no, nothing more to see here. We’re just going to keep on moving towards this Test series that can hopefully assist in fixing the hole in our balance sheets’.”

Ed Cowan wasn’t impressed by Cricket Australia’s response. (AAP Image/Ben Rushton)

Australia’s five-Test series against India begins in Perth on November 22, and Cowan believes Cricket Australia was conscious of upsetting the touring team before the blockbuster showdown.

“Part of me just thinks if this wasn’t India there would be a totally different reaction,” Cowan added.

“If that was Pakistan A, or England A, or choose any A team, or even a Shield game, the reaction would be totally different and for me, that’s the wrong approach.

“To be fair, it’s just us joining dots. These dots may be totally incorrect, we’d have imperfect information, but I do think it’s on Cricket Australia to clarify this, and it’s also probably imperative on the BCCI to clarify this.”

“My underlying issue here is you can’t choose when integrity matters.

“Integrity matters the whole time. If you want to lean in about the Afghani team and its women’s program, if you want to lean in to your own players scratching the ball, you can’t lean out when it’s India.

“I don’t like this at all.”

David Warner and Ed Cowan agree the umpire should have got more support.

Cowan’s comments echoed those of his former opening batting partner David Warner, who said the umpire’s claims were “squashed”.

“The ultimate decision’s with CA, isn’t it?” Warner said after being named Sydney Thunder captain following the lifting of his leadership ban for his role in the 2018 ball tampering saga.

“I think they’ve obviously squashed it as fast as they could, given that India’s coming out here this summer.

“But if the umpires deem that something happened, then I’m sure there’ll be a follow-up. And I think the umpires, or the match referee should be standing here answering those questions.

“The match referee should be coming out and addressing his own staff, who are the umpires, and if they’re sticking by the umpires’ decisions, then I think you’ve got to stand up for that.

“That’s obviously a statement that CA probably need to release.”

The second game between Australia A and India begins on Thursday at the MCG. South Australia’s Nathan McSweeney will open the batting in a hint he is the frontrunner for the vacant Test opening spot.

Binga and his band are back in action. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Brett Lee's band Six and Out will perform at the CRICKET ROCKS summer preview show. Photo: Supplied.

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