Freddie Flintoff on ball tampering - questions Starc

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/andrew-flintoff-issues-balltampering-warning-to-exteammates-questions-mitch-starc/news-story/cc29c425ff9cc9b3a02c1cedcd5d5c3d

Fred thinks the punishments are too harsh and believes Starc would have known about the ball tampering, especially the way the ball was hooping about.

It seems most in cricket circles agree that it's been quite widespread.

Nonetheless, it's generally accepted that the punishment was just as much about the culture, and the lies and conspiracy than the actual ball tampering.

It is presumably also a deterrent to those who might go down this path again.

Well it was obviously the lies and deceptions along with the treatment of a junior player that triggered the harsher sentence.

Not sure about Starc. Probably guilty of realizing what was going on.

Ironic that Freddie was being interviewed by Vawn (yes, Captain Mint Shiner), who was one of the most vocal haters when the story broke.

Fish swim, birds fly, Vorgan shit-stirs, nothing ironic in the Alanis sense or any other there - except maybe Vorgs and Freddie seeming to have a similar group dynamic to DD and Bangers.

Maybe Vaughan's attitude throughout has been to differentiate honest ball tampering from despicable colonial ball tampering.

Absolutely old boy. Only with the best British mints.

Mint Imperials?

Seems to be an opinion among players that directly altering the ball with an object taken on to the field is sacrilege whereas altering it with saliva from a sweet is more of a grey area.

Where does gravel in the pocket or sandpaper sewn inside a trouser leg fit in?

Don't see any difference between that and what Bancroft did.

Exactly.

Bottle tops, finger nails, teeth and zippers have also been used to abrade the ball by various Test players for decades, never mind Vaseline or Brylcreme.

Mints are no different. It's still a deliberate attempt to change the condition of the ball. Outside the laws.

I didn't say it wasn't, just commented on what players seem to think.

Just scratching the surface here ...

"Who watered the wicket in Melbourne?", as Goldberg remarked.