Well Guys, let me draw your attention to the ball tampering controversy which has taken the cricket world by storm. Before we go about giving our verdict on the case, it would be worthwhile to understand how a cricket ball can be tampered with. We all know that in order to make a ball swing, one side of it is kept shiny while the other side is kept rough. It is commonplace to see cricket players on TV using their sweat or spit to keep the shiny part polished as far as possible. Now the law prohibits use of substances like vaseline to enhance the shine, or a cork or bottle cap to increase the roughness, on the shiny or the rough sides respectively, of the ball . Whenever something of this sort is resorted to by players to make the ball swing in a manner which doesn't seem natural under the given conditions, it is then referred to as 'ball tampering' and goes against the spirit of the great game.

The recent ball tampering row involving the Pakistani cricket team in the Fourth Eng-Pak test has once again opened a can of worms, with a lot being talked and written about, either supporting or vilifying the umpire at the centre of the storm, Darrell Hair. This portly umpire,as history goes, seems to have a knack for generating controversies, especially with sub-continental teams, so much so that a section of the media and commentators have labelled him a 'racist'. What the great Sri Lankan Mutthiah Muralidharan went through is a case in point. But was Hair acting only out of prejudice or doing his duty, which is to protect the glorious traditions of the Great Game as an umpire should?

On the other side of the fence, was the Pakistani team really at fault? From the vehement protestations of innocence by the Pakistani captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, ably supported by his coach Woolmer and former players like the Great Imran Khan, the Pakistani side has been wronged and to add salt to injury, the series scoreline reads 3-0 in favour of England when the Pakistani team had the Englishmen on the mat! One doesn't need to go too far back to remember the ball tampering allegations which were levelled against the former Pakistani Greats Wasim & Waqar prematurely only to later laud them as 'Sultans of reverse swing'.

Well, the coming eventful weeks ahead, I hope, will provide all of us, eager spectators, answers to all these queries!!! Whatever is the verdict, may this Great Game continue to shine, Amen!!!