Ball tampering allegations a load of rubbish: Alastair Cook

The conclusion of the third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston was marred by ball-tampering controversy. A Pakistani journalist sent the world into a spiral when he showcased footage of the England players attempting to shine the ball with either their trousers or saliva. However, the fact that it was telecast on a sports channel all over Pakistan deemed it something that had to be defended by Alastair Cook.

Alastair Cook, the England skipper came out denying the allegations made by the Pakistani channel, stating that Joe Root was simply shining the ball. “It’s a load of rubbish,” Cook replied when asked about the allegations. “Someone showed me the clip on Twitter of Rooty shining the ball. It’s just shining the ball, isn’t it?

“Let’s be honest. It’s shining the shiny side of the ball on his trousers. It’s an absolute load of rubbish as far as I’m concerned. It’s so far-fetched that it’s just nonsense. I don’t think it will affect anyone, it certainly hasn’t affected our changing room.”

Cook added that he would certainly like the subject of the discussion to be cricket for the most part at least. “We’ve been talking about cricket for three Test matches – for the first time in a series I’ve played against Pakistan,” Cook said. “And hopefully, we’ll be talking about the cricket – good or bad – at the end of this next game.

Also Watch: Pakistan TV Anchor questions ball-tampering by England bowlers

Speaking about the reverse swing tactic employed by James Anderson and Stuart Broad, Cook said, “Reverse happens and sometimes on the last day it happens because the pitch is so dry. There are right ways to roughen the ball. You bowl cross seam, throw the ball from the boundary on the ground, you shine it from one end and these are legal ways to roughen the ball. You care for the ball and the team which does better it achieves reverse swing. This is an art, a science and whole time you have to care for the ball.

“We have to carefully look at it so that our bowlers can also achieve that. We have to take care of the ball and these days one or two bowlers bowl cross seam so that you hit one side of the ball on the pitch, we have to do that.

“England bowlers are experienced like Anderson and Broad and know how to utilize that, they know the conditions. Our seam bowlers have played less cricket so they have to learn that and care for the ball. We have to gain that experience and concentrate on that.

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“We were a little bit concerned, the way it just happened just after the lunch because it was not doing anything until the fourth day and suddenly it started. But obviously the fifth day is different and it could happen. The umpires are there, the match referees are there and I am not there to check those things.

“I think they are very good bowlers and a very good side. Especially Anderson and Broad. These bowlers know what to do especially how to take care of the ball day, how to reverse it specially. There was a concern the way it just swung in that hour, but we are not taking anything ahead of that.”

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