“We don’t cheat” AB de Villiers….. Du Plessis pleads guilty… Fined 50% of the match fee

Height of ICC’s double standards… Apartheid is also double standards.

Can Mr. David Boon, the ICC’s match referee for the Pakistan vs South Africa 2nd Test, being played at Dubai, explain his following statement reported today, by the ESPNcricinfo.

“Match referee David Boon said: “After discussions with Mr du Plessis, he has elected not to contest that charge, but I am also satisfied that this was not part of a deliberate and/or prolonged attempt to unfairly manipulate the condition of the ball, and that the imposition of a fine of 50% of his match fee is appropriate considering the circumstances.”

Now following questions must be answered by the ICC.

1. When Du Plessis elected not to contest the charge, what does it mean? Obviously he pleaded guilty and the player himself admits he was NOT innocent.

2. Then why the match referee David Boon declared him innocent and Not guilty by saying the following words “but I am also satisfied that this was not part of a deliberate and/or prolonged attempt to unfairly manipulate the condition of the ball”?

3. If the illegal act of the SA cricketer was NOT DELIBERATE AND THERE WAS NO UNFAIR MANIPULATION, then what for the poor and innocent SA player has been fined and penalised so HEAVILY, with a 50% match fee fine?

4. Here, isn’t it a case of giving the offender a safe passage and letting him scot free, in a most honourable manner?

5. Hope ICC remembers very well that during the Oval Test match, neither the Pakistani denial was accepted (there was also no TV fottage or any other evidence of any Pakistani player’s involvement in the alleged ball tampering) nor later on, when it was officially CONFIRMED that no ball tampering was done, the result of the match was awarded against Pakistan, which in any case was the innocent team.

6. Last but not the least, ICC must also recheck and confirm if the guilty Proteas player was tampering the ball with closed eyes, then please remit his heavy fine, as well, absolutely in line with the treatment meted out to the South African captain GC Smith, when he claimed an unfair catch in 1st Test at Abu Dhabi; and was allowed to go Scott free, on the excuse that his eyes were closed, although, he claimed the catch by raising his both hands and jubilantly ran directly towards the umpire.

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