LEFT ARM OVER
NEIL MANTHORP: Ball-tampering scandal set to overshadow Test performances
Perhaps it was too much to expect the Proteas to maintain the moral high ground in the face of three ambushes, writes Neil Manthorp
It may already have reached the point of no return, but if it has not, SA’s triumphant 2016 Test tour of Australia may become indelibly tarnished by scandal and not remembered for the outstanding quality of cricket played so far by Faf du Plessis’s team. It all started with a humble mint and its not so innocent by-product, the sugary saliva that Du Plessis applied to one side of the ball in order to produce shine and, therefore, swing through the air. It was a clear breach of the laws of the game. But instead of throwing a fire blanket over the incident, either by maintaining a group silence if they chose to plead innocent or by opting for a co-operative "mea culpa" with extenuating circumstances, the Proteas fanned the flames of controversy, and apparently by choice.Blaming "sour grapes" for the fuss was a convenient but flawed argument. Not a single Australian player or spokesman said a word about the incident. It was missed by every pair of expert eyes in the media and first spot...
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