15 ball-tampering controversies that shook the cricketing world

#3 Michael Atherton (1994)

Dirt in the eyes!

In 1994, then England captain Michael Atherton was fined but he avoided suspension and held on to the captaincy after pictures emerged showing him rub loose dirt on the ball during the first Test against South Africa at Lord's.

Atherton insisted, "I put some dust in my pocket from a used pitch... to keep my hands and the ball dry". He denied the allegations and was subsequently cleared of the charges.

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#4 Waqar Younis (2000)

The spirit of the game to be impaired

Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis was the first player to be suspended for ball-tampering when match referee John Reid banned him from playing against Sri Lanka in the middle of the triangular series also involving South Africa.

Younis worked on the ball with his fingers in a match against the Proteas and after being found guilty, he was also fined 50 percent of his match fees.

Claiming that he was cleaning the ball, Waqar expressed bewilderment when he said, "I've been doing the same thing for 15 years."