‘We need to be careful with the ball’ – Domingo
Proteas coach speaks after Philander was found guilty of ball-tampering.
South Africa coach Russel Domingo says the Proteas either need to be more discreet in the way they manage the ball in Test matches or stop trying to manipulate it at all.
This is after Vernon Philander was found guilty of ball-tampering in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, which South Africa won comfortably.
“I’m sure other sides are probably a little bit better at doing it [manipulating the ball] than we are and it’s maybe something that we cut out completely,” Domingo said. “It’s not something that we pride ourselves on; it’s not the way we want to play it.”
Philander was fined 75 percent of his match fee after pleading guilty to breaching clause 42.1 of the ICC’s match playing conditions which relate to changing the condition of the ball.
Footage, which was not broadcast but was viewed by the match officials after play on day three, showed Philander “scratching the ball with his fingers and thumb.”
Domingo confirmed that the threat of a greater sanction and the existence of video evidence was what prompted Philander to admit guilt.
“If didn’t plead and was found guilty, he’d miss a Test match,” Domingo said. “Admitting guilt is almost as though we’re saying ‘lets just move on and focus on what we are going to do here,’ and put it behind us.
“If they’ve got footage, nine out of ten times the footage will find you guilty so I suppose so it’s difficult to argue if they can see something that they think you shouldn’t be doing. So it’s probably just an easier route to admit guilt and move on.”
The Philander controversy comes just nine months after another South African, Faf du Plessis was fined for the same offence. “We always try and play the game in the spirit that it’s intended to. It’s not something that we try to do,” Domingo added.
