India A was cleared of ball-tampering but Ian Healy isn’t buying it.
The Australian cricket great has cast fresh doubt over the fourth and final day of India A’s match against Australia A in Mackay, claiming the visitors “were up to something”.
Indian players were incensed to learn on Sunday morning that the umpires at Great Barrier Reef Arena had changed the ball for the new session.
READ MORE: What’s in a name, colour or barrier number? Mug’s guide to picking the Melbourne Cup winner
READ MORE: Full prize money breakdown for the 2024 Melbourne Cup
EXCLUSIVE: How homesickness forced Billy Slater’s hand in choosing between his two great loves
A heated argument broke out between Indian players and umpire Shawn Craig ahead of play, leading to India A wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan being reported for dissent.
Craig accused India A of “scratching” the ball and told the touring side, “Because of your actions, we changed the ball”.
Following the match, which Australia A won by seven wickets, Cricket Australia said in a statement provided to Wide World of Sports that India A had not tampered with the ball and cited “deterioration”.
CA also cleared Kishan of dissent.
“When you see a team complain about a ball being changed, they were up to something,” Healy said on SEN radio on Tuesday.
“India A were gearing up for a big reverse-swing session in order to get the Australians under pressure.”
Australia A was set 225 runs to win and the hosts chased it down in 75 overs, steered by top-order Test contender Nathan McSweeney in a knock of 88.
“Australia were chasing a small total and it just didn’t happen [for India A],” Healy added.
“The Australia A batters were oblivious to it. They just put their head down and performed really well.”
Few controversies rock the cricket world like claims or findings of ball-tampering.
The day Cameron Bancroft was caught scratching a ball with sandpaper in Cape Town in 2018 is considered by many as the darkest in Australian cricket history; even darker than the day Trevor Chappell bowled an underarm ball at the MCG in 1981.
Steve Smith received 12-month playing and leadership bans for his role in the Cape Town scandal, while David Warner copped a 12-month playing suspension and a lifetime leadership ban, although that was lifted last month.
Bancroft received a ninth-month playing ban.