How to cheat the American way

Every once in a while, a newspaper in the United States will write about the growth of cricket in their country. Usually it is written in a faintly patronising "what a quaint sport" style (and naturally we bloggers patronise back by saying how sweet it is that the Americans are starting to understand our game). Both sides ignore the fact that cricket is an older sport in the US than baseball.

Anyway, the latest sign of civilisation resurfacing in the US comes in the New York Times, picked up via Cricinfo's Surfer, which reports that the Department of Education in New York City has inaugurated its first schools cricket season with 14 high school teams taking part in a league. Hurrah for that.

As always, there has to be an explanation of cricket to the American audience, and the NYT describes the game thus: "Players run with their bats in hand; balls are bowled, not pitched; spit balls are allowed; fielders are not permitted to wear gloves; there is no foul territory; and bowlers (pitchers) sprint before releasing the ball, which typically bounces and picks up spin before reaching a batsman."

All seems fair enough, but the reference to spit balls intrigued me. I like baseball and have watched a few games in the US, but never realised that it was illegal to wet the ball in order to make it move through the air. In fact, according to Wikipedia, a spit ball is more than just a ball that has had saliva rubbed on it; it is any foreign substance being used to mar the ball's pristine surface.

The list of ways in which players have tried to tamper with the ball is fascinating: in the 1920s, pitchers would use tobacco-infused spit, which had the advantage of discolouring the ball (making it less easy to see) as well as making it swerve; some pitchers have glued sandpaper to their fingers or hidden emery board under their belt buckle; one pitcher was suspended for taking a nail file on to the pitch; while the marvellously named Gaylord Perry would sniff red peppers to make his nose run (surely a snot ball) and put Vaseline on his zipper, which he would then smear on to the ball.

All quite ingenious, but I stress to American readers that apart from using saliva these would all be illegal in cricket. Bowlers have been known to suck on sugary sweets and use the heavier saliva to moisten the ball, while the 1940s was the golden era of players wearing Brylcreem and running their hands through their hair to get the same effect. But scuffing the ball with sandpaper or smearing Vaseline on it is banned.

English readers will recall that a few years ago Michael Atherton, then the England captain and shortly to become the Times's new cricket correspondent, found himself in hot water for keeping dirt in his pocket, which he was accused of rubbing on to the ball (click link for video). Last year, Rob Key, the Kent captain, was caught rubbing sandpaper on the ball during a practice match. It happens and everyone does it sometimes, but it is definitely naughty.

Comments

[Dools (US)]

Alas, I feared the worst when I saw your headline "How to Cheat the American Way" Patrick. However, admittedly, everything in your post regarding baseball is very true. I would say, however, staying true to your implication that we're uncivilized (yes, that's how we spell it), if a baseball player "walked" as is recommended for cricketeers, I dare say he would be on the next bus to nowhere, never to play ball again. I'm glad Americans are showing more of an interest in cricket. There is room for both sports.

[Ann]

You mean, the way the French liberated Paris all on their own?

I believe the first international cricket match was between a New York team and a Canadian one.

I thought Atherton not only tampered with the ball, but also lied about it.

[Johnmc]

Surely the most apt way to cheat in cricket the American way would be to turn up halfway through a Test series and claim you won it all on your own