Tampering a ball typically involves illegally altering its physical state to gain an unfair advantage in a sport.
According to common practices often referenced in sports contexts, methods for tampering with a ball involve physically manipulating its surface or seam. These alterations can affect how the ball behaves when bowled, pitched, or kicked.
Common Methods for Tampering
Tampering methods are varied, focusing on changing the ball's texture, shape, or weight distribution. Here are some frequently cited techniques:
- Rubbing on the ground: This involves deliberately scraping one side of the ball against a rough surface like the ground. This can scuff the ball, making one side rougher than the other, which is believed to aid in achieving reverse swing in sports like cricket.
- Scuffing with a fingernail: Players might use a fingernail to scratch or roughen specific areas on the ball's surface.
- Using sandpaper or other sharp object: More overt methods include using tools like sandpaper to aggressively abrade the ball's surface or sharp objects to cut or nick it.
- Tampering with the seam of the ball: The seam is a critical part of the ball's construction and airflow dynamics. Tampering with the seam can involve:
- Picking or lifting the seam to make it more pronounced.
- Flattening or reducing the seam on one side.
- Applying foreign substances to the seam.
These methods are generally considered unsportsmanlike conduct and are prohibited under the rules of most sports where ball tampering might provide an advantage. The goal is usually to make one side of the ball heavier or rougher than the other, influencing its movement through the air.
