September 25, 2006	Monday	Ramazan 1, 1427

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DUBAI, Sept 24: Former Pakistan speedster Wasim Akram on Sunday alleged cricketers from England and Australia practised ball tampering before they learnt the art of reverse swing.

“No body knew for 15 long years what we were actually doing. They thought it was ball-tampering. But in fact it is reverse swing,” Wasim said.

“Ball tampering is done in different ways in different countries. In England when I was playing county cricket, they said ball tampering was when one scratched the ball.

“Later in England and Australia bowlers resorted to applying Vaseline and mint on to the ball. All these were nothing but tampering of the ball,” he was quoted as saying by Gulf News.

Wasim candidly admitted that at times he has lifted the seam of the ball.

“Ball tampering is not something that can be done quickly and make the ball swing immediately. First of all one can tamper the ball only after it is nearly 50 overs old,” he said.

Wasim said he learnt reverse swing from Imran Khan who was taught about it by former Pakistan bowler Sarfraz Nawaz after keeping it secret for nearly five years.

“Sarfraz is one who nurtured the art of reverse swing. He kept it a secret from even his team-mates for nearly five years.”—Agencies