The Ashes: Don't know what 'silicone tape' looks like, says Australia's Steve Smith
Even The International Cricket Council (ICC) dismissed reports that it was investigating alleged attempts by players to negate the effectiveness of the Hot Spot technology during the ongoing Ashes series between England and Australia.
On a day when Australia's Channel Nine gave another twist to the Decision Review System which has already been under the fire during ongoing Ashes, by saying that players in the series have been using silicone tape on their bats to avoid nicks being detected by "Hot Spot" technology, most have come out to refute the allegations.
"If that's the case, then we're talking about cheating and I can guarantee there is not one person in the Australian change room that will cheat," Michael Clarke said while Kevin Pietersen tweeted: "How stupid would I be to try & hide a nick when it could save me on an LBW appeal, like in 1st innings where hotspot showed I nicked it."
Even The International Cricket Council (ICC) dismissed reports that it was investigating alleged attempts by players to negate the effectiveness of the Hot Spot technology during the ongoing Ashes series between England and Australia. (Read main story)
"These media reports are totally incorrect. Geoff Allardice is meeting with both teams and umpires to see how we can best use the DRS and the available technology going forward in the next two Test matches. It has nothing to do with any players," ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said in a release.
Australian all-rounder Steve Smith also echoed the denials that anyone might have used silicone tape on their bats to try to 'cheat' Hot Spot technology.
"Obviously I don't think any of us have done anything with silicone on our bats.
"We know that we put fibreglass tape on the front and that's purely for protection of the bat - to try and make them last longer.
"It's in the spirit of the game not to do that sort of thing. We haven't even discussed anything about that, trying to cheat the system at all," Smith said after Australia's training session ahead of the fourth Ashes Test.
Smith also said that he had not even heard of a silicone tape at all before the 'breaking news' of 'cheating' in the Ashes.
"I've never thought about it. I've never seen silicone tape at all, not even heard of it before," he said.
"I don't even know what it looks like."
(With agency inputs)