ICC umpires manager Simon Taufel has dismissed the players' cheating allegations by revealing that not a single international batsman has failed a bat inspection for using silicon tape, alleged to be used to cheat Hot Spot.
According to News.com.au, a Channel Nine report claimed that batsmen had attempted to cheat Hot Spot during this year's Ashes series by applying tape to the edges of their bats designed to reduce friction caused by nicking the ball.
However, Taufel poured cold water on the report, saying that the ICC has been doing random bat inspections for three years and is yet to find a bat that has not conformed with width and covering, although he admitted that there are breaches of logos and advertising from time to time.
According to Taufel, if they discovered that a player has been conducting such actions, then he would be liable for a breach of the code of conduct, adding that prior to every series and match the fourth umpire does a random bat inspection, which covers at least six players per side and looks at width, along with logo issues and other restrictions.
