Vernon digs in, but isn't suspended South Africa were embroiled in another ball-tampering scandal less than a year later, this time against Sri Lanka, with fast bowler Vernon Philander caught scratching the ball. He lost 75 per cent of his match fee but was not suspended. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Du Plessis at it again In 2016, the Du Plessis was again at the heart of a ball-tampering controversy; this time, he was charged by the ICC after using a lolly or mint on the ball in a Test against Australia. He lost his entire match fee, but did not risk a suspension by fighting the charge.

Michael Atherton fined, not suspended Ball tampering came into the public eye for the first time in 1994 in a Test between England and South Africa. Then England captain Michael Atherton used dirt taken from the pitch to keep his hands less sweaty as he worked on the ball. He was fined less than $4000 and was not suspended. The first man to miss a match In 2000, Waqar Younis of Pakistan, in a limited-overs match against Sri Lanka, became the first man to be suspended over ball tampering. He missed one match and was fined 50 per cent of his match fee. The Little Master triggers a farce

Ugly scenes surrounded the aftermath of Sachin Tendulkar's one-game ban for ball tampering in a Test in South Africa in 2001. He was given a suspended sentence that he would never serve, as he was later cleared of wrongdoing. He claimed he was simply picking grass out of the seam of the ball when he was accused of the act by match referee Mike Denness. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video India then refused to play the following Test unless Denness was replaced as referee, and South Africa backed them up. As a result, Denness was barred entry to the ground. However, as the ICC supported the official, the match lost its Test status and was officially regarded as a "friendly five-day match".

Umpire feels the heat In 2006, when umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove accused the Pakistan team of tampering in a Test against England, it was the Australian match official, and not the players, who wore most of the flak in the fallout of the event. After being issued a five-run penalty and being offered a new ball, Pakistan initially refused to come out of the sheds at The Oval in London after tea - they finally did half an hour later, and both teams were happy to resume play but the umpires had already declared the match abandoned, resulting in the contest being awarded by forfeit to England - the first time this had ever happened in Test cricket. Loading Hair was banned from officiating in internationals and later sued both the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board - the case was later dropped, but Hair only umpired a few more Tests before retiring after 16 years in the job.