Squash ball is no issue: Buchanan

Irkied by the “unethical” charge levelled against Adam Gilchrist for using a squash ball in his gloves in the World Cup final, outgoing Australian coach John Buchanan said people should not make fuss over this “non-issue”.

More than a week after the final in which Gilchrist belted a match-winning 149, Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Kangadaran Mathivanan alleged Gilchrist’s using of the squash ball was as unethical as Trevor Chappell’s infamous under-arm delivery. Describing it as a “disappointing” comment, Buchanan said, “Everybody will be disappointed about this. The final should be a celebration of cricket and Adam’s innings was outstanding. Comments like these should be ignored by the public, and be dealt with harshly as quickly as possible.

“It’s a non-issue. If you want to go down this road, where do you draw the line? Should it be illegal for players to receive strapping to injuries, or for batsmen to use extra grips on their bats?” Buchanan told The Age. He urged all to remember Gilchrist’s innings just for its sheer beauty and ignore everything else.