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The quarter seam is a small join which runs around a cricket ball at 90 degrees to the main seam. Unlike the main seam, the quarter seam has no stitching and is not raised above the surface of the ball. It is produced during the manufacturing process by the boundary between two pieces of
The quarter seam is a small join which runs around a cricket ball at 90 degrees to the main seam. Unlike the main seam, the quarter seam has no stitching and is not raised above the surface of the ball. It is produced during the manufacturing process by the boundary between two pieces of leather
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and ho ...
forming each half of the ball.
Some fielding sides have been accused of deliberately interfering with the quarter seam, which would constitute illegal ball tampering.
Construction
Ball tampering
There have been accusations of ball tampering involving the quarter seam, which is against the laws of cricket and would constitutecheating
Cheating generally describes various actions designed to subvert rules in order to obtain unfair advantages. This includes acts of bribery, cronyism and nepotism in any situation where individuals are given preference using inappropriate cri ...
. If fielding sides were to deliberately damage the quarter seam, it could alter the flow of air past the ball during a delivery, aiding swing bowling.
Ball tampering with the main seam usually involves picking at the threads of its stitching to enhance conventional swing when the ball is only a few overs
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old. In contrast, lifting the quarter seam on one side of an older scuffed ball would produce reverse swing. A lifted quarter seam could potentially be pushed back to its normal position before the end of the over, when the ball is due to be inspected by the umpires.
During the fourth Test between England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
and Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
at The Oval in 2006, umpire Darrell Hair adjudged Pakistan to have tampered with the ball. Hair was seen pointing to the quarter seam while discussing the issue with his fellow umpire, Billy Doctrove. The umpires imposed a five-run penalty and replaced the ball. Play continued until the end of the session, at which point Pakistan objected to the decision and refused to play on, forfeiting the match. The International Cricket Council subsequently upheld the umpires' decision and the result of the match, but banned Hair from umpiring in international cricket. The incident remains highly controversial.
References
{{reflist Cricket terminology