South Africa were accused of ball tampering during the third Test against England at The Oval in 2004, with the ball being replaced by umpires.
During the third Test between England and South Africa at The Oval in 2004, umpires Darrell Hair and Steve Bucknor inspected the ball after it began to reverse swing excessively and decided to replace it, effectively accusing South Africa of ball tampering.
South African captain Graeme Smith denied any wrongdoing and expressed frustration at the accusation. The team was not formally charged with ball tampering, as the umpires' action of changing the ball was considered sufficient. However, the incident created tension between the teams and added to the growing list of ball-tampering controversies.
The incident was notable because umpire Darrell Hair was again involved - the same umpire who would later trigger the Pakistan forfeit at The Oval in 2006 over ball-tampering allegations. Hair's involvement in multiple ball-tampering controversies made him a polarizing figure in world cricket.
The 2004 Oval incident was part of a broader pattern of ball-tampering allegations that plagued international cricket during this period. The difficulty of detecting and proving ball tampering, combined with the significant advantage reverse swing provided, created a constant tension between teams, umpires, and administrators.
Ball replaced by umpires. No formal charges. South Africa denied wrongdoing.
Cricket Canada
12 May 2026
ICC suspended six months of funding to Cricket Canada over governance failures and financial misreporting — 63% of their total revenue.
Multiple franchises
8 May 2026
The IPL's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) submitted a formal report to the BCCI in May 2026 flagging "certain anomalies" observed across the league stage: unauthorised persons had been seen in the team dugout, on the team bus, and at team hotels during IPL matches in apparent breach of anti-corruption Standard Operating Procedures. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal confirmed the report publicly and warned that "very stringent action" would be taken if violations continued. Separately, the BCCI tightened protocols after reports that certain franchise owners had been seen mingling with players in restricted areas — a specific interaction prohibited under the anti-corruption framework.
Various county sides
1865-08-01
Despite MCC's attempts to reduce gambling on cricket through the 1840s and 1850s, county cricket in the 1860s still operated in a culture where betting was widespread and where allegations of arranged results circulated freely among those closest to the game. Several county fixtures of the decade generated suspicion among contemporaries that the outcome had been agreed in advance, though the absence of formal investigation meant that no players were ever charged.