HOBART — ICC match referee Chris Broad said Tuesday he found no evidence of Australian ball-tampering during the first Hobart Test and would not be taking the matter any further. Sri Lanka's team management had expressed concern at television match footage which it believed showed paceman Peter Siddle tampering with the ball during the Sri Lankan first innings. The tourists' team manager Charith Senanayake said he had spoken to International Cricket Council officials. But Broad said that after viewing video footage he found no evidence the match ball had been tampered with. “The umpires frequently inspect the ball during play, and did so again after they had reviewed the video footage in question on Sunday,” Broad said in a statement. “They found no evidence to suggest that the condition of the ball had been changed.” Broad said he had spoken to Australia coach Mickey Arthur during the tea interval on Sunday's third day and told him the match umpires would continue to inspect the cricket ball regularly, and monitor the actions of all players. Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said his team had not made an official complaint to the ICC officials about the televised incident. “We never made any official complaint about it. We just moved on. It's up to the officials to see whether anything happened and if so take action, otherwise we move on,” Jayawardene said at his post-match press conference. The Sri Lankans had “no proof” and had only seen the incident on television, he said. Australia captain Michael Clarke supported his bowlers and believed firmly that his team played in the spirit of the game. “At the end of the day the ICC have made it clear there's nothing there,” Clarke said. Man-of-the-Match Siddle said the claims were “ridiculous”. “Why would I jeopardize that when I know we can go out in the spirit of the game and win?” he said. “It is a ridiculous statement. There is nothing to it at all.” Kiwis start with a win Uncapped fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan destroyed South Africa A's top order to get the New Zealand cricketers off to a winning start in a Twenty20 match at the City Oval Tuesday. New Zealand posted a modest 140 for seven after winning the toss and batting. The South African second stringers were soon in deep trouble at 23 for four before limping to 116 for nine to give the tourists a 24-run win. The left-armed McClenaghan took three for 19, opening the bowling and sending down his full quota of four overs in a single spell. Left-arm spinner Ronnie Hira took three for 35. New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum hit 32 and Colin Munro made 39 as the Black Caps recovered from a poor start in which they lost their first three wickets for 44 runs in 7.5 overs. — Agencies
