Lloyd: Dravid's tampering was no accident

Rahul Dravid: It couldn't have been accidental because he's been fined © Getty Images

Clive Lloyd has dismissed suggestions that Rahul Dravid "accidentally" tampered with the ball during India's VB Series match against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

Dravid was fined 50% of his match fee after being found guilty by Lloyd, the match referee, of rubbing a cough lozenge on the shiny side of the white ball. But John Wright, India's coach, claimed that it was "an innocent mistake" on Dravid's part.

But Lloyd has dismissed such suggestions. "It couldn't have been accidental because he's been fined," Lloyd was quoted as saying by several Australian newspapers. "It was shown he was applying a substance to it. I looked at the film and it was conclusive.

"The footage shows that something has been applied to the ball and the rules state you are not allowed to do that. Once the charge is brought you have to show the evidence. Something was being applied to the ball quite obviously and he must have known it. It's quite conclusive on film. The rules are there - you can only apply saliva and sweat to the ball."

Under ICC regulations Dravid is unable to speak about the affair, but when asked whether the incident was accidental, he muttered: "It was . . . [but] I can't make a comment."