The REAL story behind the worst delivery in cricket history: How former PM John Howard was the victim of ‘ball tampering’ before his infamous delivery in Pakistan
- John Howard famously bowled a makeshift cricket ball directly at his own feet
- Ex-prime minister was bowling to a local youngster during a trip to Pakistan
- But army member who prepared the ball has now made a shocking admission
- Seargant Michale Gunn said he used too much tape when putting ball together
- ‘There may or may not have been (too much tape) stuck to sir’s hand,’ he said
John Howard was the victim of his own ‘ball tampering’ scandal when he infamously attempted to bowl a cricket ball 13 years ago, an army sergeant has revealed.
The former prime minister memorably threw the ball directly at his own feet in front of local children and the Australian military during a visit to earthquake-ravaged Pakistan in 2005.
Speaking at an event last week, the self-professed cricket tragic told of how his sporting faux-pas was the ‘biggest mistake’ of his career.
John Howard was the victim of his own ‘ball tampering’ scandal when he infamously attempted to bowl a cricket ball 13 years ago in Pakistan (pictured is one of his attempts), an army sergeant has revealed
Howard – whose first and third attempts bounced barely in front of him and second effort was well wide of the stumps – was quick to take ownership at the Sydney Cricket Ground gala of his shoddy bowling.
But the 80-year-old came to the realisation it may not have been his fault when he was surprised on stage by the Australian defenseman who had prepared the ball.
‘I must be held a little bit responsible for the bowling incident as I taped up the ball,’ sergeant Michael Gunn said according to The Daily Telegraph.
‘There may or may not have been (too much tape) stuck to sir’s hand.’
The second-longest serving Australian prime minister reportedly looked stunned by Mr Gunn’s admission.
Howard had been telling the audience at the Bradman Gala Dinner his biggest mistake as prime minister had been ‘allowing the Pakistani army to talk me into bowling’.
The 80-year-old came to the realisation it may not have been his fault when he was surprised on stage by the Australian defenseman who had prepared the ball (pictured television footage of one of the balls)
While the 80-year-old was said to be shocked by the confession the ball was too sticky, he has previously revealed he knew of its ad-hoc nature.
‘They had a ball that was basically the inside of a tennis ball with some white tape around it,’ he said at a King’s College panel discussion in London in 2015.
‘And of course I had a go and it stuck in my hand … it played for ever and a day afterwards.’
Former prime minister John Howard says he’s ‘happy to be alive’ as he prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday with family, friends and Liberal luminaries
Howard – who wore a button up shirt and formal pants for the iconic deliveries – did fare better when given a chance to bat.
Oft-resurfaced footage of the November 2005 match-up showed the ex-prime minister survive two deliveries before retiring in front of cheering onlookers.
He had been bowling to Pakistani Religious Minister Ejaz-ul-Haq during their visit to an Australian army medical camp in Dhanni about 35 kms from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
More than 80,000 people died in a 7.6-magnitude earthquake which hit the region in October of that year.