Under the laws of the game regarding wicketkeepers' gloves, it states in part: " ... that the top edge of the webbing (i) does not protrude beyond the straight line joining the top of the index finger to the top of the thumb and (ii) is taut when a hand wearing the glove has the thumb fully extended."
Apparently Ian Healy spotted it first and then Jeff Crowe the match referee noticed that "TV images of Dhoni's gloves showed an unnatural cupping, or kink, in the webbing -- similar to a baseball mitt. "
The gloves have been taken into custody for further interrogation.Presumably, the offending glove will now be subjected to Chinese third degree methods and may even suffer the fate of Saddam Hussein.
As for Dhoni, he will plead not guilty and claim that it was a clash of cultures. His defence will follow the line that the gloves were made in Australia and all he said to the manufacturer was Teri Ma Ki! which was misunderstood to mean that he wanted an extra webbing.
On conditions of anonymity, a very senior member of the Indian cricketing team said, that it was just racial vilification and also added that they, i.e., the Indian team will be filing a counter claim with the match referee that Gilchrist had called Dhoni a 'wanker' an harmless word in Australia, but a word with different connotations in India. Apparently in India,the word 'wanker' is used to describe a wicket keeper who uses 'illegal' gloves.
A BCCI press release says that they fully support the Indian team and a chartered jet is on its way to Sydney to ferry the team back in case the ruling goes against Dhoni.Meanwhile the ICC has said that it will not yield to the financial muscle flexing of the BCCI and have appointed Mike Procter to adjudicate the hearing.
The Secretary of the BCCI,Niranjan Shah, is expected to conduct a press conference shortly.
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