Baggy Green ball tampering: Bancroft, Smith and the Aussie "Leadership Group"

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Nice work - boneheaded Australian cricket team.

Mind you, this has been building up for decades. It's that persistent bone-jarring arrogance. You can just about get away with it when you're on top but when you're not on top - and backed into a corner - you still draw on its long history, still believe it's your right to be number 1, and finally end up doing something totally, unbelievably pathetic.

This post about the Aussie cricket team or about Manchester United fans? (face)

 

[G.I.Joe]

And replace them with Hong Kong IMO

Greater China the more deserving, IMO.

 

[Spikey]

Change in captains have to be approved by the CA board, so the CA board would have asked them to stand down

 

[jan]

Difficult to explain to junior after having annoyed him mightily with the awesomeness of test cricket and this series in particular.
Oh the two have stepped down only in terms of captaincy and go on playing?

 

[Black_Warrior]

This tour

You were the first one to say this tour will break Smith as a captain.

 

[Teja.]

Is this there a possibility that they're standing him down temporarily as a PR move while the dust settles down and will re-appoint him after the match/series?

 

[fredfertang]

Greater China the more deserving, IMO.

Either way we'd probs get the Ashes back

 

[vandem]

Who would have made the decision ?

Time zones would have made it slightly difficult too.

Sutherland was basically in tears.

Meh. Sutherland should have had the balls to make this call yesterday. Or at minimum get the message back to Smith that his position as captain may need to be reviewed, which would have stopped Smith's "I won't be considering stepping down" statement. (Note, I am assuming that Lehmann used the hour after play yesterday to try and talk the CEO. Hard to believe he wouldn't have escalated).

 

[Black_Warrior]

Who would have made the decision ?

Time zones would have made it slightly difficult too.

Sutherland was basically in tears.

Sutherland's first response was Smith stays.

The reaction from Australian public, other sporting personalities and ultimately the Australian Government is what led to this.

This pretty much sums up what's rotten in cricket today. ICC is yet to charge anyone with anything. The umpires had even accepted Bancroft's explanation.

If the larger Australian society had not stood up and called it out for what it is, CA was fine to just pull a rug over everything

 

[fredfertang]

Does any member of Paine's inner circle have links to Cambridge Analytica?

 

[Adders]

My god.....last person you want on comms with all this going on is Micky Holding.

I'm no fan of Steve Smith at all but I don;t want to see his career ****ed over this. There has to be a penalty but seriously I think a couple of tests out is probably appropriate.

Question is can he come back mentally from this? This really is ****ing huge and it will take a big character to get up and put it behind him. Does he have that character?

 

[NZTailender]

This has been very interesting to watch as a neutral party. What a fascinating tour it's been. Not sure how to feel tbh.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Sutherland's first response was Smith stays.

The reaction from Australian public, other sporting personalities and ultimately the Australian Government is what led to this.

This pretty much sums up what's rotten in cricket today. ICC is yet to charge anyone with anything. The umpires had even accepted Bancroft's explanation.

If the larger Australian society had not stood up and called it out for what it is, CA was fine to just pull a rug over everything

IIRC, Sutherland's immediate response was that Smith "currently" stays, which did strike me as being pregnant with meaning.

 

[Bolo]

Sutherland's first response was Smith stays.

The reaction from Australian public, other sporting personalities and ultimately the Australian Government is what led to this.

This pretty much sums up what's rotten in cricket today. ICC is yet to charge anyone with anything. The umpires had even accepted Bancroft's explanation.

If the larger Australian society had not stood up and called it out for what it is, CA was fine to just pull a rug over everything

Full credit to the public on this. AUS fans deserve some sympathy both for being mistreated by their own team and for their reaction.

The institution of AUS cricket has behaved almost worse after the incident than during it. Claiming this was tape, refusal to resign, not offering a real apology, throwing Bancroft under the bus, protecting Lehman...

 

[vandem]

.... ICC is yet to charge anyone with anything. The umpires had even accepted Bancroft's explanation...

Cricinfo story yesterday quoted Bancroft "I had discussions with the match officials, I've been charged with attempting to change the condition of the ball".

Don't know if there will be any action about Bancroft lying to the umps (pulling out the black cloth), assume the match referee can review. Tried to check the ICC code of conduct but file won't open.

 

[Spark]

Meh. Sutherland should have had the balls to make this call yesterday. Or at minimum get the message back to Smith that his position as captain may need to be reviewed, which would have stopped Smith's "I won't be considering stepping down" statement. (Note, I am assuming that Lehmann used the hour after play yesterday to try and talk the CEO. Hard to believe he wouldn't have escalated).

Think blaming Sutherland for not using his time machine is a bit harsh

 

[Tec15]

Would be a shame if this means Smith won't play in the Wanderers test. Wanted SA to whittle down his average even further and totally dominate him with the ball. Oh well, easy come easy go .

 

[vandem]

Think blaming Sutherland for not using his time machine is a bit harsh

You think the CEO had his phone off the hook yesterday? You think Lehmann didn't escalate in the extra hour between the end of play and the delayed press conference? Or you think that Smith hadn't told Lehmann what he was going to confess to in the presser?

 

[Black_Warrior]

The institution of AUS cricket has behaved almost worse after the incident than during it. Claiming this was tape, refusal to resign, not offering a real apology, throwing Bancroft under the bus, protecting Lehman...

Yes and the Australian public condemning them will hopefully ensure disgraceful behaviour from the cricket team is not explained with 'Aussie way' next time.

 

[karan316]

What's up with this overreaction. I mean they did make a mistake, accepted it and are ready for whatever action the ICC/ACB takes against them. This doesn't need to be blown out of proportion. Smith and the others are bold enough to accept their mistakes.

For me, Smith's reaction to Rabada's shoulder brush was what deserved more attention, slyly trying to get direct negative attention to the key player of the opposition was a cowardly move. Obviously when he knew that it can get Rabada in trouble. Not the first time the Australians have done something like this.

Lehmann moaning about the crowd was stupid. Same Lehmann who wanted the Aussie crowds to make Stuart Broad cry. The Aussie crowds are hostile and racist, they shouldn't point fingers at others.

The ball tampering thing is just a stupid mistake. And the umpires were even more stupid to not change the ball. Batsmen not walking when the umpire wrongly gives them notout is also blatant cheating, but it's fine because everyone does it. All "cheating incidents" should be treated equally IMO. You can't make a lot of noise for one thing and allow the other things to pass.