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

[Biryani Pillow]

The problem came in before the press conference... the minute they tried to cover it up. When the umpires came up to Bancroft (and Smith joined) it should have been pull at the yellow tape, apologise. Ball change 5 penalty runs. Sanctioned later and an apology. End off.... it was the attempt (between Lehmann, Smith and whoever else involved) to lie and try cover it up.... at that stage they looked really bad, and with the TV pictures anything but a full confession would have probably been worse.

Agreed.

Had they done this it would have been a story but not a huge one.

To borrow a line from Lord Melchett in Blackadder 2 thet twisted and turned like a giant twisty turny thing. In trying to deny the bleeding obvious they looked stupid.

 

[GotSpin]

Feel for Smith right now. Must be shattering

 

[Zinzan]

Ban for Smith and Bancroft seems harsh. Warner getting a year I have no trouble with, but that's more an emotional response than an objective one.

One thing I wish people would realise, it isn't a year ban for ball tampering. FFS, it's gone beyond that.

Hard to know how much thin ice Warner was on from previous indiscretions, and just generally being David Warner.

 

[Starfighter]

Hope Maxwell uses the opportunity to cement his spot in the XI, great bat.

Good chance he won't play. Handscomb will come in and Maxwell will be 12th man.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

One year is fine

Rest of the world can **** off and fix up their own back yard which the hypocritical bastards never will

Oh dear oh dear, oh dear

 

[social]

Hope a pair of counties pick up Smith and Warner for the season. They'll need the cricket cause they're banned from Australian domestic cricket too. Would be the only good thing to come from this.

Can't play

Only allowed to participate in grade stuff

 

[Zinzan]

Feel for Smith right now. Must be shattering

If it's any saving grace, he probably won't play any less Tests than KW in the next 12 months. What did KW do?

 

[Starfighter]

On the other hand this has got some of the less active (at least in CC) posters out.

 

[social]

This is not for the rest of the world; this is a sacrificial offering for their domestic crowd which has been baying for blood.

I suppose the players would appeal, and better sense would prevail in the hearing.

CA is negotiating commercial contracts atm

It's a commercial move

 

[Gob]

Idiots

 

[Cabinet96]

Weird that they're banning the blokes to make a statement and attempting to reboot the team culture but retaining the coach who has overseen the culture come about in the first place.

 

[StephenZA]

Is this the classic "cut of your nose to spite your face" or what from the CA. Or throwing the baby away with the dirty bathwater... except they kept the dirt with Lehmann.

 

[Spark]

Lynch mob got its lynching

 

[OverratedSanity]

I don't find this too funny anymore. Awful decision.

 

[Zinzan]

Weird that they're banning the blokes to make a statement and attempting to reboot the team culture but retaining the coach who has overseen the culture come about in the first place.

If this is correct, it's most likely a polite nudge. https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/bal...with-darren-lehmann-set-to-resign-rep-1829027

 

[S.Kennedy]

End of Warner and Bancroft's international career it is fair to say.

 

[Spikey]

Ban for Smith and Bancroft seems harsh. Warner getting a year I have no trouble with, but that's more an emotional response than an objective one.

One thing I wish people would realise, it isn't a year ban for ball tampering. FFS, it's gone beyond that.

lehmann still has a job. haddin is still probably becoming nsw coach in the coming weeks. banning smith and warner won't change ****

 

[Zinzan]

End of Warner and Bancroft's international career it is fair to say.

Why Bancroft? He's 25 and copping 9 months, which is harsh in it's own right.

 

[morgieb]

Definitely feels like they're trying to punish someone in order to look like they were doing something without actually looking at the serious problems. We'll wait and see what happens in future Tests but it does seem like a cut off the nose to spite the face, especially if the on-field conduct continues unabated (obviously it's possible that they'll calm down, but I have my doubts as long as Lehmann's there).

 

[cnerd123]

Man I'm actually annoyed at CA now

We don't get to watch Steve Smith bat in Tests for a whole year because they care so much about preserving a false self image of themselves? **** them.

I'm torn between wanting the ban to stick and CA to hurt and be embarrassed because of it, and wanting Smith to get the banned overturned because it's really quite ridiculous