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

[Prince EWS]

No apparently it has now been admitted by CA it was proper sandpaper....!

wtf

 

[Prince EWS]

I've been calling it sandpaper this entire time, partly because it's easier and partly because it makes the whole thing sound hilarious, but I had no idea that it really was sandpaper.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

The fact that dirt incidentally gets on the ball does not mean that putting dirt, that would otherwise not have been on the ball, on the ball is fine. It very much isn't.

At that time there was nothing in the Laws or regs about it.

Hence Burge having no power to impose a fine after that game .

 

[harsh.ag]

Need this subplot in a novel tbf

 

[StephenZA]

I've been calling it sandpaper this entire time, partly because it's easier and partly because it makes the whole thing sound hilarious, but I had no idea that it really was sandpaper.

It makes you think even more how bad that initial press conference from Smith and Bancroft was? I mean they are basically admitting to the same thing but then lie exactly how they doing it? And that just makes you question the current story more..... I mean each day has just brought out a new piece of information. Lehmann seems to have got it right. "I did not know anything" stay away from press and shut up. Notice Lehmann as coach as not talked to media once (as far as I'm aware!)

 

[LegionOfBrad]

It makes you think even more how bad that initial press conference from Smith and Bancroft was? I mean they are basically admitting to the same thing but then lie exactly how they doing it? And that just makes you question the current story more..... I mean each day has just brought out a new piece of information. Lehmann seems to have got it right. "I did not know anything" stay away from press and shut up. Notice Lehmann as coach as not talked to media once (as far as I'm aware!)

If anyone deserves sacking it's the press officer allowing that original press conference to happen as it did.

 

[Starfighter]

At that time there was nothing in the Laws or regs about it.

Hence Burge having no power to impose a fine after that game .

I believe it comes under foreign substances and I don't think Burge could specifically prove that he had actually put the dirt on the ball.

 

[EggsOnToast]

I've been calling it sandpaper this entire time, partly because it's easier and partly because it makes the whole thing sound hilarious, but I had no idea that it really was sandpaper.

https://www.cricket.com.au/video/ja...ng-sanctions-smith-warner-bancroft/2018-03-28

Around 2:10 he's asked the specific question

 

[StephenZA]

Everytime I hear talk about sandpaper, I remember Dave Richardson (I think, awhile back) on a cricket show in SA, talking about the dark arts of wicketkeeping, and how an older (unnamed) keeper showed him how to keep sandpaper between his inner and outer gloves... for when needed!

 

[vicleggie]

Spare a though for BANCROFT. Who doesn't exactly make the money and security Warner/Smith have in their careers so far.

Gideon Haigh




Greg Baum

Oh **** off. He's a 25 year old moron.
What was his other option? Say no and only earn 200 000 a year playing t20 cricket?

That little parasite was probably as eager to do it as warner

 

[Biryani Pillow]

I believe it comes under foreign substances and I don't think Burge could specifically prove that he had actually put the dirt on the ball.

"Foreign substances " weren't mentioned in the Laws at the time and as you said Burge couldn't even ind evidence that he'd put dirt on the ball, neither could the umpires................

 

[OverratedSanity]

Again,what was the point of lying and saying it was tape. Smith really is a ****ing moron.

 

[ankitj]

Man.. the way they've written it out makes it sound like the way you'd describe a project on your resume.

I like how you relate everything to coding/programming

 

[harsh.ag]

Again,what was the point of lying and saying it was tape. Smith really is a ****ing moron.

He really is. Should have his PR guy on speed dial from now on.

 

[fredfertang]

Dirt gets on the ball all the time, and players get dirt on their fingers all the time.

Still a fact that Burge found nothing untoward and had to create a feeble reason to fine Atherton after the next game.

As I recall the England management (to two of whom, Fletcher and Illingworth, Atherton had made a full cough to before he met Burge and fibbed) fined him some derisory amount afterwards for 'lying to the match referee', so hardly surprising Burge was a man on a mission to get his own back

 

[stephen]

So apparently a lot of professional batsmen carry sandpaper around for changing bat stickers with. Which makes me wonder why they didn't fess up that it was sandpaper. How is tape any better?

 

[Daemon]

Can we all take a minute to just revel in the fact that one of the most scummy sports leagues and sporting bodies in the world has just banned Warner and Smith.

The same organisation that's letting a side banned for fixing back after a couple of years.

Truly amazing.

 

[stephen]

I suspect the severity of Smith's punishment was because he implicated the "leadership team" i.e. Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon and because the presser made it sound like Smith and Warner had hatched a Machiavellian plan with the others instead of what actually happened.

 

[NotMcKenzie]

"Foreign substances " weren't mentioned in the Laws at the time and as you said Burge couldn't even ind evidence that he'd put dirt on the ball, neither could the umpires................

Not to take sides in the Atherton argument, but I'll quote from Wisden about the laws:

He was called before the referee, Peter Burge, to explain what the official statement called his unfamiliar action and answer suspicions that he had broken Law 42.5 by using an artificial substance to alter the condition of the ball.

And the law in question:

5. Changing the Condition of the Ball

Any member of the fielding side may polish the ball provided that such polishing wastes no time and that no artificial substance is used. No-one shall rub the ball on the ground or use any artificial substance or take any other action to alter the condition of the ball. In the event of a contravention of this Law, the Umpires, after consultation, shall change the ball for one of similar condition to that in use prior to the contravention.

 

[stephen]

Can we all take a minute to just revel in the fact that one of the most scummy sports leagues and sporting bodies in the world has just banned Warner and Smith.

The same organisation that's letting a side banned for fixing back after a couple of years.

Truly amazing.

Yeah this is utterly bizzare.

The IPL hasn't got a leg to stand on.