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

[quincywagstaff]

While I would agree that in many ways a 12 month ban on Smith & Warner would be harsh, it would probably be best for Australian cricket if it were that long.

If it's just a 6 month ban or less, Smith & Warner will be in the side come next Australian summer and inevitably the stench of this saga is going to crop up constantly. Them being out of the Australian side for a summer would ensure Australian cricket can rebuild on and off the field next summer and that there'll be far more likely acceptance of Warner & Smith when and if they come back because they would've been perceived to have been punished sufficiently.

 

[Larwood's_boots]

I don't know 100%, he had it in his pocket i assume he filled his pocket during the game. He may also be telling the truth saying he kept it in his pocket to dry his hands and then just decided to rub it on the ball during a game. It's different to bringing the tape out there planning on doing this (which Smith admitted to) but it's close enough that if Athers got off with a fine then the people calling for 1 year bans and the like for Smith are clearly being absurd.

Right, but as noted earlier the problem with a six month ban, which seems much more appropriate than the full year, is that in terms of test cricket he'll only miss one game against Zimbabwe.

 

[Spikey]

It happened 24 years ago. The ICC was barely a thing back then

 

[Borges]

I don't think there should be any lengthy bans for this.
Unworthy to lead an international side? certainly.
Unworthy to play any international cricket? not really.

 

[veganbob]

So smith not getting a life or 5 year ban at the least just shows its accepted to cheat in cricket now. Let everyone cheat, use performing enhancing drugs, fix matches .. or is it only legal for Australians?

I really don't want this piece of junk to represent a once great cricketing nation- now they are simply cheats.
Cricket has become a joke now because of icc.

 

[Athlai]

This is one of the greatest CW threads of all time

 

[outbreak]

Right, but as noted earlier the problem with a six month ban, which seems much more appropriate than the full year, is that in terms of test cricket he'll only miss one game against Zimbabwe.

Six months? why? Everyone else who get's found guilty of ball tampering get's 1-2 matches and a fine. Smith should get the same plus lose the captaincy.

 

[the big bambino]

It will be a sad day if cricket loses veganbob over this.

 

[Burgey]

Did Athers, who in full disclosure i loved as a kid, pick the dirt off the floor or did he bring it on from outside? my feeling is that it's the pre-meditated bringing an object on to the pitch that represents the extra moral line.

Had it in his pocket.

 

[howardj]

Life or 5 year ban? Bloody hell. It's a Level 2 offence (4 being the worst)

Like it or not, that's what it is

 

[Burgey]

So smith not getting a life or 5 year ban at the least just shows its accepted to cheat in cricket now. Let everyone cheat, use performing enhancing drugs, fix matches .. or is it only legal for Australians?

I really don't want this piece of junk to represent a once great cricketing nation- now they are simply cheats.
Cricket has become a joke now because of icc.

Should have banned Tendulkar when he did it in the 90s to set a precedent.

If CA tried to ban Smith or Warner for life they would be within their rights to sue them. They’d have at least a reasonable case too. I don’t think either side would want it to come to that.

 

[outbreak]

So smith not getting a life or 5 year ban at the least just shows its accepted to cheat in cricket now. Let everyone cheat, use performing enhancing drugs, fix matches .. or is it only legal for Australians?

I really don't want this piece of junk to represent a once great cricketing nation- now they are simply cheats.
Cricket has become a joke now because of icc.

The NZ team of the 90s admitted to cutting a bottle top into pieces covering it with tape to hold better and using that to gouge the ball to get their swing, should they all be labelled cheats and void their test wins?

No one is saying cheating is acceptable but at the same time ball tampering has been around forever and no one who's been caught in the past has faced anything even remotely similar to a life or 5 year ban so why would they suddenly introduce that now? People get caught tampering all the time. If the ICC wants to be stricter on it they need to use this case to introduce the rules but you can't introduce them then suddenly punish someone who committed an offence under the old system where the punishment is fines/short bans.

The ICC has already given their verdict anyway and it's in line with all the other ball tampering cases, it's CA who are investigating now.

 

[NZTailender]

The NZ team of the 90s admitted to cutting a bottle top into pieces covering it with tape to hold better and using that to gouge the ball to get their swing, should they all be labelled cheats and void their test wins?

No one is saying cheating is acceptable but at the same time ball tampering has been around forever and no one who's been caught in the past has faced anything even remotely similar to a life or 5 year ban so why would they suddenly introduce that now? People get caught tampering all the time. If the ICC wants to be stricter on it they need to use this case to introduce the rules but you can't introduce them then suddenly punish someone who committed an offence under the old system where the punishment is fines/short bans.

The ICC has already given their verdict anyway and it's in line with all the other ball tampering cases, it's CA who are investigating now.

You make it sound like they did this in more than one Test vs Pakistan.

 

[social]

So smith not getting a life or 5 year ban at the least just shows its accepted to cheat in cricket now. Let everyone cheat, use performing enhancing drugs, fix matches .. or is it only legal for Australians?

I really don't want this piece of junk to represent a once great cricketing nation- now they are simply cheats.
Cricket has become a joke now because of icc.

Twice convicted Faf says hi

 

[NZTailender]

This is one of the greatest CW threads of all time

I got a like from Altoz. Just for that it is.

 

[Larwood's_boots]

Had it in his pocket.

Then I'd say it's analogous and he should have got a ban- sorry childhood hero.

 

[Athlai]

You make it sound like they did this in more than one Test vs Pakistan.

The biggest sign of wrong doing was Chris Pringle taking wickets.

 

[Larwood's_boots]

This is one of the greatest CW threads of all time

In years to come it shall surely be remembered as the debut of hotpumpingman

 

[howardj]

That said, my guess is such is the public backlash and the premeditation, CA may charge Smith etc. with 'bringing the game into disrepute' which actually does carry a maximum lifetime ban (under CA codes of conduct)

However, Smith would argue things like:

- the actual act of ball tampering is only level 2
- it's his first offence etc.

So yeah, while I can see them being banned for some months perhaps by CA, it's won't be too lengthy

 

[outbreak]

You make it sound like they did this in more than one Test vs Pakistan.

And the people claiming Smith deserves a life/5 year ban are the same people saying because he was caught once he's done this before as well. That guys also saying we should be hard on cheaters and ban them for life so if someone cheats once in his book shouldn't we void all their achievements if they should have been banned for life?

Absurd view but that's the way he's looking at this situation.