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

[harsh.ag]

There may be a blessing behind the curse of Smith and Warner missing the India series. I really don't want to see this Indian team trying to get on top of them, although recent evidence suggests there is sympathy coming from some Indian cricketers at least.

On the other hand, what I really want is to see the suspensions reduced and both of them on the field by October and the end of unentitled arrogance and madness.

 

[vcs]

I want the best players to play TBH. We'll probably lose either way as we'll struggle to bowl out whoever they put on the park, but banning them for a year is way too harsh.

 

[Victor Ian]

'I'm sorry for my part in this' without answering the question is the same as 'no comment'.
'no comment for legal reasons' would have just poked open another hornets nest and would have been the worst thing to say.
Warner did well. I highly suspect the whole team is in on this, to varying degrees, and everything from now on IS damage control.

 

[Victor Ian]

I'm hoping there is an appeal, hopefully on behalf of the trio by ACA, or perhaps after the ICC rejig punishment for tampering, they direct CA to rescind the ban. Having the players themselves have to instigate the appeal would be cruel and lose the PR battle

 

[Second Spitter]

He has clarified why he did not answer via twitter


@davidwarner31
1/3 I know there are unanswered questions and lots of them. I completely understand. In time i will do my best to answer them all. But there is a formal CA process to follow.

2/3 I am taking advice to make sure I properly comply with that process and answer all questions in the proper place and at the proper time.

3/3 I should have mentioned that in my press conference I’m sorry for not making it clearer. With so much at stake for my family and cricket I have to follow this process properly. I think that’s fair.

Firstly, he should stay off social media.

Secondly, few people genuinely believe that this the first time the Australian team pulled this stunt. Therefore, I appreciate the fact that he didn't lie.

 

[vic_orthdox]

This is the thing - if they decide to protest/appeal, they have grounds for it.

 

[Burgey]

How did you get on today mate?

 

[vic_orthdox]

They got 7/312 off 106 overs, which is compulsory closure in 2nd XI finals. No wickets for me, 0/66 off 29.

James Muirhead playing for St Kilda's 2nd XI. Must be the best paid 2nds player of all time.

 

[Burgey]

****ing ring ins man

 

[vic_orthdox]

Haha, Muirhead played six games in both 1sts and 2nds as at the end of the season and didn't get picked in their 1sts for the first final. So fair enough.

 

[social]

View attachment 23991

This is the thing - if they decide to protest/appeal, they have grounds for it.

They will probably win but never play for Australia again

The penalty is nonsense but CA have no obligation to select anybody

 

[stephen]

They will probably win but never play for Australia again

The penalty is nonsense but CA have no obligation to select anybody

Bancroft might not for a while but Smith and probably Warner would be picked again as soon as they're off their bans.

 

[Borges]

The problem here is that this is an absurdly long ban during which they are not even being allowed to play any serious domestic cricket.
What are they expected to do to keep themselves in touch? Sign up for county cricket?

 

[Stefan9]

Bancroft might not for a while but Smith and probably Warner would be picked again as soon as they're off their bans.

I think Smith will walk back in the moment the ban is over. Don't think Warner will play for Aus again.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I think Smith will walk back in the moment the ban is over. Don't think Warner will play for Aus again.

This. Warner is toxic like KP was to England and it seems like the powers that be can't be bothered to put up with the **** that he causes anymore.

 

[S.Kennedy]

The problem here is that this is an absurdly long ban during which they are not even being allowed to play any serious domestic cricket.
What are they expected to do to keep themselves in touch? Sign up for county cricket?

Club Statement: Cameron Bancroft - Somerset County Cricket Club

 

[Spikey]

wonder if they can train with the state squads

 

[social]

Looking forward to SA producing a decent wicket taking delivery

This is embarrassing

 

[SteveNZ]

'I'm sorry for my part in this' without answering the question is the same as 'no comment'.
'no comment for legal reasons' would have just poked open another hornets nest and would have been the worst thing to say.
Warner did well. I highly suspect the whole team is in on this, to varying degrees, and everything from now on IS damage control.

This is literally the only 'Warner did well' comment I have seen anywhere.

 

[michaelm]

Yes - Warner's press conference pretty much all PR spin, as expected...Warner can't be trusted to go off script...but his spin doctors made a really stupid mistake: They told him to stall on questions without giving the carefully scripted answer that later popped up on his Twitter feed. The following is from an Esther Han and Sarah Muller article:

"Later in the day, Warner took to Twitter to explain why he had dodged questions at the press conference.

"I know there are unanswered questions and lots of them. I completely understand. In time I will do my best to answer them all. But there is a formal Cricket Australia process to follow," he wrote.

"I am taking advice to make sure I properly comply with that process and answer all questions in the proper place and at the proper time." "

Two things:
1. If the formal process prevented him from answering questions, why didn't he say that at the press conference? Answer - because the CA spin gurus were too stupid to even give him that advice at the time. They then had to tidy up this mistake later.
2. Note the language of the Twitter feed. This isn't Warner talking. This is cut-and-paste under instruction from CA. They are now controlling his Twitter feed...and edging further away from a complete and public exposure of the full set of facts relating to this whole thing. I suspect - like all of us - this is much larger than Bancroft, Warner, Smith...