Dark day in Aussie cricket

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

"After the positively abhorrent behavior of that graceless oik David Warner (who after years of acting like a complete tool both on and off the field gets rewarded with the vice captaincy)"

too bloody right - can't stand the boof head man child.
Seriously disappointed in this, about as low as it can get for a team usually held in such high esteem.
I don't think the fans will forget about this in a hurry.
Bring them home to shame them. (And roast them).

[AndrewJ]

I reckon people should really stop hyperventilating over this.
Its a game of cricket where everyone knows that everyone cheats.
The only thing here is it was a bit more blatant, they got caught, but then admitted it????
The fact they admittted it so openly reminds me of an episode of MASH where Frank Burns got caught doing something he shouldnt have.
When asked if he had learned anything, his response was something like
"if you do something wrong, never admit it"
It wont be the last time cricket has a scandal.

Andrew

[Amaranthus (Barry)]

I am a long-time lover of cricket, so this hits hard. Who knows how far it ends up going, I suspect a lot of past footage will be reviewed in light of this incident -- not just for Australia, but most nations. As noted above, it is indicative of the direction professional sport has headed, with the 'win at all costs' attitude trumping any other consideration. This is especially hard to take with cricket, in which honourable conduct has always supposedly been at the core of the game's spirit. Reputations take a lifetime to build, and an instant to shatter. Sheer idiocy.

I remember seeing the cameras going into the SCG dressing room after the Ashes victory, and being shocked at the absolutely loutish behaviour going on there, including spraying champagne all over a wall-mounted TV such that it fizzled and broke. I shook my head at the time, wondering if this was indicative of "the culture". With Warner as VC and Lehman as coach, I suppose I can hardly be surprised. Disgusted.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

There is footage on line now of Cameron putting sugar in his pocket before an old game at the SCG> , now one wonders what that was for???

[leon]

Disgusting behaviour by overpaid prima-donnas.... Shameful.....

Dead right Matt, if it were said to all our sports people, may it be football, soccer, tennis, and cricket plus all the other sports.

"Guys, we know you love your sport and it is your passion in life, but we are not able to pay you for this season, we do need you to play though"

I wonder how many would be left after that season ??

Leon

[el_draco (Rom)]

Originally Posted by leon

Disgusting behaviour by overpaid prima-donnas.... Shameful.....

Dead right Matt, if it were said to all our sports people, may it be football, soccer, tennis, and cricket plus all the other sports.

"Guys, we know you love your sport and it is your passion in life, but we are not able to pay you for this season, we do need you to play though"

I wonder how many would be left after that season ??

Leon

Gilcrest, probably playing "down ball"....

[Kunama]

Originally Posted by leon

Disgusting behaviour by overpaid prima-donnas.... Shameful.....

Dead right Matt, if it were said to all our sports people, may it be football, soccer, tennis, and cricket plus all the other sports.

"Guys, we know you love your sport and it is your passion in life, but we are not able to pay you for this season, we do need you to play though"

I wonder how many would be left after that season ??

Leon

The thing is Leon, not " all our sports people, may it be football, soccer, tennis, and cricket plus all the other sports" are the captain, vice captain or coach of the Australian Cricket Team, surely you would expect that the captain of the Australian Cricket Team should have a enough integrity and respect for the game and the efforts of those who played the game before he was even born, to not bring the game and the team into disrepute.

I know it is not the first time and won't be the last time we see cheating or behaviour that is not in the spirit of the game, but for his actions I hope this captain never captains an Australian side again.

I would rather see Australia lose honestly than win dishonestly, but that's just me..... I think you would too ....

[leon]

Well said Matt, and yes you are right, I to would rather see Australia lose honestly than win dishonestly,

Leon

[GTB_an_Owl (Geoff)]

so why is " Polishing/Shining" one side of the ball not classified as ball tampering?



geoff

[Rkonrad (Richard)]

Well I am from RSA and yes it is not nice we all want to watch a good contest but every one pushes the limits and some get found out , I have watched and played cricket for 45 years and just wonder how much of what we see now was going on before the 30 odd cameras ? but I feel for you AU chaps , I think too much is made of it . The batting side also see the ball and if it looks bad they can also raise a concern, Just my opinion, perhaps no polishing etc to the ball ?

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by Kunama

surely you would expect that the captain of the Australian Cricket Team should have a enough integrity and respect for the game and the efforts of those who played the game before he was even born, to not bring the game and the team into disrepute.

They're way too young. It just didn't register. Only after all the media jumped into the band wagon. Did you hear them at the press conference? Like two kids with the hand in the cookie jar. Not mature at all and very self centered. Now it's starting to sink in.

[MortonH]

This behaviour is merely a reflection of what society has become generally.

[Redshift13 (Rohan)]

Originally Posted by GTB_an_Owl

so why is " Polishing/Shining" one side of the ball not classified as ball tampering?

The act of polishing or shining the ball is as old as the game as itself, as a means of keeping the ball in as good a condition as possible, and is legal as per the Laws of Cricket, Rule 41.3.2.

I recall reading somewhere that back in the infancy of the game - early 1900's or thereabouts? - that it was only the captain and the bowler who were allowed to polish the ball (to ensure the integrity of the ball is maintained perhaps? Steve Smith sure has made a mockery of this in the past few days!) but of course this has now evolved to the point that any fielder who gets their hands on the ball is able to work on it, even those hiding sticky tape down their pants!

As a club cricketer for 20+ years and lover of Test cricket since I was a little tacker, I've never been so disappointed in the Australian team as I am right now... not so much with the use of sticky tape to tamper with the ball, but with the premeditated conspiracy to knowingly cheat, and by the captain and vice-captain no less... it's just disgraceful.

I will feel happier if CA shows some backbone and rescinds Steve Smith and David Warner's current contracts and bans them from any future CA contracts for at least 12 months. This at least enables them to still play at state level, or lower, and (hopefully) show some contrition and earn some redemption for this wrongdoing, should they choose to pursue that.

[Shano592 (Shane)]

Originally Posted by leon

"Guys, we know you love your sport and it is your passion in life, but we are not able to pay you for this season, we do need you to play though"

I paid $330 for the privilege this season just gone. Maybe that's why fair play is so important to me... the direction of flow of the money.

My feeling is that anyone associated with this needs to be eliminated. From the game that is. The ACB needs to hold their players to a higher standard. Give them huge bans. Make the next person who thinks about it, really question the value of cheating.

Lehmann is now set to go, and replacing him with Ponting or Langer will only help things. Scratch Warner, Smith, Lyon, anyone in the inner circle from all levels of the game, and start again.

As for sugar packets in pockets... I used to carry candy snakes or jelly babies, for a sugar hit. It may just be innocuous, but then again, there may be a longer pattern of abuse of the rules. Simple solution is to get rid of pockets in the cricket trousers.

[Shano592 (Shane)]

Originally Posted by Redshift13

The act of polishing or shining the ball is as old as the game as itself, as a means of keeping the ball in as good a condition as possible, and is legal as per the Laws of Cricket, Rule 41.3.2.

I recall reading somewhere that back in the infancy of the game - early 1900's or thereabouts? - that it was only the captain and the bowler who were allowed to polish the ball (to ensure the integrity of the ball is maintained perhaps?

That was enforced too, as recently as the 1977 summer. I was reading about something to do with it last night.

I shine the pill when I'm fielding at mid-off, otherwise I move it quickly back to the bowler.

[Redshift13 (Rohan)]

Originally Posted by Shano592

Simple solution is to get rid of pockets in the cricket trousers.

But that would give me nothing to do when I was fielding down at fine leg over after over!

[Shano592 (Shane)]

Originally Posted by Redshift13

But that would give me nothing to do when I was fielding down at fine leg over after over!

Surely there would be something to scratch...

[el_draco (Rom)]

So we have now seen the three of them have a big cry on T.V. and say they were sorry... sort of.

The last one was particularly pathetic, but the one thing that stuck out for me is that I have seen a bunch of bullies get their Karma hit in my lifetime and without fail they have had a big cry and play the victims.

It seems many in the media on the radio this morning are certain there is a lot more to this story and that acting the "sook" has failed to impress.

[Rkonrad (Richard)]

I dont thing its that bad its the TV and media that make it worse , it happened so forget about it , I am from Check Republic but know quite a bit about Cricket and this is going on all over the world but someone was seen doing it

[leon]

Cheating you all say, fair enough, but isn't it time to move on, they have their culprits and they have been punished.

It will never stop in any sport, look at the Commonwealth Games, that hasn't even started yet and they are finding needles at the complex.

Leon