Dark day in Aussie cricket

[The_bluester (Paul)]

I think it says it all about the culture of the team that the (Now not so) esteemed captain does not see this as a reason to step down.

Certainly smacks of the death of any sportsmanship. You could be your last that he would be giving firm instruction to batsmen "Don't walk under any circumstances unless you are given out"

[glend (Glen)]

As Michael Vaughan wrote earlier today, every member of the present Australian team, and the coaches, will be forever branded as cheats and it will follow them the rest of their careers. Michael Clarke was gutted, he is young enough to be brought back as interim Captain. Get rid of Smith, Warner, and Leahman at least, to send the message that this will not be allowed to go unpunished. The fact that it was discussed at the leadership level means there is no possible defense for bringing the game into disrepute. I would not even want Smith and Warner to be allowed to drop back to state cricket, their careers should end now. To paraphrase Riddick, let's see if CA has a spine?

[el_draco (Rom)]

Cheat gets the bullet!, Now dump the rest of them, forfeit the series and send 'em packing!

[astroron (Ron)]

Smith and Warner stand down from position of Captain and Vice captain but will still continue to play for the remainder of the ythird test.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/43531491

[billdan (Bill)]

Originally Posted by astroron

Smith and Warner stand down from position of Captain and Vice captain but will still continue to play for the remainder of the fourth test.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/43531491

I think you mean the 3rd test Ron, what happens in the 4th test is up to the outcome of the ICC inquiry and Cricket Australia's inquiry.

Tim Paine is the Captain for the rest of this test.

Steve Smith has also been sacked as Captain of the Rajistan Royals in the IPL series.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

I am not really much of a cricket fan but I disagree that they have got the bullet. They should be on a plane home, not stepping down from "Leadership" positions and playing on.

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by billdan

I think you mean the 3rd test Ron, what happens in the 4th test is up to the outcome of the ICC inquiry and Cricket Australia's inquiry.

Tim Paine is the Captain for the rest of this test.

Steve Smith has also been sacked as Captain of the Rajistan Royals in the IPL series.

Fixed,Thanks

[Shano592 (Shane)]

Yep, they should be on the next plane out of SA, as soon as this test is done.

Any inquiry by CA should be made fully transparent, too. I would hate to see them let off with a slap and no accountability.

[GrahamL]

The Betting culture these guys earn big on overseas will really kill
there money tree, the sad thing is that kid who will be thrown under the bus because he was stupid enough to blindly follow bad direction from those above ,that he was caught out so easily speaks volumes on how much input he really had .
Bills comment earlier

"No boss, I'm not doing it, that's illegal", would he then be dropped for the next test for not being a team player" ......is a valid ask imo .


The next Smith ,Warner (.) , Bancroft, is out there right now

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

It is clear, as the actual perpetrator of the illegal action, that Bancroft needs to be suspended immediately but as far as I am concerned, a premeditated colluded plan to break rules in such a clandestine manner, by a captain of a national team, should mean immediate expulsion form the captaincy role and a significant suspension as well.

I don't care what other players of other countries have been dealt after such things in the past, in my opinion there is simply no room for premeditated plans to pervert the rules of a game, especially at international level.

My estimation of Steve Smith has dropped to rock bottom, his brilliance in batting at test level means nothing if he has no integrity.

Mike

lets sack the team and put up a f grade team for a while, just to get back to what is all means, that is playing for pleasure - its too competitive now, not the gentleman's game is was meant to be. but in the old days they didn't have hi res video coverage and i am sure more than a few things got past the umpire

but back to you Richie..............

[billdan (Bill)]

The ICC has just announced their penalties.

Bancroft gets a 3 demerit point penalty and loses 75% of his match fee.

Smith gets a 1 match suspension and loses 100% of his match fee.
No other penalties.

However when Cricket Australia have their meeting they can add further penalties for tarnishing Australia's reputation.

EDIT: Well Australia lost focus in the 2nd Innings, after being 0 for 47 at tea, they were all out for 107, 15 mins before stumps.

[pmrid (Peter)]

This series has done a massive heap of damage to my vision of cricket as a sport. Once it was called the sport of gentlemen. Now, however, that is a thing of the past. Like almost all competitive sports these days, it has become something base and offensive. And this South Africa series has taken it to a new low. Not just this ball-tampering incident, but the spectacle of match officials posing with players in masks of a player's wife/partner (Warner) coupled with the off-field abuse of Warner in the same context are beyond the pale. Then, the "contact" incident which was a blatantly deliberate as you could wish, but managed, on appeal, to go unpunished. The conduct of spectators, and the willingness of umpires to tolerate on-field behaviour that requires stump mikes to be turned down or off is nothing short of amazing.

The tampering incident is mortifying - all the more because it was a group decision. A group of leaders at that! But there is history here. Remember past incidents, Mike Atherton in 1994 - rubbing dirt into the ball. He was fined but kept his captaincy; Indias Rahul Dravid used a cough lolly in 2004; Inzamum ul Haq in 2006; Shahid Afridi who bit the ball in 2010 in Perth (he was banned from 20-20 matches); Faf de Plessis roughing the ball on his zipper in 2013 but insisting " we are not cheats " ; South African Vernon Philander using his thumb in 2014 and du Plessis again in the same year, using a mint to polish the ball and copped 3 demerits.

I don't think du Plessis or South Africa have much claim to the moral high ground on this issue. But that doesn't absolve Smith or the so-called leadership group. They have taken cricket to a new low and the game has now deteriorated so far that I, for one, will not take any further interest in it.

Peter

[UniPol]

http://www.cricketaustralia.com.au/a...rit-of-cricket

[Paul Haese]

Whilst it is obvious that Bancroft is the guilty party I get the distinct impression this is actually all part of a reaction of cheating going on in cricket every where. I am absolutely certain that there is more to this that meets the eye. I would not be surprised if the cricketers know there is cheating going on from every team and the Aussies thought, if we can't beat them, then join them.

If it's found that there was a plan (not just talked about, what does that really mean anyway; surely the look on Smith's face on the field says he did not really think this would happen), then not just suspension but removal and kicked out of cricket altogether forever. That will devastate our stocks in cricket but will send a clear message. Cheating should not be tolerated but match fixing has been going on for years and I am positive this goes on in Australia too. How do you eradicate cheating when there is so much money involved; gambling now is advertised and encouraged as a mates things. That has to have an impact on what is going being done on the field.

I am largely unsurprised by all this but will be interested to see the outcome from the investigators and what will be end result.

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by UniPol

http://www.cricketaustralia.com.au/a...rit-of-cricket

There are a lot of those rules that are broken just about every game
over the season,with seemingly no disciplinary action taken.
The Aggressive in your face appealing while standing less than a meter
from an opposition players face,and when that player is adjudged out giving them the big send off with the finger or hand/fist and a mouthful to boot.

This mob, are the same ones who call Broad a cheat for not walking, and lead the crowd charge in booing him and generally giving him a hard time every time he plays in Australia.
It will be interesting to see the boot on the other foot.
These players have something to look forward for a while everytime they play.

[LewisM]

Meanwhile, 41 Australian soldiers have died in Afghanistan to date, for no clear agenda or reason, and the populace says "Meh".

Meanwhile, 102000 Afghani's over 16 years have died in Afghanistan since the US coalition invasion, and the Australian populace says "Meh".

An Australian cricket team tampers with a ball in an on-going game of cheating, and the Australian populace cries foul and bloody murder, claims an insult to national identity and exclaims vehement outrage.

Seriously folks, priorities and context.

[billdan (Bill)]

The problem I have is, as the Captain/leadership group hatched the plan in this incident of cheating.
Did we beat England 4-0 legitimately in the recent ashes series, or did we win by cheating?

It puts every game that Steve Smith has captained under a cloud of suspicion.

[sharpiel]

Originally Posted by LewisM

Meanwhile, 41 Australian soldiers have died in Afghanistan to date, for no clear agenda or reason, and the populace says "Meh".

Meanwhile, 102000 Afghani's over 16 years have died in Afghanistan since the US coalition invasion, and the Australian populace says "Meh".

An Australian cricket team tampers with a ball in an on-going game of cheating, and the Australian populace cries foul and bloody murder, claims an insult to national identity and exclaims vehement outrage.

Seriously folks, priorities and context.

Fair point. There are many injustices out in the world.

[speach (Simon)]

yep he cheated but to hear the poms going on about it they would appear white as the driven snow but remember when Mike Atherton was caught rubbing the ball with a bottle top, so not so snow white!

[Tropo-Bob (Bob)]

Originally Posted by LewisM

Meanwhile, 41 Australian soldiers have died in Afghanistan to date, for no clear agenda or reason, and the populace says "Meh".

Meanwhile, 102000 Afghani's over 16 years have died in Afghanistan since the US coalition invasion, and the Australian populace says "Meh".

An Australian cricket team tampers with a ball in an on-going game of cheating, and the Australian populace cries foul and bloody murder, claims an insult to national identity and exclaims vehement outrage.

Seriously folks, priorities and context.

There has been a collapse of numbers in the public beheading in Afghanistan, as well as those of woman that have acid thrown in their faces. The number of women receiving an education has vastly increased.

The US has not endured another 9/11 or even a 'Cole' style attack since going into Afghanistan.

And when an Australian dies there, it is always treated with great sadness, respect, and questions are often asked about whether it is worth it.

I don't recall anyway just saying 'Meh'.

Sorry to go on a tangent everyone. I will say no more about Afghanistan unless it is under its own, more appropriate heading.