"TrouserGate" - Australian Cricketers Caught Ball Tampering

[love_the_life]

But it’s that kind of comment that makes people resort to whatever means possible thinking they must win or they are not worthy. That’s what the media perpetuates.

I remember at one Olympic Games, the media talked about athletes failing as they hadn’t won their events!

 

[sjk]

Good on him:

Exiled captain Steve Smith will not be challenging his 12-month ban for his involvement in the ball tampering crisis.

"I would give anything to have this behind me and be back representing my country. But I meant what I said about taking full responsibility as Captain of the team. I won’t be challenging the sanctions. They’ve been imposed by CA to send a strong message and I have accepted them."

 

[QF WP]

Ah, you must be refeerring to this article: Smith confirms he won't appeal ban

Which now will make it harder for Warner to do anything, particularly if Bancroft is the same (agrees with sanction). Nice move Steve - you've gone back up slightly in my estimation.

 

[Pushka]

Which now will make it harder for Warner to do anything, particularly if Bancroft is the same (agrees with sanction). Nice move Steve - you've gone back up slightly in my estimation.

I don’t think Warner will take any notice. He seems a law unto himself.

 

[sjk]

Good on Bancroft too:

Today I lodged the paperwork with Cricket Australia and will be accepting the sanction handed down. I would love to put this behind me and will do whatever it takes to earn back the trust of the Australian public. Thank you to all those who have sent messages of support

 

[love_the_life]

I await Warner's next moved with bated breath.

 

[CaptJCool]

Good on Bancroft too:

Today I lodged the paperwork with Cricket Australia and will be accepting the sanction handed down. I would love to put this behind me and will do whatever it takes to earn back the trust of the Australian public. Thank you to all those who have sent messages of support

Apparently the appeals are automatic unless you say you will accept the sanctions.

Cricket Australia as judge and jury recognise natural justice isn't necessarily followed in the rush to get sanctions out the door. IMHO the time period they resorted to was because there's so little Tier 1 Test cricket between now and December 2017, it elongated the time. CA also refer to the punishment was for more than ball tampering. It was the "cover-up" and bringing the game into disrepute. Well, for fhat appalling press conference.... just proves when tired, people are imperfect.

That said, I still consider it harsh and lacking in empathy. Smith is likely to treat it as the gap year he never had. What with leaving high school at 15, amd being fully devoted to cricket since, he needs to get out of the cricket 'culture' bubble and get a bit of whole of world life experience under his belts.

 

[JohnK]

Good to see Smith and Bancroft have accepted the bans. They made a mistake and are paying the price.

They have my respect again and hope both play test cricket again and redeem themselves.

 

[drron]

Actually Smith had 2 gap years between 2011 and 2013.
He was first picked for Australia as a leg spinner but played 3 tests in the 2010/11 ashes as a batsman.He was not picked again until 2013 in the touring party to India and was only selected in the team when 4 players were stood down for not doing their"homework".
He became a regular pick in the 2013/14 Ashes in Australia.

 

[CaptJCool]

Actually Smith had 2 gap years between 2011 and 2013.
He was first picked for Australia as a leg spinner but played 3 tests in the 2010/11 ashes as a batsman.He was not picked again until 2013 in the touring party to India and was only selected in the team when 4 players were stood down for not doing their"homework".
He became a regular pick in the 2013/14 Ashes in Australia.

By gap year, I meant playing no serious cricket and doing no homework. I get that he was dropped from the team, but unlike the others, he did his homework......

 

[rock86]

By gap year, I meant playing no serious cricket and doing no homework. I get that he was dropped from the team, but unlike the others, he did his homework......

Yep, he did plenty of homework in that time & come back with some serious batting ability!

 

[QF WP]

Well, Warner only has until 5pm SYD time to appeal...oh to be a fly on the wall of his "advisers" office yesterday in MEL .

Deadline looms for Warner appeal

Smith can go and play English County cricket or locally for Sutherland, whereas Bancroft has to either get a new deal with Somerset (now that he has accepted the CA sanctions) or a new county.

 

[VPS]

David Warner‏Verified account @davidwarner31 12m12 minutes ago
I have today let Cricket Australia know that I fully accept the sanctions imposed on me. I am truly sorry for my actions and will now do everything I can to be a better person, teammate and role model.

BLAH -- don't let him back in the team

 

[Pushka]

David Warner‏Verified account @davidwarner31 12m12 minutes ago
I have today let Cricket Australia know that I fully accept the sanctions imposed on me. I am truly sorry for my actions and will now do everything I can to be a better person, teammate and role model.

BLAH -- don't let him back in the team

We can only hope but it will take time to rebuild and the temptation if he seems to be in form, will be great if Aus hasn’t been doing well.

 

[QF WP]

Good - he chose the path of least resistance to all. Good call from his advisers . I couldn't see how he could have come out of any review any better from whence he went in.

@Pushka, the frustration to not have them in the Test team for the last Test was bad enough - they were 3 of our better batsmen facing SA. Now they can serve out their time, freshen up and guide others to "lead us not into temptation"

 

[VPS]

That tweet seemed so correctly written compared to Steve Smith's and Cameron Bancroft's. Yes he was an exciting player but as a long time cricket tragic I don't want to go through this cough again so there would have to be an overpowering reason for him to get to play for Australia again. The telling thing is that CA has said Smith will be considered for leadership in two years, Warner never and rightly so

 

[kelvedon]

Andrew Flintoff has weighed in saying that others in the team must have known about the ball tampering, pointing the finger at Mitchell Stac in particular.
"To say that a bowler has got a ball in his hands, or anybody else in the field does not know that this ball has been tampered with is absolute nonsense."
"You talk and talk and talk about how you're going to look after this ball. To then say that other people didn't know; if that's the case I feel sorry for Mitchell Starc."
"He's got the ball in his hands, he's running in thinking, 'he's Wasim Akram'. This ball's moving everywhere, he's thinking, 'I'm cracking it here, I'm doing something which is unbelievable'. Don't tell me you didn't know."

Flintoff says other Australian players 'had to know' about ball tampering

 

[Pushka]

Andrew Flintoff has weighed in saying that others in the team must have known about the ball tampering, pointing the finger at Mitchell Stac in particular.
"To say that a bowler has got a ball in his hands, or anybody else in the field does not know that this ball has been tampered with is absolute nonsense."
"You talk and talk and talk about how you're going to look after this ball. To then say that other people didn't know; if that's the case I feel sorry for Mitchell Starc."
"He's got the ball in his hands, he's running in thinking, 'he's Wasim Akram'. This ball's moving everywhere, he's thinking, 'I'm cracking it here, I'm doing something which is unbelievable'. Don't tell me you didn't know."

Flintoff says other Australian players 'had to know' about ball tampering

Mentioned that very early on. A bowler always knows what is happening with the ball. It’s his trade. And he has to agree with it.

 

[sjk]

Get J Langer in there asap, the rebuild starts now

No way in hell.

Apparently there was a way. I'm still liking the way this has been handled all in all.

 

[rock86]

Apparently there was a way. I'm still liking the way this has been handled all in all.

I hope I'm wrong, but J Langer has been in and around the Australian system for a while now and somehow I just think it's going to be more of the same with very little change.

Gillespie was the choice that was required, but CA (and how the board/executives have escaped criticism is beyond me, but another story) went down the usual towing the company line route IMO.