It's not Cricket!

[BGuttman]

I'm curious about our Aussies and their response to the latest scandal in Cricket. Seems an Aussie player was found scuffing up the ball (comparable to an American pitcher throwing a spitball) during a game in South Africa. BBC has been making a big deal about this. Wonder how it plays in Adelaide?

[Neo Bri]

I know Aussies are generally not too happy about it. I mean - who likes a cheater?

[Lawrie]

It has become a really big deal here - On the first hand I don't really care as I don't particularly like Cricket, but on the other hand I hate cheats so I hope they all get lifetime bans. Send a message!

[Grah]

It was a crazy decision by the leadership of the Aussie team to indulge in cheating. Even the PM has said it is letting everyone down and does not show a true picture of Aussies. The captain and vice captain have stood down and I think it is unlikely that they will keep their jobs.

I think all the nastiness that prefaced the cheating may have contributed to their behaviour but it is still no excuse.

[Grah]

The cheating by the Australian cricket team continues to dominate all news media in Australia.

Cricket Australia says it is considering significant sanctions against Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

Cricket Australia's James Sutherland, who urgently flew out to South Africa when it became obvious the whole country was up in arms, says an investigation finds just three players (Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft) were involved in ball-tampering scandal. All three have been ordered home from South Africa and are likely to face lengthy bans. Apparently no other persons had knowledge, including Darren Lehmann, who remains as head coach.

Steve Smith has certainly blown it, coming from the Ashes series against England, when he was being compared to Australian cricket legend Don Bradman. It gets worse, because there is now talk of cheating in that series.

Wicket-keeper Tim Paine has been appointed captain of Australia. Batsmen Matt Renshaw, Glenn Maxwell and Joe Burns have flown into South Africa as replacements.

The condemnation of politicians, past players and nearly all Aussies is, I am sure, not what Steve Smith foresaw when he admitted to the press about cheating. Bit of a fool, actually. Not for admitting it but for indulging in it. However, Tweets by Smith suggest there is more to come out:

"Michael Clarke
✔
@MClarke23

The truth, The full story, Accountability and Leadership- until the public get this Australian cricket is in deep shit!
4:04 AM - Mar 28, 2018"

[Grah]

And now it seems that Cricket Australia, the organisation responsible for the team, are also in trouble for a lack of decisiveness:

www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-28/cricket- ... on/9596850

[Grah]

One often gets the feeling from politicians, business leaders and other personalities, when they are apologising, that they don't really mean it. However, with this cricket ball-tampering affair, I believe two of the participants are genuinely sorry for the harm they have done, not only to the cricket world, but to the Australian image generally - particularly as to how kids might get the wrong message. We have received some really heartfelt apologies from Captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft. Here is Smith actually breaking down when making an apology at his arrival back in Australia last night:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-29/s ... al/9603670

I don't know about David Warner yet. He is a slightly different kettle of fish and seems to have been the main instigator. He was also talking about legally fighting the sanctions imposed by Cricket Australia.

The latest news is that an emotional Darren Lehmann has announced he will step down as Australian cricket coach at the end of the fourth Test match against South Africa, saying his family has faced backlash over the ball-tampering scandal. Lehmann was apparently not involved in deciding to carry out the ball tampering and only saw it on the TV monitors at the same time everyone else picked it up.

What with Cardinal George Pell, presently on leave from the Vatican and in court fighting historical sexual offence charges involving multiple complainants, the Australian way of life is not looking too good at present.

[Grah]

David Warner, Vice Captain and the remaining member of the cheating Aussie cricketers has now made his statement, which was turned out to be very similar to that made by Steve Smith the captain - even to breaking down during the statement.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-31/d ... es/9606696

Personally, I believe that Cricket Australia has done a lousy job in overseeing the culture of cricket and that its Chairman, James Sutherland ought to step down also. In terms of the punishments dished out, they certainly are much harsher than those imposed on previous ball tampering offenders. For instance, the South African captain was only suspended for a couple of games when he was guilty of the same offence. He said as much in his comment on the situation and obviously shows some sympathy for the three Aussie's punishments - a 12-month ban for Steve Smith and David Warner, and nine months for Cameron Bancroft. Other famous cricketers have expressed similar feelings.

[Grah]

The new-look Aussie men's team is not doing so good in South Africa after the cheats were sent home, but our Aussie women are putting up a great show and have set a new international women's T20 record total of 4-209 as they downed England in the final of the tri-series in Mumbai.

[Grah]

Cheating Aussies enrol some insect support in the South Africa test :

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-01/q ... ng/9608460