Cricket

He’s Hank Scorpio?

I’m a little surprised that Sugar would work as ‘roughing agent’

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Wasn’t gum used a few years ago by a South African? Basically anything adhesive or with any grit can be used as something to tamper with the ball. The real problem here is the conspiracy and the fact that the leadership of the team apparently knew, devised and allowed the plan to occur.

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I am just so annoyed at Steve Smith. He, in my mind, is the greatest cricketer since Sir Donald Bradman. I am the first to admit the culture at Cricket Australia is that of arrogance but I do really feel for him and I so hope this isn’t the end of his career. It would be such a shame to see his career and captaincy removed because of this scandal.

Perhaps Cricket Australia need to look at the pressure they are putting on these cricketers to win.

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If anything, it highlights a broader cultural issue at CA as you said. Absolute pissweak showing from their CEO yesterday, either someone ignored their media training or was completely knocked for 6 by the story - although, if that were the case, surely you’d be making a few phone calls?!

The mind still boggles at this whole thing.

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Was.

He’s now compared to Lance Armstrong, which I’m completely fine with. Not many people get the chance to captain Australia, let alone play on the side, so he deserves no sympathy.

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Everyone makes mistakes. Ball tampering shouldn’t take away from the way he bats and fields. I understand your frustration with all this and you are completely entitled to your views and your lack of sympathy. But I do feel for him, the pressure he must be under as captain is obviously at an all time high for him to do this. He should be ashamed of himself. I am annoyed at him. But as I said I really hope this doesn’t jeopardise his playing career. Not getting to see Steve Smith bat again at international level would be devastating for a cricket fan like myself.

I don’t see why they felt the need to hear. Okay they were losing. Really is just evidence of a broader societal thing… people of that generation have no thought of consequence or perception. The mind boggles.

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Just a side note, Everyone seems to forget the incident before mintgate where Faf used his zipper on his pants to tamper with the ball in 2013. Does anyone remember how much of this was reported in Australian media?

An absurd take.

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Tendulkar has to be the greatest since Bradman

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The revelations over the years of Don Bradman’s alleged dodgy practices as a stockbroker in Adelaide have muddied his legendary status. Steve Smith’s status is looking to be similarly murky.

hes an agorant prick who needs to be banned you need your head read if you still think hes the greatest

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What has that got to do with the way he played cricket though or how good of a cricket player he was?

Well I guess an opinion is just that. But Tendulkar had an average of 54 with 51 hundreds. Steve Smith at the age of 62.5 with 22 hundreds. You are entitled to that opinion but I do think Steve Smith is, arguably, the greatest player since Don Bradman.

What has his arrogance got to do with how good of a cricketer he is? What has his personality got to do with how good of a player he is. You can still admire someone on talent even if someone thinks they are arrogant. I think sometimes people are clouded with their judgement because they don’t like someone.

This isn’t a mistake - this is making a decision that you are fully aware of the consequences of, allegations of which had already occurred in this test series.

Lance Armstrong can ride his bike a bloody long way, but he still cheated - same applies to Smudge. Both are eligible for being labelled cheats

He doesnt deserve any sympathy

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I know. And he deserves to be made accountable for it. It still is a mistake. As defined ‘an act or judgement that is misguided or wrong.’ Something he regrets. He should get sanctioned.

I think doping and ball tampering are completely different ways of cheating and shouldn’t be used in making the same judgment. You wouldn’t convict a murderer the same as you would with someone who accidentally hit a motor cyclist and killed them would you?

And again you are entitled to that opinion. As I am for my sympathy, yet disappointment, towards him. Hey I am the first to admit when Australia play I go for the opposition. I don’t like the culture at Cricket Australia and I too find the team quite arrogant. However, I find the way Steve Smith plays to be that of an absolute star and would be absolutely gutted if I didn’t get to see that again.

Seriously? Tendulkar played 200 test matches (Smith is nowhere near 100 tests) and has 100+ international hundreds (all 3 formats).

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Cheating is cheating, regardless of how you do it - the only difference between Armstrong and Smith is that one was involved in a systematic regime of cheating over a long period of time (against a single attempt, that we are aware of) and actively attempted to cover up/divert attention from/lie about their involvement in the cheating.

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Its an opinion mate. I appreciate that you disagree. I too thought Tendulkar was a great player. I just think Steve Smith is a better one. You are allowed to think Tendulkar is better and your arguments also suggest he is the greatest player since Bradman. As someone could probably argue Brian Lara was or Muttiah Muralitharan

Killing someone is killing someone. Yet you can get a suspended sentence for killing someone with a motor vehicle and life for murdering someone with a gun. Just saying. Its not all black and white.

Smith deserves little sympathy compared to the loads of kids who’ve just had their icon shattered. In terms of the damage he’s done to the next generation of players, I reckon Smith has fucked it big time.

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I am not denying that at all. I am only suggesting that perhaps the culture at Cricket Australia has something to answer for. Why did he feel the need to cheat? What pressure was he being put under?