It was an interesting comment.
So he’s given his position in the side to someone else.
That’s a good thing. Hopefully the person who takes his place in the side (a Renshaw, Burns or Big Show) doesn’t believe in cheating to the extent Cam does.
There is something that stood out to me in Smith’s press conference - for someone so passionate about the game and someone who clearly understood that it was the wrong thing to do and subsequently the consequences of making poor decisions - there are two things that need to be addressed:
- Why did he sanction the activity (if in fact, he did, I’m becoming less and less convinced that he is as involved in this as he is saying)
- David Warner’s position needs to be explained and potentially not just for this incident, its becoming obvious that he’s not liked within the team, yet seems to hold some power over and above having the VC next to his name
If Cricket Australia were smart, they should make Steve Smith explain his actions and the consequences in a way that kids can understand and see that he is genuinely remorseful - he has a lot of younger fans who are going to be confused by this whole sorry saga and if he wants to be a role model he should explain himself
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He was also asked whether ball tampering had ever occurred at any other time under his leadership.
He lied and said ‘No’.
That’s not a good start.
As ball manager, Dave Warner was tampering with the ball during the last test.
Who knows how many other incidents there have been.
This is the first time the Australians have been caught, but it beggers belief that they haven’t done it before under Smith’s leadership.
Contrition while lying is no contrition at all.
Didn’t catch it. What happened?
As I understand it…some idiot who works on K&JO’s radio program by the name of “Intern” (as he calls himself on social media, but I’m sure there’s actual media interns who are more professional than him) Peter Deppeler crashed the press conference to ask a stupid question about Married At First Sight or some other stupid reality TV program.
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Ball tampering seemed to be happening during the Ashes too.
There was footage of Bancroft putting sugar in his pockets during what appeared to be the Sydney Test.
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According to Jim Maxwell, Steve Smith saw David Warner talking with Cam Bancroft and said that “he didn’t want to know” what they were doing, turning a blind eye. It was complacent to say the least, but to Smith’s credit he took responsibility for his lack of action.
He’s (belatedly) proved his leadership mettle by taking the complete wrap for this, even though it’s clearly taken its toll. I reckon he’s probably got the public onside now…
Maxwell reckoned Warner’s seniority (compared to Smith) in the playing group was always a problem when it came to Smith’s captaincy and control over the dressing room. Smith gave Warner too much rope, enough to hang himself as it seems.
Crash Craddock reckoned CA gave Warner the VC to try and get him to conform (they never gave Warne a leadership role and had real trouble with him), but it’s backfired pretty badly.
It happens year on year at every level in small ways. In this case David Warner’s idea was so stupid that it beggars belief how he thought he could get away with it.
I’d admit that the SuperSport cameras in South Africa would have been looking for something like this, just as the Nine cameras went after Jimmy Anderson for picking the quarter seam.
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Yes, Super Sport has admitted fishing for stuff from Warner and Bancroft as they sensed something was up.
Darren Lehmann will resign as coach at the end of the series.
Opinion, rumour or fact?
He’s speaking in South Africa on FSN right now.
That said, there’s been so much #fakenews flying around it’s hard to know anything.
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Fact, press conference just finished on FSN and ABC News 24.
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A big night, he wanted to clear his name but now after seeing the toll on the other guys with their press conferences and it’s become too much.
I hope that the guys involved all get the emotional support they need. They f’d up, no denying that but they can come back from this (except Warner it seems) and be better for it.
This is going to be a write-off fourth test, no way the Aussies can perform to standard with this build up. Will be interesting to see how Tim Paine goes with the responsibility. I think he can do it but this is one hell of a way to be thrown in the deep end.
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Warne spent 12 months out of the game and came back without (significant) damage to his image of course. The road for redemption has been paved for some time.
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Yep, was thinking that when watching the coverage a few days ago.
And I think that is the right decision too.
He needed to take responsibility for allowing the “culture” of the Australian team to develop to this point where it’s cheating, lies and cover ups.
The constant sledging and poor behaviour with very little action taken was the platform that set this up, which had these guys thinking that they could get away with anything.
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Darren Lehmann has announced his resignation after nearly 5 years as coach. This came following the ball-tampering controversy that happened under a week ago.
I liked him as a Coach and he seemed to bring some joy back to the team but some of these rogue incidents seemed to be getting bigger and more frequent without proper management.
Talk of Ricky Ponting as an outsider for the coaching gig - could be a Tassie Captain and Coach with Paine and Ponting.
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I doubt they’d throw Ponting into the deep end, he’s had very little experience. He’s been begging for a coaching role for a while though so I reckon they might make him an assistant coach or a mentor. He’s got a good cricket mind and also a good moral core (one of the few team members who paid attention to John Buchanan’s philosophy lectures in the dressing room).
As for coach, it’ll be Langer or Gillespie. I’m favouring Gillespie because the boys aren’t rebellious, they’re lost, and Gillespie is very good at bringing a team together. Langer has a bit more edge and is a hard worker but that could turn people off.
Ponting had a short experience as coach of Australian Twenty20 team during the recent tri-series, but a full-time role would take much more of his time, given his own charity Ricky Ponting Foundation.