As I woke this morning to the news coming out of South Africa that Cameron Bancroft had been caught tampering with the ball during the Third Test, I was stunned. Surely not?? Cheating is unAustralian. It goes against everything we as a nation hold dear. Surely I misheard and Bancroft had actually caught someone else doing it??
Nope. It's true. Bancroft was caught altering the condition of the ball with tape, then hiding the tape down his trousers. Bancroft himself admitted it, then the bombshell came. This decision wasn't just a lone error in judgment from a young cricketer making his way in the game. It came from higher up. It was discussed and agreed upon as a course of action by the Australian Cricket leadership group. That's Captain Steve Smith, Vice Captain David Warner and a few other senior players (and I'd be genuinely surprised if Coach Darren Lehmann wasn't in these discussions as well). Smith and Bancroft have both admitted to intentionally cheating. Premeditated cheating. Not a rash decision made in the heat of battle, but knowingly taking the field with the intention to cheat.
What has happened to Australian Cricket? Had this "idea" been suggested when Allan Border, Steve Waugh or Mark Taylor been in charge, I have no doubt it would have been met with some very stern words and an affirmation that any team under their watch would have no part of it. How do we go from such strong ethical leadership, to a scenario where the idea is raised in a group of senior players, and it isn't met with "Guys, you're talking about cheating, that's not happening?"
Australia has always had a reputation for playing tough, uncompromising cricket, but always with integrity. Today that integrity has been lost. Australia will now be branded as cheats. Smith and Co have not only tarnished their own reputations, but the very fabric of the Baggy Green, and whilst we await a decision from the ICC on Bancroft's fate (surely he will be at least suspended), Cricket Australia needs to make a stand.
If it were up to me (and it isn't), Australia would forfeit the Test, Smith and Bancroft would be on next plane home, and the current leadership group would be stripped of their responsibilities. There would also be some very hard questions asked of Lehmann on his return at the end of the tour.
As a nation, Australians expect a very high standard when it comes to ethics in sport. We are among the loudest to condemn when someone is caught doping, or not acting within the spirit of the game. We screamed bloody murder when "Bodyline" tactics were used to curb the brilliance of Bradman. We condemned Muralitharan when he was called for a suspect bowling action, and many continued to do so even after his action was cleared. When Lance Armstrong finally came clean about his use of Performance Enhancing Dugs, Australians were among the loudest in the choir of condemnation. Even the Trevor Chappell "Underarm" incident was derided within Australia, and that was technically within the rules. It will take a long time for Australian Cricket to recover from the shame of this incident. We will be branded as cheats for a very, very long time.
Today, Australian Cricket has let me down. It has delivered shame to the once proud symbol that is the Baggy Green, and I don't know I can forgive. I certainly cannot support an Australian team where Steve Smith is still Captain.
Its just not cricket, Cheaters need to go, bring back some pride in Aussie Cricket
I agree. Anyone that was complicit in the decision to cheat needs to go.
for mine I hold warner and smith more accountable than bancroft.
1 year bans are long enough on the condition warner and smith never don the baggy green again, EVER.
Let them back to play T20, Sheffield Shield, IPL etc so they can still earn a living but if they ever play for Australia again I won't be watching.
Warner was almost certainly the mastermind behind the incident (possibly the only time anyone will ever call him a mastermind). Bancroft was the naive junior team member sucked in by Warner. I'm not convinced Smitglh had much to do with it until after the fact but felt the need to shoulder the blame to protect his teammates.
Yeah post amazing work done bro, keep it up my friend.
Thankyou. Just wrote this one from the heart.