Opinion Cricket thread

[Orange Peanut]

**** them all off. Utterly shithouse.

 

[Hojuman]

Jesus. Idiots. Wake up after the Cairns game thinking l'll check in here before looking at test score. You deserve to have the book thrown at you. Bans, fines, we don't care. You've lost fans through behaviour, now this.

No Steve. You are not the man to lead us.

How very, very disappointing.

 

[Barassi Scowl]

And Smith knew as well. Not just Bancroft but Aus cricket is in deep poo as well.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...t/news-story/78d386492bda42a8c269e270abe9da37


Red handed: Cameron Bancroft charged with ball tampering, Steve Smith admits complicity
Australia

• March 25, 2018 5:17am
• Jacob Kuriype@jacobkuriype
• Source: FOX SPORTS

Cameron Bancroft is spoken to by umpires.Source: AP
AUSTRALIAN opener Cameron Bancroft has been charged for ball tampering after being caught red handed using a foreign object to alter the state of the ball before attempting to hide the evidence.

In further bad news for Cricket Australia, captain Steve Smith confessed to being complicit in the tampering in an explosive post-match press conference that he fronted alongside the embattled opener.

Bancroft was shown rubbing his hands over the ball with a concealed yellow object shortly before tea on Saturday.

Soon after umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth met mid-pitch. As this was happening Bancroft took the yellow object, which he later stated was tape he was using to collect dirt to deposit on the ball in an effort to encourage reverse swing, and hid it down his pants.

This happened after a conversation between Bancroft and 12th man Peter Handscomb who had entered the field of play. When questioned by the umpires, Bancroft satisfied them that nothing suspicious was going on by showing them his sunglasses case.

The ruse did not last long however, with Bancroft charged with ball tampering shortly after the close of play — a level two breach of the ICC’s code of conduct which could land him a Test ban.

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Bancroft's suss pocket play

“I saw an opportunity to potentially use some tape to get some granules from the rough patches on the wicket and try to change the ball condition,” Bancroft said. “It didn’t work. Once cited on the screens and having done that I panicked quite a lot and that obviously resulted in me shoving it down my trousers.”


Smith revealed that the notion of tampering with the ball was first raised at lunch and concocted by an unnamed leadership group. He insisted that Darren Lehmann and the coaching staff were completely unaware of the plan.

“It’s not what we want to see in the game, it’s not what the Australian cricket team is about, and being the leader of the team I’m incredibly sorry for trying to bring he game into disrepute the way that we did today” Smith said.

“I’m not proud of what’s happened. It’s not within the spirit of the game. My integrity, the team’s integrity, the leadership group’s integrity has come into question and rightly so.

“It’s not on. It’s certainly not on and it won’t happen again under my leadership, I can promise you that.”



On the topic of his leadership, Smith said he would not be stepping down.

“I won’t be considering stepping down. I still think I’m the right person for the job.

“Today was a big mistake on my behalf and on the leadership group’s behalf as well but I take responsibility as the captain.

“I need to take control of the ship but this is certainly something I’m not proud of and something that I can hopefully learn from and come back strong from.”

The 28-year-old denied suggestions Friday’s actions should sully the impressive record Australia’s attack has had with the old ball this series. He maintains this is the first time it has happened under his captaincy, and was the result of the team’s desperation to win the decisive third Test in what has been a hotly contested series.

“You can ask questions as much as you like but I can promise you that this is the first time that it’s happened.

“This game was such an important game...we saw an opportunity obviously seeing the ball reversing quite a lot throughout this series and our ball just didn’t look like it was going to go. It’s such poor actions and deeply regrettable and it certainly won’t happen again under my leadership.”


Like his captain, Bancroft was left deeply embarrassed by his actions.

The 25-year-old cut a markedly different figure to the one who left the gallery in stitches just four months earlier with his recount of a peculiar greeting from Jonny Bairstow.

“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and I want to be here because I’m accountable for my actions as well,” he said.

“I’m not proud of what’s happened and I’ve got to live with the consequences, live with the damage to my own reputation that comes with it and do my best to move forward and play cricket.

“I sit before you today and I’m not proud of what’s happened at all.”

I love my cricket but the Aussies can be a tough mob to support.
I was hoping they would win this after the Rabada farce...and then this.
And for the skipper to be involved...Just embarrassing.

 

[fusion]

Are these guys stupid? There are high def cameras around every ground, cameras in stairwells, microphones in stumps etc... did they really think they would not be be caught? Smith has to be sacked as captain. He's spoken about taking responsibility but those are hollow words.

 

[Mav]

So very disappointing. Smith can not continue as captain and the media will make sure of it.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

Smith and Bancroft have to be suspended.

Just the arrogance of those involved thinking they could get away it. Unbelievable. Then you have Lehmann on the walkie talkie to Handscomb telling him to warn Bancroft after being caught. Wow.

Smith is under extreme pressure. I mentioned yesterday that he was struggling with the bat and that the South Africans were in his head but I didn't think he'd resort to this.

Australia's reputation had been dodgy but this is going to follow them and Smith in particular for the rest of his career.

 

[Hojuman]

Underarm again, only worse.

 

[Mav]

Aussies need to pull Bancroft from the game and play with 10 men for the rest of the test. Drop Smith as captain and give it to Hazlewood. ACB needs to take a tough stance immediately.

 

[Barassi Scowl]

Underarm again, only worse.

We are the * FC of the cricket world.

 

[Barassi Scowl]

Aussies need to pull Bancroft from the game and play with 10 men for the rest of the test. Drop Smith as captain and give it to Hazlewood. ACB needs to take a tough stance immediately.

Bancroft was just doing as he was told. The on and off field leaders are more culpable, along with out deeply ingrained shit culture.

 

[Mav]

Bancroft was just doing as he was told. The on and off field leaders are more culpable, along with out deeply ingrained shit culture.

The way Bancroft was speaking it sounded like his idea. End of the day it was he that did the act.

If Boof knew about it then he too has to go.

 

[Groucho]

Aussies need to pull Bancroft from the game and play with 10 men for the rest of the test. Drop Smith as captain and give it to Hazlewood. ACB needs to take a tough stance immediately.

Not sure that will happen but, Hazlewood! Would be Warner or Paine surely.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

How was Bancroft, after being told by Hanscomb he'd been sprung, casually take the sandpaper* from his pocket and put it down the front of his jocks. **** me

*I say sandpaper, Aussies say a piece of tape with chuncks of the pitch on it. Lol. Did they casually just grab some of the pitch mid over and stick it to the tape?

 

[Mav]

Not sure that will happen but, Hazlewood! Would be Warner or Paine surely.

Smith said the leadership group knew about it. You can’t make Warner captain if he was in on it. Payne, yeah that would be ok.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

Not sure that will happen but, Hazlewood! Would be Warner or Paine surely.

After last Test Warner is a no go. Mitch Marsh, come on down.

 

[Mav]

My lad had his cricket presentations last night. He probably loves his cricket more than his footy. I’m about to go and tell him is heros are cheats.

**** you Steve Smith.

 

[gokangas]

I love Smith but he is finished as captain. Sad way to end a stellar career. How can they be this stupid? They know there are cameras everywhere and they think they can get away with that crap? Smith should resign as captain on the basis of sheer stupidity let alone being a fugging cheat. Biggest day of shame for Aussie cricket since the underarm episode.

 

[Nate7]

With all the goings on of this test series there is no way Warner should be stand-in captain and I wouldn't even think about giving it to Starc.
Any of Marsh, Paine or even Handscomb should do it.

 

[fusion]

Underarm again, only worse.

That was technically legal, exploiting a loophole in the rules. But still against the spirit of the law.

What has just happened is blatant cheating.

 

[giantroo]

 

[gokangas]

The more I think about this the more I am just dumbfounded. Easy to say this was stupid, dumb, idiotic etc etc etc. But it is blatant, deliberate, planned cheating. Wow. How could Smith ruin his career in this way? They will all pay a massive price for this for a long time.

 

[fusion]

100% agree. Smith and Bancroft need to be on a plane back to Australia tomorrow to face a tribunal. Need to be suspended immediately.

I'm sickened that some of our best 11 cricketers that represent our country are cheats.

 

[SMaturin]

Is anyone really, reeeeally surprised?

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

The equivalent of performance enhancing drug taking in my mind - all involved to be suspended for 2-4 years.

 

[Mav]

Bancroft was just doing as he was told. The on and off field leaders are more culpable, along with out deeply ingrained shit culture.

Just watched the complete press conference, yeah Bancroft roped into it. That’s shocking. The leadership group has ruined the career of a young cricketer. There Ian no way any of them can stay in the game. ACB needs to sack the lot of them. And watching Boof on the walkie talkie, he has to go too. He should have dragged Bancroft off and sent him to the Match Referee as soon as he saw it.