The Age - What Turned Steve Smith Into A Cheat?

[MC Bad Genius]

Well, then we should ask why Maxwell hadn't said anything after the first 2 times?

Without proof it would've been a fool's errand. Who would he tell? Cricket Australia? They either already knew or would've justified it as gamesmanship that all other countries do. The ICC? The media?

 

[MC Bad Genius]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/what-turned-steve-smith-into-a-cheat-20180618-p4zm57.html

We all thought Smith was different. From 2014, when he first stepped into the role of Australian captain at the age of 25, he brought youthful enthusiasm and what looked to be ingrained decency to a side long known for surliness and swagger. He was open-faced, affable, as wholesome as a Weet-Bix ad. Also, he was a genius with a bat. Here was a cricketer everyone could like.

This is a fascinating article. Great to get such a breadth of interviews and has some stellar insights into the psyche of sports people generally, and the Australian cricket fraternity specifically. Is cricket writing the highest achiever of long form sports journalism? So many great articles!