Cricket's duty of care to Steven Smith

[Junaids]

Yes, you read that right.

I am the first to say that the ICC has never treated Ball Tampering seriously enough and has created a culture in which all teams test the boundaries.

I am also the first to say that Australia has gone way beyond the boundaries of "acceptable" ball tampering, just as Pakistan did in the 1990's. (Please note, Imran Khan won his libel case not on the basis that tampering wasn't proven but on the basis that Lamb and Botham's comments were unreasonable. The Aaqib Javed footage in which Richie Benaud exclaimed "Steady On!" was irrefutable).

I thought that Cricket Australia should have called Smith and Bancroft back to Australia in mid-Test once they had confessed. Australia would have lost with 9 men but the integrity of the game would be intact.

But now, for the second time in a month (the first was after the Candice Warner abuse) I am concerned - as a practising psychiatrist - that the witch hunt under way could lead a player to contemplate suicide.

The weak initial responses of both the ICC and Cricket Australia led to public opinion here in Australia becoming vengeful and murderous against Smith, Warner and Lehmann in particular. Even the Prime Minister weighed in.

The mob wanted blood, and Cricket Australia delivered it by taking Smith and Warner's heads on a platter immediately before the start of play in Cape Town on Day 4.

I understand that after the pay dispute several months ago there is no love from Cricket Australia for Smith or Warner.

But as the employer Cricket Australia has a Duty of Care to its employees.

At the end of the day, the actions of Smith and Bancroft were no worse than my former classmate Mike Atherton scuffing the ball with dirt or Vernon Philander using the zip on his trousers to rough up the ball.

Smith has lost the most respected job in the nation. He is a figure of contempt and of anger who probably cannot even safely return home for now. He is about to lose the captaincy, and will probably follow Kim Hughes in discovering that he will never play for Australia again.

Steve Smith committed an appalling act of premeditated cheating. But he must be a broken man, and he deserves the care of his employers and the good wishes of all cricket lovers.

And he must not be goaded into following David Bairstow, Peter Roebuck and Sid Barnes into being a cricketer who kills himself.

 

[Convict]

Smith is not getting a permanent ban.

Man you love your hyperbole.

 

[jagatk]

Why do you Australians love hyperbole so much? CA trying to gauge reaction by leaking life ban threat. You asking us not treat smith badly as he might kill himself, I know you don't think through your BCCI related posts but atleast on other topics think before posting.

 

[Junaids]

Smith is not getting a permanent ban.

Man you love your hyperbole.

I don't think he will get a permanent ban.

Kim Hughes didn't.

Kevin Pietersen didn't.

Ken Rutherford didn't.

But all three former national captains ended up on the receiving end of a lifetime of blame from their Boards, and were never selected again.

I stood beside Cricket Australia Chairman David Peever outside the main gates at Port Elizabeth two weeks ago while we each waited for our transport back to our respective hotels. I loathe the man because of his headkicking attitude to his employees at Rio Tinto and indeed Cricket Australia.

Do you think he would ever allow Smith to be selected again? I very, very much doubt it.

I think that Cricket Australia will fine Smith heavily, remove the captaincy and terminate his national contract. In theory he could be picked again next summer.

But he will take a long sabbatical like AB De Villiers. And play IPL and other T20 leagues.

And probably never wear the Baggy Green again.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

Yeah nah... Smith isn't getting banned or being made an example of.

A captain plotting to cheat is unheard of, all those other incidents were down to careless attitude of the players or just mere desperation which led to the act.

This on the other hand was a planned act. So yes he shouldn't be banned for life, he won't be unless CA lose their marbles.

But a precedent has to be set, as a captain he's let his players and nation down and they are rightfully ******. And for that he has to be given a harsh punishment, sacking from captaincy being the minimum.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

If all players were to be banned for life for ball tempering then half of the cricketers wouldn't be playing today. A lot of people are overreacting, but in the end he broke a rule for which he got punished. He already is an example as he lost his captaincy and will be reprimanded by the CA.

Banning a cricketer for a longer period whose intention was to win the game is absurd. Also a bit unfair as many cricketers incl some legends of the game have gotten away with this. Hope Smith and co learn from this.

 

[Convict]

[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] he will be back. At worst he will miss the world cup and Ashes but I consider that unlikely.

 

[Cozyrensetter]

Smith is being hounded for being honest.Its as if he sold his country for petty dollars.
Yes he cheated but he did it to win a match for his country.The reactions i feel are over the top.He looked devasted towards the end of test match.
I find it amusing that people are going back and looking at all instances where Australia got reverse swing and saying they must have done ball tampering.
Really feel for him.When I first saw him in 2011 World cup i was laughing at him as he a joke of a cricketer.Could neither bat nor bowl properly just like our SIR JADEJA.
But what a transformed cricketer he is now.Everybody makes mistakes.People calling for life-bans have gone mad.
He should stay away from cricket till the India series at least and come back strong.

 

[Convict]

Actually [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] Warner may not play for Australia again. Smith definitely will because apparently this wasn't his idea and he also doesn't have a massive wrap sheet.

 

[cricketworm]

Why is there lots of 'I' in the post? Sounds funny.

How do you know he is anywhere close to being suicidal? Let him feel the pain a little, we are way too early for sympathy bandwagon.

 

[UN talkz]

Actually [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] Warner may not play for Australia again. Smith definitely will because apparently this wasn't his idea and he also doesn't have a massive wrap sheet.

Read a lot about all this saga but [MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION] how is the atmosphere in Australia re this saga and how have people reacted??? Do they really want a lifer for Warner and Smith

 

[USofA]

Will have to wait on whether or not Smith and Warner play for Aus. But they have not lost their jobs at the IPL.

Though Smith has been fired as captain of Rajasthan Royals, he is still in the team. Which means he gets a paycheck. Not sure about Warner though. No communication from Sunrisers....yet.

 

[Slog]

Will have to wait on whether or not Smith and Warner play for Aus. But they have not lost their jobs at the IPL.

Though Smith has been fired as captain of Rajasthan Royals, he is still in the team. Which means he gets a paycheck. Not sure about Warner though. No communication from Sunrisers....yet.

IPL is least of their worries and I doubt they have even thought about it at this point

Smith wouldn't have shed a single tear on losing an IPL captaincy. Bigger things are at stake

 

[Buffet]

OP is just being dramatic like all his other threads.

 

[TM Riddle]

What a thread

 

[Junaids]

OP is just being dramatic like all his other threads.

I must refer you to “By His Own Hand” by David Frith.

Cricket has a long history of suicides. Everyone who has ever watched Steve Smith bat knows that he struggles with severe nervous tics.

I have never met the guy, let alone examined him, so I don’t know whether he has an anxiety disorder or a combination of Tourette’s disorder and OCD.

Either way, he is currently a very vulnerable young man.

 

[Hasan123]

One thing i don't understand is how people are saying ball tampering isn't planned in the past. Most other incidents have happend when players have had foreign objects. So bringing an object onto the pitch is obviously planned. It's not like players have found bottle caps on the pitch and thought oh let's ball tamper.

Smith shouldn't get a life ban. Hopefully he is allowed to continue to play for Australia.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

One thing i don't understand is how people are saying ball tampering isn't planned in the past. Most other incidents have happend when players have had foreign objects. So bringing an object onto the pitch is obviously planned. It's not like players have found bottle caps on the pitch and thought oh let's ball tamper.

Smith shouldn't get a life ban. Hopefully he is allowed to continue to play for Australia.

Good post! The Aussie attitude to 'drawing the line' is despicable and I abhor but this overreaction towards tampering is laughable. Also a lot of folks were acting like this has never been planned in the past. What a joke! Every team has done it in a planned manner in the past. I don't get this holier than thou attitude towards tampering now that OZ are doing it. And Michael Vaughan of all people . Sonebody needs to remind him that if it weren't for tampering England would not have won the Ashes in 05 - supposedly their greatest triumph!

 

[TM Riddle]

Good post! The Aussie attitude to 'drawing the line' is despicable and I abhor but this overreaction towards tampering is laughable. Also a lot of folks were acting like this has never been planned in the past. What a joke! Every team has done it in a planned manner in the past. I don't get this holier than thou attitude towards tampering now that OZ are doing it. And Michael Vaughan of all people . Sonebody needs to remind him that if it weren't for tampering England would not have won the Ashes in 05 - supposedly their greatest triumph!

You know there's something oddly wrong when average bowlers such as Simon Jones are swinging the bowl by miles which is precisely what happened in 2005 ashes. English players , former and current should be the last one to take the moral high ground in matters such as these.

 

[Gubol123]

One thing i don't understand is how people are saying ball tampering isn't planned in the past. Most other incidents have happend when players have had foreign objects. So bringing an object onto the pitch is obviously planned. It's not like players have found bottle caps on the pitch and thought oh let's ball tamper.

Smith shouldn't get a life ban. Hopefully he is allowed to continue to play for Australia.

no individual player will do any ball tampering and put his career on the block. it is always a team strategy. Team is aware of what is being done and who is the expert.. it is really naive to think otherwise.. i agree with you completely here

 

[Hasan123]

no individual player will do any ball tampering and put his career on the block. it is always a team strategy. Team is aware of what is being done and who is the expert.. it is really naive to think otherwise.. i agree with you completely here

Ball tampering is something which is planned beforehand . Don't understand why people are so shocked that it's been planned before hand. Of course it's been planned before hand.

 

[Hasan123]

Good post! The Aussie attitude to 'drawing the line' is despicable and I abhor but this overreaction towards tampering is laughable. Also a lot of folks were acting like this has never been planned in the past. What a joke! Every team has done it in a planned manner in the past. I don't get this holier than thou attitude towards tampering now that OZ are doing it. And Michael Vaughan of all people . Sonebody needs to remind him that if it weren't for tampering England would not have won the Ashes in 05 - supposedly their greatest triumph!

The reaction has been OTT. Ball tampering is something which all teams take part in. Bancroft was just caught .

Also Anderson and Broad have had allegations thrown at them. England and South Africa are no one to have hollier than thou attitude.

 

[USofA]

IPL is least of their worries and I doubt they have even thought about it at this point

Smith wouldn't have shed a single tear on losing an IPL captaincy. Bigger things are at stake

Actually they have. At least Smith has. In the midst of all that is going on, he has taken the time to discuss/inform the Royals that he is stepping down as captain. I was wrong in saying he was fired. So IPL is on their minds.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

You know there's something oddly wrong when average bowlers such as Simon Jones are swinging the bowl by miles which is precisely what happened in 2005 ashes. English players , former and current should be the last one to take the moral high ground in matters such as these.

Ignorance.

It was a dry summer with dry pitches.

Ideal for reverse. No need to tamper.

 

[austerlitz]

Life ban would be stupid and excessive if amir the fixer can come back with 5 yr ban.6 month or year ban at most.
He has already lost captaincy,legacy tranished,will lose his endorsements and be humiliated forver.Its enough.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Really hope that both get banned. Also they investigate and find out that Starc, Hazelwood, and Pattinson were in the thick of things too.

All five get long bans while Smith and Warner are banned forever.

All five of them become globe trotting cricketing mercenaries playing IPL, CPL, BPL, PSL, whatever South Africa come up with, and the English t20 league.

Test cricket in Australia dies but before that India wins a series over there because honestly, other Aussie players are just below par.

 

[Convict]

Read a lot about all this saga but [MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION] how is the atmosphere in Australia re this saga and how have people reacted??? Do they really want a lifer for Warner and Smith

Its really weird because the whole country is angry and not just the cricket fans.

Many do in fact want life bans - for Bancroft as well - or at the very least would not consider life bans over the top.

 

[Convict]

You know there's something oddly wrong when average bowlers such as Simon Jones are swinging the bowl by miles which is precisely what happened in 2005 ashes. English players , former and current should be the last one to take the moral high ground in matters such as these.

Marcus Trescothick admitted in his book to spending months determining what set of lollies had the greatest effect on the ball.
Vaughan apparently expects us to believe had no idea what his vice captain was doing.

 

[DeadBall]

Marcus Trescothick admitted in his book to spending months determining what set of lollies had the greatest effect on the ball.
Vaughan apparently expects us to believe had no idea what his vice captain was doing.

Now that's some dedication, may even be called single minded commitment to a cause by some. Either way his kids would have been really happy seeing the abundance of "research material" available.

 

[shokz1408]

Coming from the field of psychology, I also thought because of what has happened, the players could contemplate suicide. I mean their whole life has just changed in a matter of hours, stripped of captaincy, branded cheats, bans. I feel some of their pain, and would not want to be in their shoes. I can just imagine how they feel, it actually feels like they have been caught with murder, that is how it has been portrayed.

 

[kingusama92]

Coming from the field of psychology, I also thought because of what has happened, the players could contemplate suicide. I mean their whole life has just changed in a matter of hours, stripped of captaincy, branded cheats, bans. I feel some of their pain, and would not want to be in their shoes. I can just imagine how they feel, it actually feels like they have been caught with murder, that is how it has been portrayed.

Indeed their issue is worse than normal since it came out of nowhere.

No one has EVER reacted like this to ball tampering. I'm shocked as a neutral looking at what the Australian fans are doing to their own.

Faf, Afridi, Atherton, Waqar, and many others have all got inconsequential fines/bans and here's Smith looking at 6-12 months (or life!).

I mean even the ICC is like..."yeah that'll be 3 demerit points + 1 match ban."

 

[shokz1408]

Indeed their issue is worse than normal since it came out of nowhere.

No one has EVER reacted like this to ball tampering. I'm shocked as a neutral looking at what the Australian fans are doing to their own.

Faf, Afridi, Atherton, Waqar, and many others have all got inconsequential fines/bans and here's Smith looking at 6-12 months (or life!).

I mean even the ICC is like..."yeah that'll be 3 demerit points + 1 match ban."

Exactly haha, this is surreal. They are going to destroy some of their best batsmen themselves. Not just per Cricket, destroy them as human beings. Taking everything away from them. I'm shocked at what lengths they are considering going too, it's brutal. ICC has given punishment according to the crime. CA on the other hand, seem to have found the biggest traitors to Australian cricket.

 

[Pakistanian]

OP is just being dramatic like all his other threads.

He's not being dramatic. People do contemplate suicide at times like this. CA has a responsibility as an employer.

 

[Convict]

Indeed their issue is worse than normal since it came out of nowhere.

No one has EVER reacted like this to ball tampering. I'm shocked as a neutral looking at what the Australian fans are doing to their own.

Faf, Afridi, Atherton, Waqar, and many others have all got inconsequential fines/bans and here's Smith looking at 6-12 months (or life!).

I mean even the ICC is like..."yeah that'll be 3 demerit points + 1 match ban."

Same reason why Australia didn't have any chuckers back when it was openly tolerated. We didn't want to have chuckers in our team and we don't want organised, blatant cheating.

 

[giri26]

Indeed their issue is worse than normal since it came out of nowhere.

No one has EVER reacted like this to ball tampering. I'm shocked as a neutral looking at what the Australian fans are doing to their own.

Faf, Afridi, Atherton, Waqar, and many others have all got inconsequential fines/bans and here's Smith looking at 6-12 months (or life!).

I mean even the ICC is like..."yeah that'll be 3 demerit points + 1 match ban."

You are missing out the English team of the 2005 Ashes and Faf himself who was caught tampering and admitted to the offence as well. None of them were banned for life.

 

[HitWicket]

Marcus Trescothick admitted in his book to spending months determining what set of lollies had the greatest effect on the ball.
Vaughan apparently expects us to believe had no idea what his vice captain was doing.

Eh? He admitted to trying a commonly used type and finding it too dry so trying another type and finding it worked better for him?

On the other hand though if what Trescothick admitted to doing was illegal the majority of players who shine the ball in cricket right now would be banned

 

[Convict]

Eh? He admitted to trying a commonly used type and finding it too dry so trying another type and finding it worked better for him?

On the other hand though if what Trescothick admitted to doing was illegal the majority of players who shine the ball in cricket right now would be banned

The ICC didn't even see fit to suspend Bancroft for a single ban. The lack of suspensions means nothing.

 

[HitWicket]

The ICC didn't even see fit to suspend Bancroft for a single ban. The lack of suspensions means nothing.

Let's rephrase it to sanctioned then.

 

[kingusama92]

Same reason why Australia didn't have any chuckers back when it was openly tolerated. We didn't want to have chuckers in our team and we don't want organised, blatant cheating.

Okay.

Warne + Waugh = Fixing
Warne = Steroids (doping)

Each time the players were allowed back and on top of this Warne is hailed as a hero despite involvement in BOTH!

Yet chucking or ball tampering are unacceptable?



Is Australia on another planet where all of this makes sense?

 

[Vildoc]

Now that's some dedication, may even be called single minded commitment to a cause by some. Either way his kids would have been really happy seeing the abundance of "research material" available.

Brilliant reply @Deadpool

 

[AMSS]

Okay.

Warne + Waugh = Fixing
Warne = Steroids (doping)

Each time the players were allowed back and on top of this Warne is hailed as a hero despite involvement in BOTH!

Yet chucking or ball tampering are unacceptable?



Is Australia on another planet where all of this makes sense?

Australia is not on another planet, nor are they some special breed with lofty morals.

The current case is getting the traction because of visuals. Do not underestimate the impact of this simple fact. Imagine if there were a videotape of Warne sitting with a known bookie, sharing drinks, and talking about pitches and match outcome.

You think he'd have gotten away with what he did?

 

[CricketAnalyst]

I don't think he will get a permanent ban.

Kim Hughes didn't.

Kevin Pietersen didn't.

Ken Rutherford didn't.

But all three former national captains ended up on the receiving end of a lifetime of blame from their Boards, and were never selected again.

I stood beside Cricket Australia Chairman David Peever outside the main gates at Port Elizabeth two weeks ago while we each waited for our transport back to our respective hotels. I loathe the man because of his headkicking attitude to his employees at Rio Tinto and indeed Cricket Australia.

Do you think he would ever allow Smith to be selected again? I very, very much doubt it.

I think that Cricket Australia will fine Smith heavily, remove the captaincy and terminate his national contract. In theory he could be picked again next summer.

But he will take a long sabbatical like AB De Villiers. And play IPL and other T20 leagues.

And probably never wear the Baggy Green again.

There's a problem with this.

This has just begun. Smith might be contrite now. I doubt he thinks $5 million is neither here nor there. If he finds out this sort of punishment is in the offing, he'll probably threaten to reveal that every single guy in the team and coaching staff and perhaps higher up knew exactly what was happening.

That along with a torrent of lawsuits.

 

[Convict]

There's a problem with this.

This has just begun. Smith might be contrite now. I doubt he thinks $5 million is neither here nor there. If he finds out this sort of punishment is in the offing, he'll probably threaten to reveal that every single guy in the team and coaching staff and perhaps higher up knew exactly what was happening.

That along with a torrent of lawsuits.

That level of punishment isn't happening. Smith will miss the world cup and Ashes at most.

 

[London_Lahori]

I very rarely get the time to post nowadays, but whenever I do I’m guaranteed to see an OTT thread/post by the thread starter.

 

[kingusama92]

Australia is not on another planet, nor are they some special breed with lofty morals.

The current case is getting the traction because of visuals. Do not underestimate the impact of this simple fact. Imagine if there were a videotape of Warne sitting with a known bookie, sharing drinks, and talking about pitches and match outcome.

You think he'd have gotten away with what he did?

I agree.

But numerous players have been caught tampering the ball/pitch on camera. No one has ever been treated like this.

We have seen Australians fixing, doping, and getting caught up in fights (Ponting, Warner) with lesser reactions. Am I to believe ball tampering is worse?

It's like ignoring murderers and rapists but getting mad at the guy who forgot to pay his electricity bill.

 

[dani2k]

Looking at the aftermath of the Sydney test in 2008 and the Australian public's reaction to Anil Kumble's "only one team...." comment and the current falllout of the ball tampering incident, as a neutral I can only draw the following conclusions

- The Australian society takes its sports very seriously and the line that they compete hard but fair is something they see as set in stone.
- Cricket is their national sport and in fact Australia as a test nation predates their nationhood itself and so the emotional bonding to the sport is something that perhaps only an Australian would be able to comment on. Perhaps there is a sense of nationalistic pride that is linked to Test cricket.
- "Compete hard but Fair' - this saying is directly in conflict with being called a cheat. I think this is an insult to any Australian - I have seen many of them getting riled up (Gambir's run in with one of the Australian players comes to mind and this exact word was in the mix).

So a few players bringing disrepute to the values which they have set in their hearts (that too on foreign soil) and which they expect someone representing them to follow without fail could be the reason why the Australian public feels so strongly about this. Respect to them for that.

The ICC's way of looking at things might be very different from the way the Australians look at it and handle it (I feel it is lenient on Smith - Bancroft could be looked on leniently because of how much he has played). After the ICC has made its stand known, it becomes an entirely internal issue of CA , their players and fans. So any decision that they take should be respected and not commented on..

 

[CricketAnalyst]

That level of punishment isn't happening. Smith will miss the world cup and Ashes at most.

If he's not playing till 2019, he is missing out on $5 million.

I doubt any player or sane person would be cool losing that much money on what would be one of the most grossly disproportionate punishments in the history of his sport, if everyone in his whole squad was party to exactly the same offence as him.

I detest the guy. I hope it happens to him, but I doubt any sane person would accept this punishment without raising hell once they've had a word with their lawyers.

 

[Amjid Javed]

A Year ban or a ban which ends after the 2019 world cup should suffice for these cheats.

 

[Zahid87]

Marcus Trescothick admitted in his book to spending months determining what set of lollies had the greatest effect on the ball.
Vaughan apparently expects us to believe had no idea what his vice captain was doing.

Who draws the line between Sandpaper/Tape and Murray Mints?

To me, they are both 'foreign objects' and don't belong on the cricket field.

Yet England carry on as if the Murray Mints in 2005 was a great triumph. It was no secret among county cricket that Murray Mints worked best on the Duke ball for reverse swing. Everyone in the set up knew what Trescothick was doing. Not a one-off brain fade...but a concerted effort to get the ball to behave differently. And it continues to happen, unabated.

How is that laughed off, yet Smith/Bancroft seen as the end of the world?

I also don't buy this guff that a 'junior' player was chosen to take the fall, making the offence more heinous. I see no reason to believe that Bancroft was picked because he is 'junior'. They picked a member of the team...could have been anyone, just happened to be 'Bangers'. Smith even came out and tried to take the heat off him by sharing the responsibility across the leadership group.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

I agree.

But numerous players have been caught tampering the ball/pitch on camera. No one has ever been treated like this.

We have seen Australians fixing, doping, and getting caught up in fights (Ponting, Warner) with lesser reactions. Am I to believe ball tampering is worse?

It's like ignoring murderers and rapists but getting mad at the guy who forgot to pay his electricity bill.

Exactly. I think they are simply scapegoating Smith now. This is unfair on him.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

You know there's something oddly wrong when average bowlers such as Simon Jones are swinging the bowl by miles which is precisely what happened in 2005 ashes. English players , former and current should be the last one to take the moral high ground in matters such as these.

Exactly. Ex players acting like saints when they should be the last ones talking.

 

[Mamba Red]

Smith will not get a life ban.

The punishment will be severe but life ban? What did he do? Kill someone? Or match fix?

Even match fixers never got a life ban.

Some of the rubbish people are coming up with is amazing.

 

[shokz1408]

Exactly. I think they are simply scapegoating Smith now. This is unfair on him.

They need a scapegoat, so the public are happy. It's like a police case, the public is satisfied once there's a criminal found, punishment named. It's good to see them taking it serious in the sense that they are coming accross as we want to play hard and fair cricket and this is against our culture. However, this has been happening on the international scene, and so they should be punished accordingly.

Perhaps either extreme is not suitable, 3 - 6 months shouldn't be too bad as there's only so much cricket you play between then. But 1 year, that would be too much, and could end careers. They should want the ban to be enough so the players learn from their mistakes, but not that long that they become defined by their mistakes. Anything 1 year or over will likely worsen the players mental health, the longer it is the less hope they'll have.

 

[Junaids]

As expected, his press conference showcased a broken man.

Cricket Australia needs to look after him.

 

[Rishta Aunty]

Steve Smith is being hung out to dry as a public criminal. It's like some medieval public shaming.

Punishment that is completely out of the line with the crime. Looks like the media outrage machine has found a good new victim.

Other absolute legends of the game have done it and got away with nothing. Disgraceful.

 

[jagatk]

Steve Smith is being hung out to dry as a public criminal. It's like some medieval public shaming.

Punishment that is completely out of the line with the crime. Looks like the media outrage machine has found a good new victim.

Other absolute legends of the game have done it and got away with nothing. Disgraceful.

Sutherland clarified this in his interview, the severe punishment was for the impact it had on the standing of cricket in Australia not for the crime itself.

 

[Oligochaetes]

As expected, his press conference showcased a broken man.

Cricket Australia needs to look after him.

You are right. It's high time the media stops this witch hunt and let him be. Let him recover. Leave him in peace. The backlash has been ridiculously out of proportion to the crime.

 

[Mamba Red]

Smith is mentally broken.

Sad to see but he did it he needs to do his time.

Come back stronger that ever.

 

[ravisurya]

People seem to forget that even after they were caught cheating they came to the press conference and lied abt the sandpaper. Also anyone who thinks this was a one off is delusional. Maybe if not for the tampering with they would have won the ashes or the series in New Zealand etc.

 

[Rishta Aunty]

Sutherland clarified this in his interview, the severe punishment was for the impact it had on the standing of cricket in Australia not for the crime itself.

Exactly, and that impact on the standing was to a large extent precipitated by the media firestorm that was nurtured and piled on.

Was what Smith did worthy of punishment? Of course.

Was his case more unique that some others? For sure.

Was his case, befitting of the punishment he received? No chance.

 

[jagatk]

Exactly, and that impact on the standing was to a large extent precipitated by the media firestorm that was nurtured and piled on.

Was what Smith did worthy of punishment? Of course.

Was his case more unique that some others? For sure.

Was his case, befitting of the punishment he received? No chance.

Was it really? Media piled on but it was Aussie public at large that created the furore the views of Australians on Twitter Facebook this forum were very clear on what they thought of this incident and those involved.

People wanted heads on the block and they have got them. This game is about the public and they asked for harsh punishments and while the punishment is harsh it is a good thing as next time such a thing happens every one including ICC will have to be tough on this.

 

[Junaids]

If you go back to the PakPassion Durban Match thread three weeks ago, or the Wellington one 25 months ago, I flagged very quickly that I thought that Smith’s Australia was engaged in industrial-strength ball tampering. The ball was reversing much sooner when they bowled, and much further.

The cameras don’t focus on the fielders’ hands: they only got caught at Cape Town because the ball reversed so early at Durban (27 overs!!!!!!!!!!) that Fanie De Villiers concluded that they were cutting one side of the ball and persuaded SuperSport to dedicate cameras to close up observation of the fielders.

Pay attention to the wording of Dave Warner’s tweet today. He is clearly considering coming out with a full public confession in order to implicate the teammates who have turned against him. If he says “we did it for the last two years and the whole team was in on it” then Cricket Australia and Smith will be in an impossible situation.

Which is part of why I think Smith is so distressed. I literally walked around the boundary at Wellington two years ago trying to see who was tampering with the ball, but Smith and Cricket Australia want us to believe that Newlands was the first time!

Cricket Australia’s carefully written narrative is at high risk of falling apart if Warner goes to the media, and I’m not surprised that Smith is so fearful and remorseful.

 

[kaayal]

If you go back to the PakPassion Durban Match thread three weeks ago, or the Wellington one 25 months ago, I flagged very quickly that I thought that Smith’s Australia was engaged in industrial-strength ball tampering. The ball was reversing much sooner when they bowled, and much further.

The cameras don’t focus on the fielders’ hands: they only got caught at Cape Town because the ball reversed so early at Durban (27 overs!!!!!!!!!!) that Fanie De Villiers concluded that they were cutting one side of the ball and persuaded SuperSport to dedicate cameras to close up observation of the fielders.

Pay attention to the wording of Dave Warner’s tweet today. He is clearly considering coming out with a full public confession in order to implicate the teammates who have turned against him. If he says “we did it for the last two years and the whole team was in on it” then Cricket Australia and Smith will be in an impossible situation.

Which is part of why I think Smith is so distressed. I literally walked around the boundary at Wellington two years ago trying to see who was tampering with the ball, but Smith and Cricket Australia want us to believe that Newlands was the first time!

Cricket Australia’s carefully written narrative is at high risk of falling apart if Warner goes to the media, and I’m not surprised that Smith is so fearful and remorseful.

Now am sure that you are a practising psychiatrist lol.

 

[Varun]

Smith can have a word with Stokes.

His comeback seems to be working out just fine.

 

[Sadevdesai]

Jails are full of people who are Sorry ..... should we just let them Out ????? Is Smith sorry that he cheated or that he got Caught ????

 

[hk031992]

This is absurd and disproportionate to the crime itself.

 

[Junaids]

Having attended the World Cup, I still fear for Steve Smith.

He hasn’t got the mental toughness of Dave Warner or the intellect and education of Cameron Bancroft.

At the World Cup he received a lot more abuse than Warner and he was clearly rattled by it.

And that was with predominantly Indian crowds. An Ashes crowd will be far more hostile.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Having attended the World Cup, I still fear for Steve Smith.

He hasn’t got the mental toughness of Dave Warner or the intellect and education of Cameron Bancroft.

At the World Cup he received a lot more abuse than Warner and he was clearly rattled by it.

And that was with predominantly Indian crowds. An Ashes crowd will be far more hostile.

Jus look at the way he batted under all these circumstances, he is cut from a different cloth.

 

[Junaids]

Jus look at the way he batted under all these circumstances, he is cut from a different cloth.

I saw him top score at the same ground in the World Cup Semi-Final less than a month ago. But the boos clearly distressed him more than Warner.

 

[Sir-fraz]

Doesnt matter if smith takes the boos a lot heavier then warner.

Clearly when it comes to game time smith is in another dimension.

He doesnt seem worried at all and lets the bat do the talking.

 

[barah_admi]

Duty of care? What about Smith's duty of care to the sport that has made him a very wealthy man and the fans that have made him world famous?

I hope he gets booed in every stadium, in every country.

 

[big_gamer007]

Hahaha got to love Junaids. After mamoon my second favourite poster on PP. Another masterpiece of a thread