Steve Smith and the Australians - Brave or stupid?

[Usman]

There is no doubt that what Steve Smith and the Australians did by tampering with the ball was wrong on every level.

However, we have all seen cricketers around the world do this and be caught - from Broad intentionally digging his spikes into the ball to Anderson intentionally picking the seam of the ball with his nails. Heck even Smith's opposite number, Faf, was caught on camera "changing the condition of the ball".

The difference between all the other incidents and this one however is simply this - Smith had the courage to own up to it. Meanwhile, despite blatantly clear evidence, guys like Broad, Anderson and Faf denied it like it never happened- in all those cases, no firm action was taken against the players despite just as clear evidence of ball tampering as we have now.

I have no issues with Cricket Australia and the ICC coming down like a ton of bricks on Smith. However, the same treatment must then also be dished out to all those players who, at the moment, get away with it simply by denying it ever happened. Surely that's even worse? It's very strange - no one would take a spot fixer's denial as evidence of their innocence, but with ball tampering, the opposite seems to be true.

This inconsistency in the way Smith and the others are treated means the only lesson which international cricketers will take from this is that, if you ball tamper, admitting to it is stupidity. Surely the lesson we want them to learn is don't ball tamper at all, because whether you admit it or not, you will be shown no mercy.

Does there need to be a radical re-think at the ICC, about how seriously the offence of ball tampering should be taken? Was Smith stupid for being so candid about what he and his team did?

 

[Convict]

The ICC isn't going to come down hard on Smith lmaa. Wet lettuce as usual.

CA on the other hand will be forced to do so.

 

[Buffet]

Individual boards can come down heavily on players if they think it's important. Individual board doesn't have to follow ICC or hide behind ICC taking action. Anyway, ICC is not going to come down hard here.

 

[pillionrider]

Not sure, but the Australian public and their board certainly deserve a lot of praise for ganging up and taking immediate action.

I don't think such a thing would have happened here in India.

 

[IndianFan2018]

BCCI too takes stern action in such cases... no matter what ICC does or punish player or not. If BCCI legal team finds that any IND player involved in any way in wrong things... they just ban them forever unofficially by never selecting them again in any form.

Even if player gets decision overturned by courts.
BCCI will continue the ban ..recent example

 

[Hasan123]

Once Bancroft was caught, he had to be honest.

 

[Smudger]

Once Bancroft was caught, he had to be honest.

Why?
Smith could have not admitted and moved on and no one would have cared about bancroft. The fact that he admitted shows how brave and honest he is. There is one thing making a mistake and another admitting it. Humans are bound to make mistakes. But Smith being the a leader didnt left bancroft burn alone

 

[Hasan123]

Why?
Smith could have not admitted and moved on and no one would have cared about bancroft. The fact that he admitted shows how brave and honest he is. There is one thing making a mistake and another admitting it. Humans are bound to make mistakes. But Smith being the a leader didnt left bancroft burn alone

The proof was clear. If he had lied about it, his reputation would have been tainted much more.

 

[Smudger]

The proof was clear. If he had lied about it, his reputation would have been tainted much more.

Tendulkar lied, du plessis lied

 

[Hasan123]

Tendulkar lied, du plessis l

Tendulkar wasn't charged. Faf was and if he lied it doesn't make him look any better.

 

[jagatk]

Why?
Smith could have not admitted and moved on and no one would have cared about bancroft. The fact that he admitted shows how brave and honest he is. There is one thing making a mistake and another admitting it. Humans are bound to make mistakes. But Smith being the a leader didnt left bancroft burn alone

The problem with this line of thinking is everyone knows Bancroft is the fall guy not the ultimate brains, so next time Smith wants his team standing with him on something they might drag their feet as who will trust such a guy.

Once the walkie talkie thing happened smith and Lehmann were done for as ICC may not punish them even CA might protect them but don't think Aussie players would have forgiven them for screwing over Bancroft.

 

[big_gamer007]

Brave? It’s not like he is fighting a war on the border.. There was clear cut evidence and he was man enough to own his mistake.. stop trying to portray like he did something brave..

 

[WC-Passion]

He wasn't completely honest or open about this. Remember, he's tried to fool people by saying that Lehmann wasn't involved, and hasn't named who is actually a part of the "leadership group". Also, he sounds more like he's regretting being caught doing this, rather than actual regretting the fact that he's broke the rules and got a rookie player involved, despite knowing the potential consequences (for his career).

He had to own up to this. The evidence was all there to see, and he's lied while doing so. Nothing brave about it.

 

[pillionrider]

The press conference by Steve Smith seems like a calculated one.

My theory is that he brought in the leadership group just to ensure that Warner and the other seniors get dragged in. Maximum he expected a ban or two and then he would be back captaining the side.

By bringing in the seniors, he thought he had left no strong option to lead the team bar him. Didn't figure the public outcry in Australia would go the way it did.

I loved this guy when he had just started playing for Australia, but over the years his personality has developed/manifested into something different from what it appeared to be when he debuted. For me, the Smith phenomenon began to unravel the time when Phil Hughes passed away.

 

[Wonderwoman]

Neither brave nor stupid. simply they are cheats and typical school yard bullies.

 

[leatherface58]

What is brave about cheating? The only reason he confessed is because Bancroft was caught in front of a million cameras with his hand in the cookie jar. Not the brightest post in the world I must say.

 

[KingKhanWC]

He owned up because of two reasons.

1. Caught red handed.

2. The punishment is a joke, one match ban and fine.

 

[Abdul]

Bravery. I have instantly started liking Bancroft.

 

[Chrish]

According to some reports, Smith might face a life ban as a player. A rumor in all likelihood but I still don't like the sound of that.

 

[Chrish]

Honestly every team does this. I just don't understand how stupid they were to get caught like this.

In my personal view, giving them a 2 game ban and then moving on would have sufficed.

 

[Oligochaetes]

Steve Smith could be brave if he had said he forced Bancroft to do it. By dragging the "Leadership" he has botched everything.

To be honest a brave man wouldn't cheat in the first place.

 

[R3verse Swing]

If Bancroft had not shoved the yellow tape down his pants, it would've been a case of plausible deniability.

He basically panicked.

 

[Mamba Red]

Cheating is not brave I hope CA enforce a 12-month ban.

 

[Tusker]

Just plain Dumb ... Afridi will be relieved that he has company in this regard ... and I really do hope that CA make a proper example out of Smith and impose a stricter punishment than what the pathetic ICC has imposed .

 

[UP]

Both - brave for cheating in front of 30 odd cameras and stupid for actually doing it and putting their careers in risk.

 

[babajee]

Whatever they did, this can’t be a one off incident surely.

 

[Rana]

Why?
Smith could have not admitted and moved on and no one would have cared about bancroft. The fact that he admitted shows how brave and honest he is. There is one thing making a mistake and another admitting it. Humans are bound to make mistakes. But Smith being the a leader didnt left bancroft burn alone

Well smith isn't a snitch but he has protects the leadership group. That's questionable

 

[Rana]

Both - brave for cheating in front of 30 odd cameras and stupid for actually doing it and putting their careers in risk.

Im just thinking from a crooked perspective. Bancroft could have acted and taken an urgent toilet brake. What kind of idiot hides the paper/sticker out in the ground?

 

[Rana]

Also on Smith.

Respect for not letting Bancroft take all the blame.

 

[shokz1408]

He was brave, it was the right thing and yet not the best thing at the same time. The captain had to take responsibility, I mean you couldn't pin it on bancroft, an inexperienced player who merely followed the instructions of the captain. Where I feel it could be argued that it was stupid, was mentioning at the press conference it was the leadership group's idea and that it was all pre-planned during the break. That bit has extended the damage done to Australian cricket. Should have considered damage control, but on the other hand which single person would be willing to take responsibility for all of this.

 

[Chrish]

Also on Smith.

Respect for not letting Bancroft take all the blame.

In all fairness, Bancroft might have refused to be made scapegoat alone..

 

[Mamba Red]

Smith is on the way back to Australia.

It good that we have shown so far that cheating will not be accepted.

Don't think any other country would have done this.

 

[BaankeJi]

It just shows that Smith did not think it was such a big deal.

 

[blackanhyellow]

Well smith isn't a snitch but he has protects the leadership group. That's questionable

If he wasnt a snitch then he would have accepted all of the responsibility and not even mentioned the words "leadership team".

By mentioning leadership team, we already know who the vice captain was, and a couple of the other senior players.

So really it was sharing the blame without really saying it out loud.

 

[Rana]

In all fairness, Bancroft might have refused to be made scapegoat alone..

Yeah and that would have been disastrous in a press conference.

 

[Snak3eye5]

Can someone tell me who is the leadership Smith keeps mentioning . Wouldn’t that be himself, coach and maybe team manager ?

 

[Cozyrensetter]

Only the beginning of Smith's world crumbling down. One has to wonder how his mental state is faring right now. I'm absolutely not defending him, but he could become suicidal. It's hard to think of a bigger fall from grace in this sport, a few months ago he was a deity, the next greatest since Bradman, the player of a generation, and now he's nothing.

 

[Buffet]

Only the beginning of Smith's world crumbling down. One has to wonder how his mental state is faring right now. I'm absolutely not defending him, but he could become suicidal. It's hard to think of a bigger fall from grace in this sport, a few months ago he was a deity, the next greatest since Bradman, the player of a generation, and now he's nothing.

Why? His stature as batsman is not going to get impacted.

 

[Lefthanded]

BCCI should cancel the IPL contracts of all involved, Lehmann should be thrown out of a plane with a parachute right over Colombo, and Bancroft should not face further censure. Young player who hasn't done enough to play past the next Test who was in no position to say no to this 'leadership' of bullies.

I don't think most people would say no in his position but may even be eager to please for career and maybe for validation reasons.

Smith should have constant support. He's clearly a very sensitive guy and mass media backlash and social media cruelty destroys people and leads to suicide all the time.

As always people need to but don't take it easy on social media, and can't be bothered to make a squeak to another person's face.

ICC couldn't ban him for more than one-game, so CA need to make an example out of him/Warner and other seniors involved.

I think it really isn't the biggest deal. Just laughable on many fronts, considering they were desperate and then went on to be humiliated on and off-field.

 

[dildilpak]

He was brave, it was the right thing and yet not the best thing at the same time. The captain had to take responsibility, I mean you couldn't pin it on bancroft, an inexperienced player who merely followed the instructions of the captain. Where I feel it could be argued that it was stupid, was mentioning at the press conference it was the leadership group's idea and that it was all pre-planned during the break. That bit has extended the damage done to Australian cricket. Should have considered damage control, but on the other hand which single person would be willing to take responsibility for all of this.

If Smith and his cohorts were ‘brave’ they would have done the tampering themselves and not pressurized the team rookie to do the dirty deed which they themselves were hesitant to do openly. So it transpires not just were they cowardly, they were also bullying their younger mates to fit in and that says a lot about the culture of that Aussie dressing room. Yes, Smith’s conscience could have led him to put the ‘leadership’ on line, but then whats the point? Any damage control is meaningless after what we all saw.

 

[shokz1408]

If Smith and his cohorts were ‘brave’ they would have done the tampering themselves and not pressurized the team rookie to do the dirty deed which they themselves were hesitant to do openly. So it transpires not just were they cowardly, they were also bullying their younger mates to fit in and that says a lot about the culture of that Aussie dressing room. Yes, Smith’s conscience could have led him to put the ‘leadership’ on line, but then whats the point? Any damage control is meaningless after what we all saw.

You're right about that, if they were 'brave' then whoever was in the so called leadership group would have done it themselves. I mean brave in the sense, that they didn't pin it all on bancroft (unethical, but it was possible), infact took any blame away from him and directed it to the leadership group. I don't think any single person was brave enough to take this all upon themselves.

 

[Itachi]

Brave for the reason that he thought he could get away with it. That was stupidity but brave attempt at cheating. Have to give credit where it's due.

On the other hand, admitting it is just what he forced to do after the after math. If he hadn't done that, the punishment would have been be harder.