Australia Cheats! Shame to us all!

[WCE Booka 89]

Christ, it's ball tampering not match fixing. Over reaction by all.

If you rubbed out everyone who has altered the ball we wouldn't have a game left - Faf X2, Sachin, Kohli. The list is endless

We finally agree!

The most alarming thing of all this is how amateurish our attempt at cheating has been. Which should put forward more weight to the claim it was a once off. Sticky tape with dirt...

[The Boat]

They seem to have taken it to a new level, and a new low by pressuring the most inexperienced member of the squad to be the guy doing it. Scum, and I don't really think they deserve anything for it.

That's the point though, this is hardly new news. Ball tampering is happening everywhere. They were just stupid enough to get caught.

I reckon the test of time might paint a different story regarding Bancroft simply being a mule. What if it was all him and Smith is trying to take the heat off the young fella?

Let's take a deep breath and see it for what it is, a low level prevalent event. Hardly a life sentence

[Mr Q]

That's the point though, this is hardly new news. Ball tampering is happening everywhere. They were just stupid enough to get caught.

I reckon the test of time might paint a different story regarding Bancroft simply being a mule. What if it was all him and Smith is trying to take the heat off the young fella?

Let's take a deep breath and see it for what it is, a low level prevalent event. Hardly a life sentence

That strikes me as a whitewash and an attempt to brush this issue under the carpet because it's a couple of the most able cricketers in the country. There's no way that Smith and particularly Warner would have taken the fall for that. I'd think it more likely that it transpired exactly as outlined, and when it became public, Bancroft said that he'd have to come clean (after all, his career is even more on the line). At which point Smith decided to try to brazen it out.

I've taken a deep breath, and decided this is symptomatic of problems in Australia and the world - people think it's fine to cheat, to be abusive, to do "whatever it takes" to win at all costs. It's time we stopped excusing this sort of behaviour in people who are supposed to be leaders. Smith should walk the plank, and if he survives the swim to shore, can be invited back onboard in a couple of years.

It's also worth remembering that these are guys who've gone off on monumental whines when they've claimed other teams have been doing similar - the rank hypocrisy in this case says they're not fit to be in the team for now, let alone in leadership positions. Australia's cricketers have set themselves up as hard but fair. Seems they're neither.

I'm not a Saffa or a Pom or an Indian, so I don't get to comment on whether I think the behaviour of their teams is acceptable. I am, however, an Australian, and I expect better from our team. If dumping Smith and Warner sees us fall down the Test rankings, then so be it. And when some other nation does the same in the future.

[W.C.E.257]

That's the point though, this is hardly new news. Ball tampering is happening everywhere. They were just stupid enough to get caught.

I reckon the test of time might paint a different story regarding Bancroft simply being a mule. What if it was all him and Smith is trying to take the heat off the young fella?

Let's take a deep breath and see it for what it is, a low level prevalent event. Hardly a life sentence

That strikes me as a whitewash and an attempt to brush this issue under the carpet because it's a couple of the most able cricketers in the country. There's no way that Smith and particularly Warner would have taken the fall for that. I'd think it more likely that it transpired exactly as outlined, and when it became public, Bancroft said that he'd have to come clean (after all, his career is even more on the line). At which point Smith decided to try to brazen it out.

I've taken a deep breath, and decided this is symptomatic of problems in Australia and the world - people think it's fine to cheat, to be abusive, to do "whatever it takes" to win at all costs. It's time we stopped excusing this sort of behaviour in people who are supposed to be leaders. Smith should walk the plank, and if he survives the swim to shore, can be invited back onboard in a couple of years.

It's also worth remembering that these are guys who've gone off on monumental whines when they've claimed other teams have been doing similar - the rank hypocrisy in this case says they're not fit to be in the team for now, let alone in leadership positions. Australia's cricketers have set themselves up as hard but fair. Seems they're neither.

I'm not a Saffa or a Pom or an Indian, so I don't get to comment on whether I think the behaviour of their teams is acceptable. I am, however, an Australian, and I expect better from our team. If dumping Smith and Warner sees us fall down the Test rankings, then so be it. And when some other nation does the same in the future.

I agree Mr Q .
Do the crime do the time . Don’t whitewash it because it’s Australia.

[The Boat]

Its just not that big a deal. The ICC handed down a 1 match ban to 1 player, that's how insignificant it is.

Ball tampering has been going on since the dawn of time. Don't confuse this with match fixing or chatting with John the bookie.

If the Kookaburra's weren't so shit, there might be less tampering.

Let's either play with the Dukes in every country, introduce new balls after 30 overs or allow ball tampering.

[Fat Side]

• Smith: should not even be considered to play for Australia until 2020/2021, let alone still be captain. The only reason I'm giving that much leeway is that he came clean.
• Warner: should be just told to fuck off. He's a cancer on the Australian team. Good cricketer, absolutely shit bloke. Time to clean up Australian cricket and that means Warner has to go.
• Lehmann: needs to prove that he didn't know - and that as coach why that fact doesn't mean he didn't fail anyway. Really, there should be no way out - either he knew, or he's too far out of the loop to be coach.
• Bancroft: The ICC are about right. He was the patsy here, not the mastermind.

Why so harsh? They sold the youngest and most vulnerable player in the team down the river. In terms of dog acts, that's about as low as you can go. Smith, Warner - if you wanted to cheat like that, at least have the fucking guts to do it yourself. Then at least with this fallout, Bancroft wouldn't be tarred. Oh, and you'd probably only be looking stupid, not disgraced completely.

Yes, Bancroft should have said no, and should be sanctioned for his part in it - but he's like the Essendon players who got suspended. Smith and Warner (and probably Lehmann) are like James Hird - the instigators, and should be given no reprieve.

If this means that Australia slips to the lower rankings in Test cricket, so be it. I'd rather we had the tenth ranked team in the world than have the best team of cheats.

And no, I don't give a shit about what other countries accept in their players. I'm not a Saffer or a Pom or an Indian or a Kiwi etc.

Couldn't agree more. What the fuck were they thinking?

Unlike other instances of ball tampering, this was devised by the team's leaders. It was a premeditated act to cheat and that, in my mind, exacerbates the issue. This takes it beyond a simple ball tampering matter. If Lehmann did not know about it then this act reeks of a lack of respect for Lehmann by Smith and Warner in particular. That of itself suggests that the leaders are running the outfit not the coach. He does not have control and needs to resign.

Warner is a blight on the game and, as good as he has been, if he isn't handed a significant sanction, then Cricket Australia are asking the public to put performance ahead of integrity and adverse behaviour. It is not acceptable. I don't care if he never plays for Australia again. I am, quite frankly sick of the prick and so are his bowlers. Smith as Captain has to wear significant sanctions. Like, Warner, if Smith never plays again so be it. This entire saga is incredibly disappointing.

The fact that Bancroft was brought in is a clear indication that the leaders knew that Warner was being watched - that he was under scrutiny for his handling of the ball. It is beyond me how they though that, by getting Bancroft to scuff the ball instead of Warner, that it would somehow escape scrutiny. In fact, it only stands to increase suspicion. This is playground stuff. Two eight year old kids could devise a better plan. Bancroft is an adult and makes his own choices. Sure they may be some mitigation, but the message needs to be sent. Significant sanction for him.

Clearly the team have got their heads together before the CEO and investigators arrived. I am not fooled into thinking it was just Warner, Smith and Bancroft.

I watched a grab on the news earlier this week where an Englishman was asked what he thought about the scandal. His reply was disbelief. He couldn't believe it was Australia doing it. He said words to the effect; "Why are Australia doing this, they're legends of cricket..." This is how we are perceived by other nations and it has been tarnished by these selfish pricks. Good riddance to them.

[farmer joe]

2 things.
Cricket is the most corrupt sport in the world. Nothing changes, nothing surprises any more.
Karma is a bitch, hey, Davie Warner? Flog.

[WCE Booka 89]

That's the point though, this is hardly new news. Ball tampering is happening everywhere. They were just stupid enough to get caught.

I reckon the test of time might paint a different story regarding Bancroft simply being a mule. What if it was all him and Smith is trying to take the heat off the young fella?

Let's take a deep breath and see it for what it is, a low level prevalent event. Hardly a life sentence

That strikes me as a whitewash and an attempt to brush this issue under the carpet because it's a couple of the most able cricketers in the country. There's no way that Smith and particularly Warner would have taken the fall for that. I'd think it more likely that it transpired exactly as outlined, and when it became public, Bancroft said that he'd have to come clean (after all, his career is even more on the line). At which point Smith decided to try to brazen it out.

I've taken a deep breath, and decided this is symptomatic of problems in Australia and the world - people think it's fine to cheat, to be abusive, to do "whatever it takes" to win at all costs. It's time we stopped excusing this sort of behaviour in people who are supposed to be leaders. Smith should walk the plank, and if he survives the swim to shore, can be invited back onboard in a couple of years.

It's also worth remembering that these are guys who've gone off on monumental whines when they've claimed other teams have been doing similar - the rank hypocrisy in this case says they're not fit to be in the team for now, let alone in leadership positions. Australia's cricketers have set themselves up as hard but fair. Seems they're neither.

I'm not a Saffa or a Pom or an Indian, so I don't get to comment on whether I think the behaviour of their teams is acceptable. I am, however, an Australian, and I expect better from our team. If dumping Smith and Warner sees us fall down the Test rankings, then so be it. And when some other nation does the same in the future.

I agree Mr Q .
Do the crime do the time . Don’t whitewash it because it’s Australia.

Actually, because it is Australia we have received a harsher penalty already... As has been stated many a time, Faf has been caught twice. His penalty has been a cumulative of 1.5 match fees and 3 demerit points. Bancroft has received 75% of his match fee and 3 demerit points...

[Mr Q]

Actually, because it is Australia we have received a harsher penalty already... As has been stated many a time, Faf has been caught twice. His penalty has been a cumulative of 1.5 match fees and 3 demerit points. Bancroft has received 75% of his match fee and 3 demerit points...

I don't care what the ICC's penalty is - I want to know what CA is going to do about this.

As I said before, I'm not a Saffa, Kiwi, Pom, Indian etc, so how their countries see their players is up to them.

Ours have been complete shits for years, pretending to stand on some moral high ground, and then they do this. Fuck 'em, I say.

In the case of Bancroft, I don't really have any issues. I do with leaders who throw inexperienced members of the team under a bus.

[The Boat]

This book describes how ball tampering was rife and also choreographed in the 1930's

https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Oh ... &q&f=false

*thanks to some dude on Bigfooty for the link

[Voice of Reason]

My media feed says Jim Maxwell says that CA has banned Smith and Warner from playing for Australia for 12 months.

Sounds very harsh to me for reasons explained above, but not my decision and I didn't do the investigation.

[The Boat]

Trial by keyboard warriors at its best here.

Meanwhile, Ben Stokes nearly kills someone and is playing in NZ.

James Faulkner was suspended for three ODI's and one T20 for drink driving at three times the legal limit

Atherton fined 2,000 pounds for the same offense.

But luckily Cricket Australia has appeased the masses, except for those who actually know the history of ball tampering and how insignificant it actually is.

[Fat Side]

The fact that this was premeditated by the team's leaders takes it well beyond your normal everyday ball tampering.

I'm with Q on this. I don't give a shit what other countries do, we have been the best national team of the past 30 years and we resort to this?

We have been better than everyone else and this has seriously sullied this country and the great cricketers that came before them.

[The Boat]

The punishment doth fit the crime.

[DALBY]

Not long enough, this penalty is pocket change to them. Hope Smith and Warner never play cricket for Australia again. Soft as usual.