Should Steve Smith Step Down as Captain of The Australian Cricket Team? (Up: 12 month playing ban/24 months no leadership roles)

sss333 on 25/03/2018 - 18:32
Last edited 28/03/2018 - 21:05

After the ball tampering incident in the 3rd Test of the South Africa v Australia series should Smith give up the captaincy of the Australian cricket team?

Update 1 (thanks to jackofspade):
BREAKING NEWS Cricket Australia announce Steve Smith has stood down as captain for the remainder of Cape Town Test. Warner stood down as vice captain too

Update 2:

Steve Smith and David Warner have been banned by Cricket Australia for a year for their involvement in the Cape Town ball tampering scandal, where it has been confirmed sandpaper was used in an attempt to rough up the ball.

…

Smith and Bancroft will be eligible to hold a leadership role in the Australian cricket team again, but not for 12 months after they have served their bans.

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/player-sanctions-steve-smith…

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Comments

  • sydneybargainer on 26/03/2018 - 20:22
    +3

    People defending smith and company needs to think again. We do not want this type of sports culture, Yes we want to compete hard but when we lose we need to show some grace and appreciate other team/player who played better game(any sport).

  • VluHunt8r on 26/03/2018 - 21:07
    -1

    This is probably a plan hatched by broadcasters to bring down the cost of BROADCAST RIGHTS. Players involved must have seen this as an opportunity to earn some quick money. Who cares about long careers, all they need is money.

    There was an interview on ABC 774 Melbourne and one of the media experts from Deakin University predict that the media rights may drop by $300-400 million. So, nice windfall for players involved even if they get 10% of it.

    • Speckled Jim on 26/03/2018 - 21:21

      Watch for Smith or other tainted individuals make a career change; commentating on Fox or Sky.
      Classic quid pro quo.

  • nekro on 26/03/2018 - 22:32
    +3

    Q: What do the Australian cricket team have for desert during their lunch break?

    A: Sticky "tape" pudding… woop woop!!

    • Toons on 27/03/2018 - 13:19
      +1

      Cricket Australia has organised David Blaine and Dynamo to run series of team building days, they stated a "slight hand" to steer the players in the right direction is potentially all thats needed…..

  • CUD on 27/03/2018 - 08:50

    For sure. How can anyone trust him and those involved after this? There may be some on the team that weren't aware of it's too hard to confirm unless they also admit to it.

    I actually knew Steve when we were younger. I just don't know what they could have been thinking with this… Did they really expect to not get caught?

  • dufflover on 27/03/2018 - 10:08
    +3

    The crappy ICC punishments are probably from the days where it wasn't such a big deal, was always a rogue player or two and probably weighted in the overall impact on the game (as people mention they didn't even change the ball).

    But CA should and need to give Smith and Warner the boot. It is just impossible to market the game and team if your national team captain is caught actively participating in cheating in a brand where pride and fair play are major image factors. The fact Smithy didn't step down himself saying he was the best person for the job shows how out of touch he is with the role.

    • whey4000 on 27/03/2018 - 12:36
      +1

      Ban Faf as well? He has been done twice….

      • dufflover on 27/03/2018 - 13:08

        Only if you want to be childish with excuses about "but they do it too" no matter how much of a hypocrite it makes you.

        Cricket Australia is taking a stand for the expectations of the Australian Cricket Team as fair players and role models, not for South African cricket that everyone knows they have no control over.

      • Brianqpr on 27/03/2018 - 13:56
        +1

        Australia are always very quick to criticise when its other countries involved, even when its a series the team isn't involved in. This leaves their own position untenable now. Individual players is one thing, an admission that the "leadership group" hatched it and then dumped the dirty work on an inexperienced member of the team is something else. Coach, captain and vice captain as a minimum should step down.

        While they're at it how about putting an end to this childish, embarrassing, pathetic sledging bullshit as well. Especially as they cry like babies whenever anyone gives them some back. "We play hard", but only until someone fights back then its all not fair.

        • snapper on 27/03/2018 - 21:38

          Just because Australia admitted it when other countries didn't fess up despite being caught… give the Australian players involved the punishment as has been set by precedent.

  • Brianqpr on 27/03/2018 - 10:47
    +1

    Smith's position is untenable, as are those of Warner, Lehmann and possibly others. Australia have always been the first to scream when they think anyone else is doing the wrong thing.

    On a positive, the cricket world already hated them so their image their can't really get any lower there. The non cricketing world isn't even aware they exist so no damage there either.

  • whey4000 on 27/03/2018 - 12:35
    +4

    Faf's been done twice for ball tampering, should he be banned for life? Of course not. The way the media is reacting and people are following that media "outrage" you would have thought they conspired to throw the game with bookmakers for monetary gain and then Steve Smith whacked Faf over the head with a bat.

    • kiteo on 27/03/2018 - 12:46

      Someone above is recommending 12 months jail time for the whole team, lol.

      • Brianqpr on 27/03/2018 - 13:51

        Probably a touch harsh.

      • pennypincher98 on 27/03/2018 - 18:56
        +2

        And having to reapply as an Australian citizen and be processed offshore.
        Seems legit.

    • Baghern on 27/03/2018 - 23:43

      Didn't know Faf was Australian…

  • Count Shagula on 27/03/2018 - 12:47

    Yes and public stoning should be allowed as part of the process

  • cannedhams on 27/03/2018 - 12:49
    +2

    Faf was done for sucking on a mint and applying it to the ball, which traditionally is one of those grey areas. They do it in county cricket all the time and Steve Waugh even said when he played county cricket they would hand out mints to all the fielders before play. The first time, he got in trouble for swallowing his rather than just sucking on it.

    Actually abrading the surface of the ball is another matter entirely. That's blatant cheating. Its extremely hypocritical for the Australians to do this given how much stick they have given Pakistani teams etc for allegedly having done it in the past.

    • Roman Sandstorm on 27/03/2018 - 14:22
      +4

      Faf was done for sucking on a mint and applying it to the ball, which traditionally is one of those grey areas

      Correction. It is not a 'grey area'.

      Du Plessis was charged with altering the condition of the ball. He was convicted. He appealed. He lost the appeal.

      He was fined his entire match fee, and still has three demerit points from that incident hanging over his head.

      Actually abrading the surface of the ball is another matter entirely. That's blatant cheating.

      You are providing opinion, not facts. The ICC consider any 'artificial' altering of the condition of the ball to be equal in severity. It does not matter if it was 'premeditated', pre-discussed, geez, doesn't matter if they had a world congress about it, or if it was just a spontaneous event like du Plessis's previous conviction for the same charge (when he scratched the ball with his pocket zip). And the ICC doesn't distinguish if a mint is used, a fingernail, a wood rasp, or even an angle grinder.

      Outraged Australians and others are making this out to be a heinous crime, equivalent perhaps to genocide. The ICC itself only thinks it is a relatively minor violation, hence the relatively minor penalty it allocates.

      Now… whether the ICC is a genuine body, whether it acts in the best interests of cricket (or in the best interests of India?), whether it is 'toothless', or whatever, that is an entirely different story. However, like ASADA, Cricket Australia sign up for the ICC and its rules, etc. They do not have to. They could run their own competition, with their own rules, administration, etc. But they choose to abide by, and have the ICC run cricket.

      You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas… goes an old expression.

      Interestingly, if CA impose further penalties on Smith and/or Bancroft, the players may have a case for restraint of trade, given the 'double jeopardy' of having already been legitimately sanctioned for the 'crime'. I doubt a player would try to invoke this in the law courts, but it is an interesting thought.

      I admit, I am already over the totally righteous holier-than-thou attitude of so many commenting on this. In a previous post I mentioned that I feel this is a particularly Australian hypocrisy and sense of entitlement that those who represent this country are somehow superior, not just physically but also morally, to sportspeople of other countries. This is, of course, entitled nonsense.

      Sigh… oh yes, and before the inevitable: I am not supporting, or justifying in any way what Smith, et al did.

      • Baghern on 27/03/2018 - 23:47
        +1

        Australians has had to deal with a lot of crap… this is the straw sledgehammer that broke the camels back.

        We all saw what happened earlier with Warner and comment about his wife, with anyone else/another time we would have been 90% behind him… nope most people/Australians assumed he pushed people too hard and was copping it back…

  • [Deactivated] on 27/03/2018 - 13:42

    anyone else reckon smudge was covering for bancroft

    • Homr on 27/03/2018 - 14:29
      +1

      I do and possibly taking all the blame for all others that are invovled. Smith is a patriot in my eyes. Protecting its own players is a true sign of great leadership!

      • inherentchoice on 28/03/2018 - 23:58

        Best protection would have been to do his job as captain and step in to rebuke any of his players for even suggesting any tampering. Then Smith would have saved his own skin too.

        • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2018 - 14:39

          can't disagree

    • snapper on 27/03/2018 - 21:41

      It is possible. Hopefully it will all come out… but who knows for sure

  • raj koothrappali on 27/03/2018 - 13:43
    +1

    The cameraman should be sacked. Why would you take videos of Faf brushing his teeth and Bancroft taping his leaking willy?

  • Brianqpr on 27/03/2018 - 13:50

    Sharapova got two years on a technicality.

  • Duram on 27/03/2018 - 14:04
    -4

    Who even watches this back yard boring sport.

    • titan0r on 27/03/2018 - 21:00

      Yep. Yet you are here commenting…

    • Baghern on 27/03/2018 - 23:48

      An estimated $1b in TV rights.. to be reduced to a paltry 600-700m is who

      Rugby League and AFL got 1b in tv right… but they're played constantly.

  • Binxx on 27/03/2018 - 14:11
    +1

    Not sure where to start. As it is, the Australian cricket team is not the best loved in the world and this is now making us even suspect our loyalties. Worst is, Australia is being called a cheat as these idiots represent the country.

    I believe the following should transpire

    James Sutherland should resign (Almost 2 decades at the helm and numerous crisis over the period)
    Lehmann removed as regardless of his involvement or not, he should know what his team his thinking/planning
    Steven Smith captaincy removed for ever and at least a 12 month ban
    Warner vice captaincy removed for ever and at least a 12 month ban
    Bancroft should get at least a 12 month ban
    Anyone else involved including the entire 'leadership group' at least a 12 month ban

    Just by admitting to a mistake, especially such a grave one, does not mean automatic reprieve.

    I'm sure the entire team is not involved and those in the dark about this should be left untouched.

    Australian cricket fans are the ones these people have cheated upon.

    If this is going on at the highest level, what is happening in first class cricket and grass root cricket. I have kids playing club cricket and I can assure people that this is NOT what is being taught to them.

    Anything less that the cleanup mentioned above, will give thoughts to others to try this again in some way shape or form.

    • Roman Sandstorm on 27/03/2018 - 14:33
      +4

      Too lenient, mate.

      So many people have died as a result of this travesty.

      James Sutherland should resign

      No. He should be thrown into a pit of vipers.

      Lehmann removed as regardless of his involvement or not

      Naturally. Doesn't matter whether guilt or not. He should be sent to coach the Iceland cricket team.

      Steven Smith captaincy removed for ever

      Not just that, but a huge tattoo on his face saying: "CHEAT".

      Warner vice captaincy removed for ever

      See above, but his tattoo to read: "Asshat".

      Bancroft should get at least a 12

      He did the deed. Nothing less than execution by firing squad.

      Anyone else involved including the entire 'leadership group'

      Yep. The boot-studder, the water boy, oh, and the CA lawyer… Chop off their left hands.

      Take these measures, and no one will ever again cheat in any sport - anywhere. And Australia will be returned to the highest pedestal of moral purity, a sublime example for all.

  • AustriaBargain on 27/03/2018 - 14:25
    -4

    I don’t know anything about cricket, but now I know Australia are cheaters.

  • Lancerx on 27/03/2018 - 15:08
    -5

    It's cricket anyway… Who give a shit

  • newynut on 27/03/2018 - 15:52

    All cricketers doctor the ball if they can.

  • kurupted on 27/03/2018 - 16:02

    I don't even watch cricket, but I voted yes because I'm a sheep.

    • pennypincher98 on 27/03/2018 - 18:54

      I don't even watch cricket, but I voted yes so it's done with and there's something else on the news ;)
      Also I agree he should get sacked.

  • gimme on 27/03/2018 - 16:53
    -3

    Cricket….. yaaawn.

  • PAPower on 27/03/2018 - 17:19
    -2

    Re-name him: Cheat Smith! Ca-moron Bancroft!

  • cyrax83 on 27/03/2018 - 18:07

    5 year ban minimum for players who tampered, coach sacked

    • snapper on 27/03/2018 - 21:45

      Ha! Not even those convicted of match fixing got banned for that long. Let's put it in perspective: what these guys did was againts the laws of cricket but they were trying to gain an unfair advantage… to win. Win at all costs. And there are precedents from other players who were convicted of tampering with the ball. Most only a % of match fee and a 1 match ban (or no ban at all). And it is by the ICC rules and regulations all countries play by.

  • centrelink on 27/03/2018 - 19:11

    Deport them all back to where they come from!

  • kay07 on 27/03/2018 - 20:11

    They all are same. They need to change the culture.

    Also I am sure this is not the first time as if we see the recent test series, Our bowlers got majority of the wickets with reverse swing where the balls started swinging just after 25 overs.

  • abacus on 27/03/2018 - 20:48
    +2

    In the meantime, some Australian headlines, probably on page 20 in the corner, have headlines like this "White South African farmers facing "genocide", (Sbs.com.au) and everyone is more interested that a cricket player cheated.

  • 0zyt0zy on 27/03/2018 - 21:23

    Lifetime ban!!! The disgraced duo deserves it !!!

    • Wally on 27/03/2018 - 22:54

      It was Warner's idea so he should go too!

  • [Deactivated] on 27/03/2018 - 22:01
    -1

    Who cares about the Cricket! How about bargains on yellow tape???

  • Marcsie on 27/03/2018 - 22:48
    -3

    Who cares ? Get a life !

  • bearsf21 on 27/03/2018 - 23:04

    I would say yes, he should be stepped down as captain, he preplanned all the cheating with senior members of the team and still thought he is the perfect job for the captain, it's just not on.

  • SpaceNinja on 27/03/2018 - 23:22
    +5

    South Africa might be a better team on paper but
    Australia are a better team on sandpaper.

    • bearsf21 on 27/03/2018 - 23:32

      lol, can you imagine the next game, SA will sledge the aussie team a lot.

  • kusala on 27/03/2018 - 23:34
    -3

    It appears Trump's moral degradation of the US Presidency has had a trickle down effect on the Australian cricket team :)

    • ninetyNineCents on 28/03/2018 - 16:46

      Since when did the US presidency have any moral authority ?

      You must be referring to the president allowing for years American businesses to supply the nazis or their continued support of all the worlds dictators and fundamentalism

  • CI on 28/03/2018 - 08:24
    +1

    I can't believe the amount of shit this team gave the Pakistanis and look at them now

    • Baghern on 28/03/2018 - 12:14
      +1

      FTFY

      I can't believe the amount of shit this team gave the Pakistanis every other nation and look at them now

    • ninetyNineCents on 28/03/2018 - 16:54

      Are you saying anyone who bowls reverse swing is a cheat ?

  • Dr Prepper on 28/03/2018 - 10:53

    Make cheating part of the game like wacky races.

  • ozzpete on 28/03/2018 - 11:14

    "Should Steve Smith Step Down as Captain of The Australian Cricket Team?" .
    Only… if its a good deal/bargain, for him and the Aussie Cricket Team.

    • inherentchoice on 29/03/2018 - 00:04
      +1

      It will at least enable the other players to come to the forefront and earn more in sponsorship and match fees. Hopefully they will have higher moral standards too.

  • petry on 28/03/2018 - 12:20
    -1

    For Australian cricket to survive this farce Sutherland needs to go and lehman, smith to go as captain, warner lifetime Australian ban, and Bancroft - 3 years Australian ban.

    Anything less for all of them misses the point, and leaves Australian cricket in the gutter.

    Cricket Australia covered up warne/ Waugh betting connections, and have just launched another whitewash, with warner singled out cuz he's easy to pick out.

    The promise -oh you made a mistake Davey cuz you waz upset about the comments about your wife - is already prepared for media release.

    Sorry Sutherland - you are finished -and lehman - and unless this mess is really cleaned up- the Australian cricket myth is done and dusted.

  • VluHunt8r on 28/03/2018 - 12:46

    Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen & Michael Clarke ARE BUSY WITH THEIR TWEETS………..in the interest of Cricket or something to do with Broadcast Rights currently under negotiation!!!

  • ninetyNineCents on 28/03/2018 - 16:41

    The truth is Australia has been cheating since Steve Waugh's time with their dirty mouth stuff. Personally i think sledging is the lost form of scum, and i would rather they pick the seam etc than sledge if i had a choice. Doing both is a disgrace and they shoudlnt do any. Then again the pakis have been dling things to the ball's seam etc for twenty years or more.

    • [Deactivated] on 29/03/2018 - 21:18
      +1

      Personally i think sledging is the lost form of scum

      …

      the pakis

      Choose 1.

  • Oliver on 28/03/2018 - 19:39

    Everyone involved should be fired. They're a disgrace to straya.

  • muzzakus on 28/03/2018 - 23:15

    Should get a medal for finally making cricket interesting 😜

  • syousef on 29/03/2018 - 07:41

    New standard issue for Aussie cricket team:
    1) Small cheese grater, to fit pocket
    2) Small remote control drone (large enough to carry 1 cricket ball)
    3) Remote control radio
    4) Blinkers so they can't see the cameras

  • Rcnpl on 29/03/2018 - 10:41
    +1

    IMO CA has overreacted just to show the world how they care about cricket.

  • John Kimble on 29/03/2018 - 10:45
    +1

    Massive OTT ruling by CA!

  • gimme on 29/03/2018 - 11:49

    This is 100% politics, moral highground, commercial considerations and of course the obligatory public outrage.

    Professional sport is all about $$$$$$$. TV rights, sponsorships, gambling revenue. Nobody could care less about 'cheating' UNLESS it impacts the bottom line.

    Remainder is just noise and fauxrage…. will be forgotten as soon as the next 'scandal' hits the news …. or 3 weeks … whichever is less. The best thing CA can hope for is for some high profile sex scandal for the media to jump on that bandwagon. Go on B Joyce… surely you have another illegitimate unborn in the waiting somewhere lol.

    • whey4000 on 29/03/2018 - 12:41

      well said

  • THICKnSLOW on 29/03/2018 - 20:29

    The first time I saw steve smith I thought he was the same fella from bigbrother Austraya 2005 - the shearer who got his rocks off with that promo model brunette

    So their parents brought up morally questionable individuals… such is life - Ben Cousins lol

  • [Deactivated] on 29/03/2018 - 21:16
    +3

    They sanded a cricket ball…

    If we were that concerned about our international reputation, there are far more important topics we need to address as a country. I mean really, politicians criticising the morals of tampering with a cricket ball and demanding people step down, while simultaneously running offshore detention centres in third world countries and refusing access to humanitarian agencies and journalists.

    Give me a break.

    It's easy for people to get wound up about because we get a quick and easy fix that quenches our thirst for moral superiority, and making a bunch of noise makes us think that we somehow brought about the change, because it happened so quickly.

    • ninetyNineCents on 29/03/2018 - 21:56
      -2

      Cubist: while simultaneously running offshore detention centres in third world countries and refusing access to humanitarian agencies and journalists.

      M: Those camps in Manus etc are paradises compared to the shitholes that are the middle east and africa. Have you actually seen how people live in those countries ? Enough African cities have shit in their streets and garbage.

      You obviously have no idea of even the basics in judging whether those camps are a disgrace or not and i wont start on the other angles.

      • [Deactivated] on 29/03/2018 - 22:52
        +1

        That's an interesting response. It would be even more interesting if it wasn't the result of being called out for using a racial slur ;)

        • ninetyNineCents on 29/03/2018 - 23:24
          -3

          its not a racial slur, i never mentioned race at all. Im simply stating the facts about certain parts of this world.

          Its sad that you cant see the truth and have to invent nonsense lies.

        • [Deactivated] on 29/03/2018 - 23:33
          +1

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paki_(slur)

          oops.

        • ninetyNineCents on 30/03/2018 - 10:44
          -1

          @Cubist:

          I guess the entire crickjeting world is racist including pakistan because thats what they call the pakistani cricket team.

          We better close down the world cup as well, because shock horror all the teams will also be referred to by their home country.

          BTW: Paki isnt a race, tehres no such race as a paki, there are dozens of different peoples in pakistan.

  • Skinnerr on 30/03/2018 - 07:32

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQBytgYVn0o - This for everyone in this thread with their hot take that Smith should be banned forever, 'ruined cricket' etc.

  • gimme on 30/03/2018 - 09:18

    Hands up anyone who's never cheated in anything ever.

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