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The Cricket Thread

Kevin Pietersen's twitter feed sums up his opinion on if Lehmann knew about this, i'm no fan of short odds betting but with the chaos in the aussie camp right now, I'm amazed Sarf Africa are just 1/2 to win the next test, they could win it in 3 days.
 
kb 1984 said:
None of them will serve bans for the same reason lehmann is still coach lawyers already on the case.
i guess there argument will be no other cricketer has ever been banned for ball tampering after already being punished by the icc.
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The ban isn't for ball tampering, at least not just that. It is also for lying about it to umpires (Bancroft showing the sunglass case) and press (tape vs sandpaper, leadership group involvement) and the conspiracy to cheat, so as to bring the game into disrepute.

I do kind of agree that Bancroft's ban is harsh. It would be tough for a junior player to refuse to follow instructions from the vice-captain and captain.

I also note that Smith can be back for the world cup and ashes.
 
jts1882 said:
The ban isn't for ball tampering, at least not just that. It is also for lying about it to umpires (Bancroft showing the sunglass case) and press (tape vs sandpaper, leadership group involvement) and the conspiracy to cheat, so as to bring the game into disrepute.

I do kind of agree that Bancroft's ban is harsh. It would be tough for a junior player to refuse to follow instructions from the vice-captain and captain.

I also note that Smith can be back for the world cup and ashes.
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I really hope he is. I'd love to see the stick he'll get from our fans.
 
Aussie cheating looked blatant, but only because they were caught

I was dozing on the sofa with the South Africa v Australia Test match on in the background on Saturday afternoon, so watched the ball tampering incident unfold. It was compelling viewing. What started as a piece of random TV footage, followed by some Keystone Cops moments as the Aussies tried to cover it up, quickly escalated into one of the biggest cricket scandals of modern times. Many people have commented on how dim the Australians must have been to cheat in front of so many high-definition cameras. But cheating only appears blatant when you are caught and it’s hard for anyone to imagine – as the Aussies have insisted – that this was a one-off event. To do so, you have to believe that what happened was this. At lunchtime, David Warner approached his captain, Steve Smith, and said, “The ball isn’t doing much, skip. How about I nip out to the hardware store and buy some sandpaper?”. To which Smith replied, “Good plan, Davey. Cheating is no big deal, so why don’t we just give it a go? It’s not as if there are any great downsides. But we’ll get newbie Cameron Bancroft to do it just in case. He’s always game for a laugh.”
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Seedy Ron said:
It'd be no surprise that Warner's 3 brain cells were behind it all tbh.
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Went to a dinner in which Ian Botham was the selling point the last Wednesday night. He was as quality as you could have wished for. Little time for ball tampering, he detests Warner and really let the Aussies in attendance know. No one believes this is a one off thing either. Warner the little grub of a creature, has stained crickey for years and this is karma's way of swotting him aside from international cricket.

Botham told some amazing stories about the 40m quid of charity money he's raised, drinking, gambling, Mandela and the Queen. Boy has he lived.
 
With all these tearful press conferences it is really turning into a Crying Game. Expect things not to be what they seem.
 
It seems to be working. Smith is getting sympathy and will be back for the world cup and ashes. All the tears and stuff about his father doesn't hide the fact that he saw nothing wrong with the plan and even when caught his comments made it clear he thought it a minor matter. Cricket Australia seem to have played their hand quite well, under the circumstances.
 
jts1882 said:
It seems to be working. Smith is getting sympathy and will be back for the world cup and ashes. All the tears and stuff about his father doesn't hide the fact that he saw nothing wrong with the plan and even when caught his comments made it clear he thought it a minor matter. Cricket Australia seem to have played their hand quite well, under the circumstances.
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It's the collusion behind the current cheating that is worrying.
 
Indeed. Even the official story has three players involved. The two senior players get a relative newcomer to cheat, with Warner giving lessons (according to the CA charge sheet). They just happened to have sandpaper available and the bowlers and coach were unaware. And it was a one off.

This is why I said CA have done well. A seemingly harsh punishment given quickly and the players appearing all apologetic. If nothing else comes out and their version sticks, they will have dodged a bullet.
 
jts1882 said:
Indeed. Even the official story has three players involved. The two senior players get a relative newcomer to cheat, with Warner giving lessons (according to the CA charge sheet). They just happened to have sandpaper available and the bowlers and coach were unaware. And it was a one off.

This is why I said CA have done well. A seemingly harsh punishment given quickly and the players appearing all apologetic. If nothing else comes out and their version sticks, they will have dodged a bullet.
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I personally don't see year-long bans for blatant, bang-to-rights cheating by senior players as harsh at all. And although I always dislike the mob-handed, trial-by-media scrum feeding frenzies in cases like this, I took exception to Shane Warne doing his level best to turn Smith et al. into the victims with his comments yesterday.
 
I did say "seemingly harsh". All the press coverage is point to this being perceived as a harsh punishment. And if you buy the official version that it was a momentary lapse of judgement and a one-off incident then the penalty can be reasonably described as harsh. Unless something else comes out I think this will be the lasting impression and Smith will be welcomed back in a year. Australia will probably be complaining again when he gets stick from opposition crowds.

I think the Bancroft ban is harsh, at least in comparison with the one years for Smith and Warner. He has received the official ICC sanction for ball tampering and was just doing what he was told to by his captain and vice-captain. The 9 versus 12 months doesn't reflect the different culpability.
 
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jts1882 said:
I did say "seemingly harsh". All the press coverage is point to this being perceived as a harsh punishment. And if you buy the official version that it was a momentary lapse of judgement and a one-off incident then the penalty can be reasonably described as harsh. Unless something else comes out I think this will be the lasting impression and Smith will be welcomed back in a year. Australia will probably be complaining again when he gets stick from opposition crowds.

I think the Bancroft ban is harsh, at least in comparison with the one years for Smith and Warner. He has received the official ICC sanction for ball tampering and was just doing what he was told to by his captain and vice-captain. The 9 versus 12 months doesn't reflect the different culpability.
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My comment wasn't aimed at you, more at the general conclusion being presented in some quarters that you refer to and particularly, as I said, by Shane Warne who really went to town on it.
 
I didn't hear what Shane Warne said but what you say fits with my reading of the situation. The ban is been considered harsh and a "reformed and humbled" Smith will be welcomed back. Warne is starting the rehabilitation. If it goes well they might get away with reducing the ban on appeal.
 
Unfortunately this will all be forgotten in a couple of months, the modern "sporting world" is corrupt and such behaviour is becoming acceptable, the media's fanatical line that all winners are great heros and all losers are incompetent halfwits has tainted most people's views and they can only live with success and see no value in playing the game in the right spirit or doing the best you can on the day. I can't see the where any excitement or emotions can be felt if your one reason for playing or watching is just to win, it just like being a 5 year old.
 
K.D.D.D.D.Soc said:
Unfortunately this will all be forgotten in a couple of months, the modern "sporting world" is corrupt and such behaviour is becoming acceptable, the media's fanatical line that all winners are great heros and all losers are incompetent halfwits has tainted most people's views and they can only live with success and see no value in playing the game in the right spirit or doing the best you can on the day. I can't see the where any excitement or emotions can be felt if your one reason for playing or watching is just to win, it just like being a 5 year old.
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I bet the balmy army will be reminiscing on the subject the next time Australia take to the field over here:D
 
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