Cricket

[srikumar]

SO the Aussie PM called for his ban? Not surprised at all. The cheats got caught because they carried this out in a foreign country.

The Aussies see this incident as just an embarassment that they want to set aside and carry on with their regular (cheating) ways. You KNOW they've gotten away with a lot of this kind of stuff before seeing that they try to do something like this on a foreign tour.

I hope to god he is stays. . Please please.....keep them all in the team. LEt htem play

[V J]

[Gus]

they are playing the "we've already punished him..let's move on" game now with smith and warner "stepping" down for this game.

[Suraj]

they are playing the "we've already punished him..let's move on" game now with smith and warner "stepping" down for this game.

That's only the first step. They were not in a position to lead in the just concluded test. He's also been banned from the next test, and that's only their first problem. CA's penalty is going to be a lot harder. At minimum, Smith is unlikely to captain again, possibly not play again.

This isn't a ball tampering problem. It's a team culture problem. They think it's completely normal to sit around at lunch and say 'we can't get reberse swing! who has sandpaper ? Oye newbie, come here! Rub the ball, ok ?' . No one has the sense so say 'are you clucking stupid or what ? There's two dozen cameras pointing at us and SA are looking for some reason to blame us' But no, they go ahead and do that, then when the guys seen on camera, the COACH sends the 12th man in to tell the newbie to get rid of the evidence, so he sticks the sandpaper into his underwear, and when the umpire asks him about it, he shows his towel instead.

In summary: plot, execute, attempts to deceive, attempt to lie. All caught on camera and the whole world laughing at them. This is way worse than Afridi getting hungry and bitting the ball.

[srikumar]

they are playing the "we've already punished him..let's move on" game now with smith and warner "stepping" down for this game.

Well...it is (unfortunately) unlikely that they will get away with a couple of match bans/loss of captaincy. I think they'll be banned for life.

Can you imagine the sledging Smith and Warner would get from the wicketkeeper or the slips. Can you imagine the sledging the rest of the team will get get. For this reason alone, I am hoping they are allowed to stay with the team for a loooong time but I am not very hopeful that will happen.

The entire Aussie team has now been tainted, past matches won under this captaincy has been tainted, close matches drawn are now tainted. And a question comes up as to how far back in time did this sort of cutlure go. I am sure Gavaskar/Kapil Dev era players would have seen similar stuff but could/did not say much. This time it is on camera and everyone has a copy of the video.

Indians have instinctively known it about Aussies......there's a reason (atleast on BRF) that Australia is compared with Pakistan (the king of all cheating teams- There was a time when Pakistani umpires themselves were biased to the point that some would call them the 12th man- roughly in the 80s and they got away with it. ). There's also a quote roughly 10 years ago where two Pakistani pace bowlers openly admitted (years after their retirement) that during the drinks break, they would take the bottle caps and pull out the seams of the ball with that.

Some Australians are sorry and disappointed with the act...and that is probably because they got caught in full view of the camera.....with ZERO deniability. Methinks the two main guys will be banned to 'save' the honor of the team (and yes, none of the other team members knew anything about this, I am quite sure...!! It must have been a shock to them!) .

[srikumar]

Here's the link for Pakistani ball tampering public comment....
Shoaib Akhtar.....(I'll give it to him that he openly admitted it.....no one would).

"Almost all Pakistani pacers tampered with ball, admits Shoaib"
http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/a ... 479544.ece

For me anyway, victories by Pakistan (and Australia) in Pakistan (and Australia) have always held an implicit taint. Though I am sure both teams have won some matches fair and square in their home countries.

[hanumadu]

The life ban is only being talked up in the media. I doubt if they even get a six month ban.

[Gus]

I don't think there'll be any serious ban...except a few matches maybe..

after all, smith is their best batsman since bradman and ponting..

RR has dropped smith from captaincy..CA might do that for a few seasons and "rehabilitate" him

[Suraj]

I don't know about that. Australia has a split personality when it comes to sport. They're moralistic and hypocritical in equal measure. They like to pretend they're above the things 'other people do' (a.k.a ball tampering and match fixing), while vigorously asserting that what they themselves do is fair (i.e. being a collection of potty mouthed imbeciles).

When someone's caught doing stuff 'other people do', and even admits having done so not just in a rush of blood, but in a preplanned manner, and made the baccha do it, that gets them very pissed. Australian culture deifies their sporting successes. They're ok with many unsavory means used to win, but certain things are a no go that never gets forgiven. Anyone know of Peter Norman ? They didn't apologize for what they did to him until 5 years ago. They have several such stories of people - even great sportsmen - being cast aside because they did something that err, 'crossed the line'.

[hanumadu]

If you look at Australian media and public, they are embarrassed by the sledging and behaviour even before the tampering. As per reports, even CA was not happy with their tactics and behaviour. Well, they should have done something about it so things did not come to such a pass. But already Bryon Coverdale wrote in cricinfo why too harsh a punishment should not be given and a ban of a few months is sufficient.

Anyway, Smith was a failure in the current series and he was a failure in the last three SA series. Most of his runs came in just three innings in England. Perhaps other teams can take a leaf out of SA tactics. Also, any movement in the air or off the pitch seems to get Smith in trouble.

[Gus]

I can understand letting 'sledging' slide or condone etc..as that's the way they play domestic or whatever and see that as part of the game..

but there was blatant cheating in the sydney test when ponting claimed a grassed catch hand and then had the gall to get righteous fury and say "do you question my integrity" later. in any other nation that would have been roundly criticized and censured...but in ausland ponting is still the hero and role model etc. (is it not? I don't claim to know deeply about what goes on internally in ausland, i am relying on stuff we get to read and hear from commentators etc).

smith is a brilliant batsman ..I just don't see aussies letting go of him for long term. None of the aussies who have criticized this, including former aus captains like hughes, waugh, clarke etc..have called for a severe punishment..

[hanumadu]

but there was blatant cheating in the sydney test when ponting claimed a grassed catch hand and then had the gall to get righteous fury and say "do you question my integrity" later. in any other nation that would have been roundly criticized and censured...but in ausland ponting is still the hero and role model etc. (is it not? I don't claim to know deeply about what goes on internally in ausland, i am relying on stuff we get to read and hear from commentators etc).

Yes, exactly. I haven't seen any other country do such blatant cheating. I have seen at least three instances of claiming grounded catches on youtube. Neither the commentators nor administrators condemned it. And now they are reaping their karma. People should point out to the australians that they are all complicit in the current fiasco.

Even the sledging has resulted in bad behaviour off the ground. Every body should accept the responsibility there too. In fact, Ian Chappel wrote how Warner is the attack dog of smith and lehman. I was surprised that there are australians who actually do not agree with their team's tactics.

[hanumadu]

Smith failed in three successive series' against the saffers. In england, he made most of his runs in just three innings. The rest of the teams have to study the SA tactics. Of course they have the attack to go with their tactics. But movement in the air and/or off the pitch gets smith in trouble. There is not much of either in australia, so he scores heavily in oz.

[chetak]

Interesting how the tables have turned. Now, they stand with bated breath as Indians throw money at them in IPL auctions.
PS- this is disgusting and racist, to say the least.

[KJo]

I don't know about that. Australia has a split personality when it comes to sport. They're moralistic and hypocritical in equal measure. They like to pretend they're above the things 'other people do' (a.k.a ball tampering and match fixing), while vigorously asserting that what they themselves do is fair (i.e. being a collection of potty mouthed imbeciles).

When someone's caught doing stuff 'other people do', and even admits having done so not just in a rush of blood, but in a preplanned manner, and made the baccha do it, that gets them very pissed. Australian culture deifies their sporting successes. They're ok with many unsavory means used to win, but certain things are a no go that never gets forgiven. Anyone know of Peter Norman ? They didn't apologize for what they did to him until 5 years ago. They have several such stories of people - even great sportsmen - being cast aside because they did something that err, 'crossed the line'.

There is a parallel and this behavior is seen in Islamic countries also.
In these countries, they will talk about halaal things to do, how to avoid haraam, but each one of them does every haraam thing out there. The only condition is that no one must know. If anyone else points fingers at them they get very offended and complain that you are insulting their H&D.

Aussies in cricket are Pakis in real life.

[nachiket]

I can understand letting 'sledging' slide or condone etc..as that's the way they play domestic or whatever and see that as part of the game..

but there was blatant cheating in the sydney test when ponting claimed a grassed catch hand and then had the gall to get righteous fury and say "do you question my integrity" later. in any other nation that would have been roundly criticized and censured...but in ausland ponting is still the hero and role model etc. (is it not? I don't claim to know deeply about what goes on internally in ausland, i am relying on stuff we get to read and hear from commentators etc).

smith is a brilliant batsman ..I just don't see aussies letting go of him for long term. None of the aussies who have criticized this, including former aus captains like hughes, waugh, clarke etc..have called for a severe punishment..

Ponting was following in the footsteps of Michael Slater (Mumbai, 2001). That fellow not only claimed a grassed catch, but when Dravid stood his ground and the third umpire gave him not out, he exploded and shouted at both Dravid and the on-field umpire. The Australian manager called it a "moment of madness" and the match referee let him off with a reprimand.

Dravid being the gentleman he is stayed calm and accepted Slater's apology after the match. Modern day Indian cricketers would have reminded Slater of Newton's third law, which is how it should be.

[Gus]

of course. appealing for caught behind, even when bowler and knows that player did not nick - comes under "putting pressure on batsman".

but appealing for a grassed catch, when you know you grassed it..how is that not cheating? apparently aussies draw the line differently on these things.

I understand Suraj saying that planning on tampering is on the other side of the line..I am skeptical..and paarkalaam..what happens.

[KJo]

Now who determines what becomes of Smith and Warner? Cricket Aus? They are a bigger gang of thieves. It's like asking the wolf to guard the stables. These crooks will just ban them for a test and some match fees and claim that we all need to forgive.

Why not the ICC with representation from different countries? Tamperers and fixers who are proven need to be banned for life and their country associations penalized financially and in other means.

[nachiket]

Now who determines what becomes of Smith and Warner? Cricket Aus? They are a bigger gang of thieves. It's like asking the wolf to guard the stables. These crooks will just ban them for a test and some match fees and claim that we all need to forgive.

Why not the ICC with representation from different countries? Tamperers and fixers who are proven need to be banned for life and their country associations penalized financially and in other means.

The ICC's actions here are beyond ridiculous. Remember the Mike Denness incident? Even after the ICC had overturned the suspended bans for Tendulkar and Gangulay, they stuck to their guns and banned Sehwag for 1 match for "excessive appealing". Here we have a captain admitting to a planning and executing a conspiracy to cheat on the field and lying to the on field umpires when challenged. And he gets the same punishment, a 1 match ban. Deness gave a suspended ban to Tendulkar after accusing him of tampering when he was merely cleaning the ball. And Bancroft, who actually admitted to purposefully tampering the ball only lost his match fee. So what if his captain asked him to cheat? He could have said no. He is as guilty as Smith and the rest of the deplorable gang.

[hanumadu]

Darren Lehman goes scott free!!

[Kabir]

The likes of Dravid have put a premium on integrity and sportsmanship in Sport after this incident. #respect. There are somethings which a Sanatan upbringing gives, which you cannot deny.

[Gus]

smith and warner get a year off. and from IPL as well. seems like an appropriate punishment.

bancroft's seem a bit excessive..I would have made it a little less..like 9 or 10 months, to make a difference between the senior planners and the junior who has to go along with it (disputable, whether he readily agreed or voiced even token protest)

it is absolutely atrocious that lehmann gets away with this. but then smith and warner have not given him up as being involved..so without proof..there's nothing to be done legally. but he should be boo'ed wherever he goes and never allowed to brush over that fact that he's a cheat.

[Suraj]

We tour Australia this year. Good that they have neither Smith nor Warner then. (rubs hands in anticipation) Too bad Mitchell Starc didn't do enough to get himself banned too. And Nathan Lyon too. Amateurs. What were they thinking ? Go big or go home. Or, go big and then go home (for a year)...

[crams]

Guys, I thinky Jhonty Rhdes also mentioned, but why are we SDREs going berserk about this cheating scandal. Johnty was saying there is more coverage and obsession on DDM than there is in SA. A little bit of coverage taking pot shots against the sanctimonious white Paki ozzies is OK, but there is way too much coverage in India IMO.

[srikumar]

^^^I dont know about the desi media coverage but I've not forgotten the Aussie sh@t they tried with Bhajji and Tendulkar with the maaki-gate. THey pulled the on-field competition off-the-field and tried to get a psychological advantage on team India. And the sanctimonious, self-righteous lies that came from their cricketeers, cricket managers and the Aussie *media* (SMH, The Australian) during this period and after....I remember the articles saying that the Indian team had a plane waiting for them to 'walk out' of the tour if the judgement went against them. All lies sustained on a sense of superiority and borderline racism. It is really good to see the cheats get caught. And yes, the Aussies can maintain with a straight face that this is the first time they have cheated.

Only Pakistan getting caught like this would give me a greater sense of schadenfreude. Maybe Jhonty Rhodes never experienced racism from the Aussies, so he wouldn't understand. Someone posted an article above Re. Alan Border's team throwing ruppee coins and then throwing water on the people who came to collect it. JR should read that.