Paine axe sparks civil war
THE Tim Paine sexting scandal has sparked an uncivil war across the game with Cricket Tasmania savaging Cricket Australia, whose own board also appears at odds with itself.
Tasmanian chairman Andrew Gaggin reportedly personally phoned CA chair Richard Freudenstein to spell out his organisation’s fury at head office’s “appalling” treatment of Paine, sentiments that were later outlined in a blistering press release on Tuesday.
At an emotional meeting on Monday night, Cricket Tasmania’s board – including Test legend David Boon on video link from quarantine on the Gold Coast – unanimously condemned Cricket Australia for abandoning Paine, coming to the conclusion that CA had given the Australian captain no option but to fall on his sword.
It’s understood Cricket Tasmania is also planning to send a letter to CA to further convey its anger, after Gaggin likened the treatment of Paine to Bill Lawry being thrown under the bus by cricket administrators more than 50 years ago.
“In conversations I have had in recent days it is clear that the anger amongst the Tasmanian cricket community and general public is palpable,” Gaggin said. “Tim Paine has been a beacon for Australian cricket over the past four years and instrumental in salvaging the reputation of the national team after the calamity of Cape Town.
“Yet at a time when CA should have supported Tim he was evidently regarded as dispensable. The treatment afforded to the Australian Test captain by Cricket Australia has been appalling, and the worst since Bill Lawry over 50 years ago.”
Cricket Australia is understood to be furious but is remaining silent.
Test great Lawry said he had no comment when contacted on Tuesday about having his name linked to Paine in history.
Ian Chappell took over from Lawry when he was sacked mid-series and found out via the radio in 1971 and vowed “the bastards will never get me like that”.
It is amid this volatile environment that Pat Cummins may now be asked to take the reins as Test captain in the coming days, with former CA chairman David Peever having already slaughtered the current administration for deserting Paine.
Peever provided a statement on Sunday slamming chairman Richard Freudenstein for asserting that the current board of CA would have sacked Paine if they were in charge back in 2018 when the sexting incident was investigated – despite the fact the skipper was cleared at the time by the game’s integrity unit.
It’s understood there is now tension on the CA board on the back of Freudenstein’s comments, given current board members including John Harnden and Michelle Tredenick were part of the 2018 decision to clear Paine that has now been criticised by the chairman.
Australian Cricketers Association chief Todd Greenberg has also lamented the lack of support shown to Paine by CA.
Former Cricket Tasmania chief executive Nick Cummins spoke out on Tuesday to vehemently defend the thoroughness of the investigations conducted by his former organisation and Cricket Australia at the time, describing the probe into Paine’s conduct as “bulletproof”.