Players’ union plans to appeal for banned trio
AUSTRALIA’S players’ union is set to launch a fresh push to reduce the penalties of banned cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner.
It’s believed the Australian Cricketers Association could make a submission to Cricket Australia’s board within 48 hours as the game braces for the handing down of its independent cultural review today in Melbourne.
Should the cultural review confirm that senior figures in administration must also take responsibility for the events that led to the disgrace in Cape Town, then the ACA is set to double-down on its longstanding position that the sanctions handed down to Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft were disproportionately heavy-handed.
The union’s main concern is that Smith and Warner have copped an unprecedented level of punishment when, as of yesterday, not one senior CA administrator had accepted any responsibility for the failings.
That could change today with the cultural review announcement, which the ACA is monitoring closely.
It is believed some senior figures at CA are aware of the ACA’s plans of an official submission, but publicly the organisation is maintaining the position reinforced by chairman David Peever this month that the ball-tampering bans “will stand”.
CA chief executive Kevin Roberts revealed he had reached out and made contact with Smith, Warner and Bancroft since taking over from James Sutherland and was pleased with how the trio were progressing.
Roberts said attention must be placed on how the players could transition back into international cricket once their respective 12-month and, in Bancroft’s case, nine-month, bans were over.
“I’ve had good discussions with all three and it’s pleasing to see that they’re all contributing to their respective communities and rebuilding in their own individual ways,” Roberts said.
There is growing discontent at the inconsistency of Smith and Warner being permitted to play Twenty20 competitions in Pakistan and Bangladesh in January-February at the same time as the domestic Big Bash League will run, which they will be banned from.
A host of ex-players have been vocal critics.