Warner, Smith bans stand, says CA before India series
MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia (CA) will not reconsider reducing the ban on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft in the ball-tampering case despite a series against a full-strength India awaiting them next month.
Skipper Smith and his deputy Warner were slapped with a oneyear international ban while rookie Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months by CA in March this year for their role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) termed the punishment on the trio “harsh” and called for a reconsideration but CA chairman David Peever remained adamant and turned down the plea. “Sanctions were carried out and imposed by the board after a very full and thoughtful process. So the sanctions stand,” said Peever during a press conference after the independent review into CA’S cricket culture by the Sydney-based Ethics Centre was made public.
SCATHING REVIEW
The scathing review has blamed the ball-tampering scandal on an “arrogant” and “controlling” culture overseen by the game’s national governing body that led to players cheating in pursuit of victory. The independent review accused the CA of only paying lip service to the spirit of the game, leaving players without moral guidance.
The document, which was partially redacted to prevent individuals being identified, also included complaints from those involved in the sport that there was a bullying culture in elite men’s cricket.
“Responsibility for that larger picture lies with CA and not just the players held directly responsible for the appalling incident at Newlands,” said the review, which was released on Monday.
Coach Darren Lehmann quit in the wake of the controversy. The scandal also claimed the scalps of CA chief executive James Sutherland and team performance boss Pat Howard.
“The broad consensus amongst stakeholders is that CA does not consistently ‘live’ its values and principles,” the review said. “CA is perceived to say one thing and do another. The most common description of CA is as ‘arrogant’ and ‘controlling’.”