Life bans will be too harsh: Nehra
the responsibility for ensuring that play is carried out in accordance with the spirit of the game as well as within the laws,” said MCC assistant secretary John Stephenson.
The MCC also stated that it had taken a strong note of the untoward turn of events that have taken place during the ongoing series between Australia and South Africa.
While the ball tampering saga has grabbed the limelight, tensions remained with Kagiso Rabada escaping a ban, David Warner getting involved in a heated altercation with a fan, and so on. “The behaviour of some of the players in the current South NEW DELHI: Deposed Australia skipper Steve Smith and deputy David Warner are bracing for fresh sanctions from their cricket board for cheating over the balltampering scandal that has rocked the team in South Africa.
However, the two found some backing on Monday with former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra commending Smith for publicly admitting to the ‘leadership role’ in Cameron Bancroft using a sticky tape to try and alter the condition of the ball. “All have different views,” the left-arm pacer said at a promotional event for Royal Challengers Bangalore. “If they have done some thing wrong, ICC will punish them. (But) I give credit to Smith because he has admitted to making a mistake… They (officials) should keep these things aside and move forward.”
The immediate concern is whether Smith and Warner, will be even able to play in the IPL starting April
7. Nehra, who played under Warner and was part of SRH during its 2016 run to the title, said it would be sad if players of their quality go out of IPL.
“You won’t see tampering in T20. You see that in Tests. These things will be there. It will be sad if any IPL team loses a guy like Smith or Warner, considering the kind of players they are.”
Nehra, who has taken over as RCB’S bowling coach this season, said he did not condone ball-tampering. “Even stealing is an art,” he said when suggested that pressure to prepare the ball to reverseswing was at the heart of tampering attempts. If you are hardworking, you will perform better, although unlike other sports you can’t practice on the pitch you will play, which is an issue while preparing.”
SMITH’S FRUSTRATION
Nehra, who played 17 Tests and was a member of India’s victorious 2011 World Cup side, empathized with Smith. “He himself Africa/australia series, and other incidents in recent times in the game we all cherish, has fallen well below the standard required to inspire future generations of cricket-loving families.”
Meanwhile, CA’S head of integrity Iain Roy and high-performance manager Pat Howard are in Cape Town and Roy “will immediately conduct his inquiries around the specifics of the ball tampering incident” the Australian cricket body said.
CA chief executive James Sutherland was also travelling to South Africa and said he expected to provide some answers to an outraged Australian public by Tuesday evening. said, ‘I was frustrated (not getting wickets)’. These things can happen while playing abroad.”
Australian cricket was not merely about the tampering scandal, or sledging, he added. “Australia have always played hard cricket, though crossing the line is not a good thing.
“MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have also performed, but are very different people. Virat, for instance, is very animated. Smith and Warner are not just talking, but performing too, which we should not forget. Smith and Warner have lost their captaincy and vice-captaincy. I don’t think it should make a difference in IPL. We should move forward. I’m nobody, but life ban will be very harsh for any player,” Nehra added.
We have seven cameras that stay with the ball always, whether it is in play or not. But there are a lot more cameras, we had 30 at the ground.