Aussie captain has let the ship down
AUSTRALIAN CRICKET and, by extension, the nation itself, has suffered great embarrassment from illegal antics on the field of play orchestrated by its captain. By his own admission, Steve Smith has plunged his vice-captain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft in the midst of international ridicule by hatching a balltampering plot against South Africa in a losing third Test of four. The head of Cricket Australia, James Sutherland, and the country’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull have voiced their condemnation of the act. Describing the incident, the prime minister said he was “shocked” and “disappointed”.
As a result of all this, Smith, apart from the disgrace to his own image, he has lost the captaincy, had his match fee removed and will sit out a oneyear ban from Test cricket. Warner was also banned for a year and Bancroft, who, as investigations revealed, was instructed to damage the ball by Warner, has been sent on a forced ninemonth leave. They have been allowed to retain their ties with the cricket community by playing for their respective clubs.
The reactions from the sporting world to these developments are varied. There are many who feel that these acts to distort the outcome of a game are long-standing. As is sometimes said about performance-enhancing drugs, the usage should be allowed, as it has become too prevalent to be successfully controlled. The fact that authorities will never be able to catch all the cheaters has been cited as the reason to give a green light to such activities. This argument of widespread use is mentioned also to support the view that Smith and his boys were dealt too harsh a blow. Cricket is their livelihood, and to send them packing even for a year will reduce their revenue intake, but does nothing for the game itself.
Foster’s Fairplay has little time for this opinion as it gives the feeling that wrong should be upheld and made to triumph over right. What Smith and company did in the face of the multiple cameras covering the play threatens to break down all the structures of good sportsmanship and fair play which should be features of the tenets of all sports. These players are role models, whether or not they choose to be.
LASTING IMPRINTS
In all walks of life, it is not in the best interests of any one party to sacrifice principle for expediency. It is this columnist’s opinion that the long bans and fines stemming from the incident, especially given Smith’s high-ranking position, should be lasting imprints on the minds of all who would want to replicate this unfortunate unsportsmanlike behaviour. Potential miscreants in this arena need to realise what is possible as punishment for their action when it breaches existing rules. Results of sporting endeavour should be determined by talent and the further building and application thereof. They should not be dependent on the cunning and craftiness of the clever players who can come up with questionable schemes aimed at altering the course of a match to satisfy their greedy demands.
Darren Lehmann, the Australian head coach, has not been implicated in the ill deeds. In fact, Smith has had words to the effect that there was no blame to be placed at that level. That sounds good but quite likely only to Smith himself. Could that not be a face-saving ploy to make him seem an honourable man by taking all the heat, now that he is already thrown out to pasture? The fact that Lehmann has himself tossed in his towel raises the question as to whether it is his guilty conscience at play. This might never be revealed, but suffice it to say that a black eye on Australian cricket is now there, and rightly so. The captain has let the ship down.
Saying a word to the camera personnel who trapped the incident on tape and brought it to the entire world; it was a job well executed.
Let this be a lesson to those who might contemplate similar illegal actions in this or any other sport.
The consequences, when caught, could be disastrous.
‘Apart from the disgrace to his own image, he has lost the captaincy, had his match fee removed and will sit out a one-year ban from Test cricket’.