Siddle hits back at Harmison ‘hypocrisy’ Online
The war of words over Australia’s successful Ashes defence has elevated, with Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle accusing former England counterpart Steve Harmison of hypocrisy.
Harmison reinforced how shattered England were after their hopes of reclaiming the famous urn were dashed in Manchester when he declared Steve Smith would forever be known as a cheat.
Heading into the fifth and final test at the Oval, Smith had been the major difference between the nations, to the point many believe he is Australia’s best batsman since Sir Donald Bradman.
He has a stunning 671 runs at 134.20 through the series, the backbone of Australia’s 2-1 series lead.
It’s his first test series back since a year-long suspension imposed by Cricket Australia where he was also stripped of the captaincy for failing to stop a plan that David Warner and Cameron Bancroft enacted to sandpaper the ball in South Africa last year.
Harmison, who played 63 tests but is best remembered for delivering a wide ball with the first delivery of the 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia, insisted that no matter what Smith achieved, he would forever be linked to the ball-tampering scandal.
‘‘When you’re known as a cheat – and he is, I’m not going to sugar-coat it, the three guys cheated – that’s on your CV. You’re marked and you take it to your grave. Whatever Steve Smith does, he’ll always be remembered for what happened in South Africa,’’ Harmison said on English radio. For the latest on the fifth Ashes test, go to stuff.co.nz
England have their own history of ball tampering. Former batsman Marcus Trescothick confirmed he had sucked on mints to illegally shine the ball during the 2005 Ashes, while former skipper Mike Atherton used dirt from his pocket to scuff the ball in a Lord’s test against South Africa in 1994. Atherton was later fined £2000 for failing to disclose the dirt to the match referee, but retained the captaincy.
Siddle pointed out the double standards while returning serve at Harmison.
‘‘It’s more of a laugh than anything because we know some stories about what has gone on in the past,’’ he said. ‘‘A couple of his team-mates from back then put out books since the ’05 Ashes and talked about sugarcoating the cricket ball to get reverse swing in that series.
‘‘That’s the irony in all that, that he actually used the word sugar-coat, when two of his teammates have talked about mints and different things to put on the ball. It comes back on him. We’ll have the last laugh about that, and Steve Smith has put those to rest and he’s just done his talking with the bat.’’
Smith also inflamed tensions during celebrations on the field after the series-clinching win at Old Trafford. He donned glasses and was spotted shadow-batting left-handed, a jibe the locals felt was aimed at England tailender Jack Leach.
The Australians insist Smith was imitating former test opener Chris Rogers, although Rogers did not bat in glasses, instead using contact lenses. He sometimes wore glasses in the field.