Bangladesh bowl out ban on Smith
Former Australian captain Steve Smith has had his ban from the sport lifted by Bangladeshi cricket officials so he can participate in the country’s upcoming Twenty20 competition.
Smith, who is serving a one-year ban from international cricket over a ball-tampering scandal, will be free to play in the next edition of the Bangladesh Premier League next month. The 29-year-old was expected to join the Comilla Victorians in midJanuary as a replacement for Pakistan’s Shoab Malik.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had initially blocked his participation after opposition franchises raised objections about Smith as he was not in the initial players’ draft list for the tournament.
“We could not give him permission earlier as other franchises had protested his signing,” BCB spokesman Jalal Yunus said.
“[Yesterday] four franchises emailed us separately saying they have withdrawn their objections for the greater interest of the tournament,” he said.
Yunus added that in return, other franchises wanted at least one replacement player outside of the players’ draft and the BCB had agreed to their demand.
Former Australian vice-captain David Warner, who also received a ban for his part in the tampering scandal, will also play in the competition.
Meanwhile, Aaron Finch has declared he wants Warner back in the Australian dressing room, as former players turned up the heat on the teammates who have thrown him under the bus.
The public support offered for Warner and Smith by one-day captain Finch comes as a significant development, after Cricket Australia boss Kevin Roberts revealed to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper he would canvas the attitudes of
Finch and test skipper Tim Paine for their view on if and when the banned players should represent their country again. Cameron Bancroft and Smith came under fire for their tell-all interviews from test captaincy great Allan Border, who is adamant the duo should have let sleeping dogs lie. Powerful voice Shane Warne also stuck up for Warner over the bind he has been put in by teammates and the game, while fellow Fox Cricket caller Kerry O’Keeffe called on Smith to stop making excuses and accept “ownership” of the Sandpapergate incident. Warner has copped it from all angles in the past week amid suggestions there remains opposition to him from members of the Australian team. However, keeping his powder dry may ultimately work in Warner’s favour as he vies for an international return at the World Cup.
In a major step towards his reintegration, Finch said he would welcome Warner and Smith back to defend the World Cup. “From my point of view, they’ll be welcomed back with open arms,” said Finch.