This series has been a blemish on the game, says Bacher
WHERE to now for Cricket Australia?
The famed Baggy Green, worn by giants such as Sir Donald Bradman, Keith Miller, Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, was forever sullied on a dramatic Saturday afternoon at Newlands of all places.
Border, for one, believed the Baggy Green carried an “iconic status, the aura and historical significance which gives Australian teams a psychological advantage.”
Steve Smith was the man handed the responsibility of carrying on this proud tradition. Play the game hard – harder than anyone else – but always remember to play fair!
Considering Smith’s batting average is only second to the legendary Bradman, it was believed the blond Sydneysider had the mental make-up to occupy the office which is only second of importance to that of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s in the minds of most Australians.
So what persuaded a man, so highly regarded by his employers, peers and compatriots to commit a pre-planned act of treason that has betrayed his nation?
If accepting Smith’s pitiful plea that it was “the first time it’s happened I promise you”, then the only sane reason for this gross misjudgement can be absolute desperation. The belief within his heart of hearts his team were not good enough to get the job done in a legal manner.
I don’t belong to the vast majority of South Africans that with Easter around the corner Smith needs to placed on the nearest cross and publically hung out to dry in the centre of Green Market Square.
I will leave that to the Australians who are vilified by their captain’s actions.
Smith will have to live with the fall-out of resorting to cheating when the pressure was at its most intense, but no South African can claim the moral high ground when it comes to ball tampering.
The Proteas have had three convictions of the same offence over the last five years, and we always have good ol’ Hansie to keep our lines of morality in check.
But that’s why the ball is in Cricket Australia’s court now. The United Cricket Board of South Africa – Cricket South Africa’s predecessor – showed a zero tolerance approach to Cronje after his tearful admission.
Ball tampering may not carry the same weight as match-fixing, but CA have to make a definitive statement in the way they handle the Smith saga.
The ICC have already issued the Australian captain with a one-match suspension, but James Sutherland and his Executive Board have an opportunity to show the world they are serious about how the game is to be played Down Under.
This entire series has been marred by controversy. All the way through Australia have turned up their noses and deflected the attention away from their poor performances in the last two Tests and blamed everyone from Quinton de Kock to the boorish Newlands crowd.
At the heart of the staunch defence was “the leadership core” of Smith, coach Darren Lehmann and vice-captain David Warner.
Although Smith insists Lehmann had no part in the skulduggery out on the field that saw a panicky Cameron Bancroft try to hide the evidence in the front of his trousers on live television, it would be grossly unjust if it was only Smith who was singled out for this national shame.
The spotlight is firmly on Cricket Australia. They now have the mandate to finally draw the line in the sand. DURBAN: Former South African captain Dr Ali Bacher labelled Australia’s ball-tampering attempts as ‘incredibly stupid’, as the rest of the cricket world came to terms with a dark day for the sport.
“In this age of a thousand cameras, it was stupid to even think of doing it – and incredibly stupid to then go through with it,” Bacher said.
Bacher lay the blame squarely on the leadership of the Australian, and Madded that Cameron Bancroft was probably left with little option as a newcomer to the team.
“When a company goes wonky, you look at the CEO. You have to put the blame of this on the captain, and I would think that Cricket Australia will think long and hard about taking it further than the onematch that Steve Smith has already got,” Bacher pointed out.
“I feel sorry for Bancroft, because he would have been acting under instruction. If the leader of the team says you must do that, what option do you really have with seven Tests under your belt?”.
Bacher said he expected Cricket Australia’s investigation to take the matter further, agreeing that Smith faced an uncertain future as captain.
“One thing that they have always done in act immediately on things like this. You look back at Shane Warne, who had a brilliant cricket brain, but he never got the captaincy because of his misdemeanours. I would be very surprised if they didn’t take this further,” he warned.
Bacher played in nine Test matches against Australia, but was saddened by the spirit in which much of the current series has been conducted.
“What has happened throughout this series is a blemish for world cricket,” the captain of the last South African team to beat Australia on home soil bemoaned.
Bacher led South Africa to the famous whitewash of a powerful, Bobby Simpson-led Australian side, but maintained that those contests were played in the right spirit.
“Whenever we played Australia, it was different. You could feel the tension. It was tough, and hard. But I can’t recall any of the players on either side sledging. Not once. Australia and South Africa play similarly, but what has happened has seen a healthy rivalry getting out of hand.
“Things have got personal, and the series has got out of control. It has been sad to see two great Test nations crossing the line, because it must be remembered that it has been both sides,” he reminded.
Like many, Bacher voiced his displeasure for that so-called line, and how the game goes about administering it.
“Who determines when you cross this line? Sledging and the like just shouldn’t be part of cricket,” he insisted.
Ahead of the fourth Test, Bacher called for leadership from both boards to step in, and look to restore the healthy respect that has marked the rivalry between two great cricketing nations.
“I think both boards need to draw a line on what has been a bad episode, and say ‘let’s get back on an even keel’. This is a great rivalry, and it has been very sad to see it go down the road it has taken for most of the series,” he concluded.
The fourth and final Test starts at The Wanderers on Friday.