TEARY SMITH SAYS SORRY
EX-SKIPPER BREAKS SILENCE AS COACH LEHMANN QUITS
DUMPED Australian captain Steve Smith cried his way through an apology to the nation after declaring he had made a mistake he would regret for the rest of his life.
Smith’s tearful confession came shortly after suspended batsman Cameron Bancroft spoke. Bancroft carried the sandpaper on to the ground in Cape Town.
Flanked by his management, Smith said sorry more than once but accepted full responsibility for the balltampering crisis which has cost him his job as skipper.
Banned from playing cricket for a year, Smith called the South African affair a failure of his leadership and hoped he could play for Australia again.
“To all of my teammates, the fans, cricketers all over the world and to all Australians who are disappointed and angry, I’m sorry,” Smith said as he fought back tears.
“Tonight, I want to make clear that as captain … I take full responsibility.
“I made a serious error of judgment and I now understand the consequences.
“It was a failure of leadership, of my leadership. I will do everything I can to make up for my mistakes and the damage they have caused. If any good can come from this, if it can be a lesson to others. I hope I can be a source for change.
“I know I will regret this for the rest of my life. I am absolutely gutted. I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness. Cricket is the greatest game in the world.
“It has been my life. And I hope it can be again.”
A highly emotional Ban- croft pleaded for forgiveness after his role in the scandal was exposed, including the fact he lied to match officials when he was charged.
He said his heart was broken, that he had never before tampered with the ball, that he panicked and he was hugely embarrassed.
“It is something I will regret for the rest of my life,” Bancroft said. “I want to say that I am very sorry.
I know I will regret this for the rest of my life. I am absolutely gutted
“I love the game of cricket and playing for my nation and my state. I am extremely disappointed and regret my actions. I am sorry to kids.
“I know I am a role model and have let people down.
“All I can do at this time is ask for forgiveness.
“I lied. I lied about the sandpaper. I panicked, I panicked in that situation.
“It’s been a big wake-up call to myself for what that means and how amazing an opportunity it is to wear the Baggy Green cap.
“The thing that breaks my heart is that I have given up my spot in the team to someone else for free. I’ve worked so hard to get here and it’s devastating. I have to work hard again to get back.”
Bancroft, fighting back tears, took full responsibility for his actions and refused to say whether he was bullied into tampering with the ball by David Warner.
Warner yesterday took to social media to apologise for his part in the scandal.
“Mistakes have been made which have damaged cricket,’’ he wrote.
“I apologise for my part and take responsibility for it.
“I understand the distress this has caused the sport and its fans.
“Its (sic) a stain on the game we all love and I have loved since I was a boy.”
“I need to take a deep breath and spend time with my family, friends and trusted advisers. You will hear from me in a few days,” he wrote.
New Zealand cricket captain Kane Williamson went in to bat for Warner, saying he was “not a bad person”.
The Australian Cricketers Association, in a statement which forecast a potential appeal from the sanctioned players, questioned the extent of the penalties and even the process by which they were determined.