Saturday, 24 March 2018, will go down as one of the darkest days in Australia’s cricket history after their captain Seven Smith admitted that his team resorted to illegally changing the condition of the ball.
At Newlands, Cape Town, on Day III of the third Test against South Africa, television cameras caught young Aussie opener Cameron Bancroft using a yellow-coloured foreign object, which he later tried to slip into his trousers, giving rise to doubts if the Aussies had indulged in suspicious activities.
At a press conference at the end of the day’s play, where Bancroft and Smith addressed the media, the former admitted that he had attempted to scruff up the ball and used the yellow tape to collect soil.
The captain admitted it was a plan discussed and devised by the ‘leadership group’ at the Lunch break. Bancroft said he only accidentally walked in when the leadership group were devising the plan and claimed it was a case of him being ‘at the wrong place at the wrong time’.
Smith, the captain of the team, said he was ‘not proud of what happened and realised it was not within the spirit of the game’. Stating the obvious, he said his ‘integrity, the team’s integrity and the leadership group’s integrity had come into question’.
Smith also added, “No way I’m considering stepping down. I still think I’m the right person for the job. Obviously today was a big mistake on my behalf and on the leadership group’s behalf. I take responsibility as the captain and I need to take control of the ship. This is certainly not something I’m proud of.”
Severe Backlash Back Home
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) condemned the acts committed by the Australian team. In a statement released, the ASC said, “Given the admission by the Australian captain Steve Smith, the ASC calls for him to be stood down immediately by Cricket Australia, along with any other members of the team leadership group or coaching staff who had prior awareness of, or involvement in, the plan to tamper with the ball.”
Reacting strongly to the events that unfolded in Cape Town on Saturday, Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said, “Australian cricket fans want to be very proud of their cricket team. And this morning I have every reason to wake up and not be proud of the team. It is a very sad day for Australian cricket. Activities on the field yesterday in Cape Town were neither within the laws of the game nor within the spirit of the game.”
He further added, “For us at Cricket Australia, that’s extremely disappointing. But more importantly for Australian cricket fans, it is extremely disappointing as well.”
What Next?
The cricket world now waits to see what action will taken by the ICC and Cricket Australia, and against whom. At the moment, the ICC has charged Cameron Bancroft for being the individual who committed the illegal act. But with Smith admitting that it was a leadership group’s decision, it is only fair to expect that the ICC hands out punishment to all the abettors and not only to the perpetrator.
Cricket Australia on their part have said they will conduct their own inquiry into the events. "Our responsibility right now is to understand the facts and respond accordingly. I want to reiterate that we are dealing with this matter with appropriate urgency. I said right from the outset that I am shocked and extremely disappointed. This is a very sad day. I'm not happy about this at all. We need someone to go over there and talk to the relevant people and understand the detail and then we'll make appropriate decisions on the next steps. We are in the middle of a game and that game needs to conclude but in course of next couple of days we'll get to the bottom of this," Sutherland said.
Steven Smith could be the number one batsman in Test cricket, but his reputation has taken a severe beating – bashing even – post the events in Cape Town. It is not just enough if a cricketer knows how to score runs or take wickets; it is just not enough to win trophies, dominate opponents or top the rankings charts. It is important that players conduct themselves on and off the field. The best players, those who go on to become legends and make role models for youngsters, have the ability to exercise restraint at desperate times.
Smith has disgraced himself by agreeing to use illegal means to gain advantage over an opponent. That Smith has let desperation get the better of him on a couple of instances now – here in Cape Town and earlier in Bangalore that led to the ‘brain-fade’ episode – only proves that he isn’t the complete cricketer and doesn’t have all the characteristics that go into the making of a legend.
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