The shocking events at Newlands over the past 24 hrs has shocked the cricketing fraternity to it’s very core. The one match suspension for Smith may just be the tip of the ice berg, as the Aussie skipper, along with vice-captain David Warner are facing a possible ban from Cricket Australia.
Smith and Warner are two of the best batsmen in world cricket right now, but their reputation is in absolute tatters as their integrity will now be called into question at every possible opportunity.
The pair were the chief orchestrators behind the ball tampering scandal that took place yesterday, and have faced immense flak from cricket fan and pundits alike.
“To our Australian Cricket Fans, we are sorry,” Sutherland said. “We are sorry that you had to wake up this morning to news from South Africa that our Australian Men’s Cricket team and our Captain admitted to conduct that is outside both the Laws of our game and the Spirit of Cricket.
This behaviour calls into question the integrity of the team and Cricket Australia.”
“The ASC condemns cheating of any form in sport. The ASC expects and requires that Australian teams and athletes demonstrate unimpeachable integrity in representing our country,” the ASC said in a statement.
“The Australian cricket team are iconic representatives of our country. The example they set matters a great deal to Australia and to the thousands of young Australians playing or enjoying the sport of cricket and who look up to the national team as role models.
“Given the admission by 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. This can occur while Cricket Australia completes a full investigation.”
