Steve Smith slams Australian culture: Banned Australian captain has lashed out at Australia’s ‘win-at-all-cost’ culture.
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During the second Test of South Africa’s tour of Australia in 2016 at Hobart, South Africa had defeated Australia by an innings and 80 runs to gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Having lost a series at home didn’t seem to go well with James Sutherland and Pat Howard, the then vital named involved in Cricket Australia. In a recent interview with former Australia wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist for Cricket 360, banned Australia cricketer Steve Smith has disclosed that the duo had entered the Australian dressing room, lashing out at the players.
“I remember James Sutherland and Pat Howard coming into the rooms there and saying ‘we don’t pay you to play, we pay you to win’,” Smith was quoted as saying to Gilchrist initially.
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Smith, who has been banned for a year for his role in the Sandpaper gate at Cape Town earlier this year, further said that he was left disappointed after the incident. “For me that was a little bit disappointing, we don’t go out there to try lose games of cricket, we go out there to try and win and play the best way we can,” he said.
Smith also talked about the months gone by, citing them as a ‘dark’ period of his life. “I’ve had ups and downs throughout the nine months. Initially the first week or so after everything went down in South Africa that was really tough. I was in a pretty dark space.
“I was pretty much curled up in a ball and in tears for a lot of it. I was struggling mentally and not doing real well,” he added.
Read some of the latest Twitter reactions on Smith below:
Cricket Australia facing $4m Dave Warner-Steve Smith conundrum, via @BenHorne8 https://t.co/CowHrUUTKb
— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) December 27, 2018
Ricky Ponting backs Steve Smith to captain Australia again when his ban expires https://t.co/yjCPRZxM78 pic.twitter.com/7HImXxhJPN
— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) December 27, 2018
#DarreLehmann stepped down as coach after #SteveSmith and his deputy #DavidWarner were handed one-year bans by Cricket Australia in exemplary punishment for their role in the scandal in March that shook the game.https://t.co/yb6BIyurqP
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) December 27, 2018
Ex-greats slam Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft for throwing David Warner under a bus https://t.co/baTBuO77eJ pic.twitter.com/T6SnjERhxz
— Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) December 27, 2018
I disagree, Steve Smith has done nothing but accept responsibility for his actions “ I saw what was happening and did nothing, that was my responsibility to do something and I didn’t” that’s a mans response.
— Bryan Hope (@BryanHo22429952) December 26, 2018