TOPIC:

Sadly for me this series is stuffed....really don't want Aust to win under these circumstances....really from the word go this series was tainted with inflated egos trying to get the upper hand.....all bravado and bullshit.....they said this this they said that etc....now this....very sad and TBH I am glad the footy is back now.....heads need to roll.....if they don't then it's only gonna get worse.....for me I can't be arsed watching this series now....how do others feel?

Peter North wrote: The sad thing is Bancroft is Australia's leading run scorer this series, under the rules Bancroft only gets a one match ban, Smith admitted at the press conference that he and the leadership group were all in on it, interesting to see what happens from here I would of thought the captain would have to step down.

The VC should take over.

Ohh the shock horror ( not). The media and all the spoting people in Aus love to tell us its only other countries that cheat, and that we are squeaky clean. So funny

Ball Tampering is a level 2 offence.Is this thing done all the time and was Bancroft unlucky to get caught on camera.Either way its cheating and SA could ask for AU to be suspended from this test.SA are going to win this test anyway.
Barmy Army have already made up songs singing at Eden Park.

Ti Em wrote:

Peter North wrote: The sad thing is Bancroft is Australia's leading run scorer this series, under the rules Bancroft only gets a one match ban, Smith admitted at the press conference that he and the leadership group were all in on it, interesting to see what happens from here I would of thought the captain would have to step down.

The VC should take over.

The VC is David Warner!

Who would have thought that this Series will forever now only be remembered for.........DeKock and Balls!

i agree with you Freeze, I can't watch this crap. If your going to lose, do so with dignity and then work on getting better. Cheating is a stain on all of us.
Either Smith fesses up and starts telling the truth, or the whole leadership group needs the arse. This includes the coach, who seems to have installed a blokey culture and forgotten about being disciplined.
If that happens it will mean we get flogged for a while (the current leadership group is Smith, Warner, Lyon, Hazlewood and Starc.)
If it was the whole leadership group none of them can continue on in my opinion. Lets remember these are the guys that lead a strike less than 12 months ago because they felt they deserved more money based on the way they play the game.
All we have had over the past couple of years is controversy after controversy.
How the hell does the ACB expect to have TV rights negotiations asking for 100 million over 5 years if they condone any of this. They need to appoint a hard arsed coach with discipline, they need to appoint a captain that is prepared to put the team before himself, and they need to make some very strong decisions, That in itself requires leadership.
As for Bancroft, he should get shot for being an idiot. 12 year old kids say no in the playground when asked to cheat, He clearly knows the rules and didn't have the balls to say No, I'm not cheating, one of you guys do it. If it costs him his career then he is the only one he can blame
Glad the footy is back on.......

Couldnt have said it better PH. I think most Australians who follow cricket would be gutted by this. CA have to follow due process however I will be very surprised if Lehmann and Smith retain their positions after the dust has settled. CA will have to show some leadership and impose further sanctions on any player involved in this action. It has struck at the very heart of the spirit of the national game. Bradman would be turning in his grave.

Smiths punishment starts today when he has to lead his team onto Newlands in a hostile atmosphere with a group whose morale will be at rock bottom against an opposition that will show them no mercy.

Hmmm not condoning this act at all but gees there seems to be some double standards out there.
Australia have been caught and now charged (1st time) for ball tampering yep its disgraceful and against the spirit of the game but there is a long list of former players found guilty of the same offence including 2 who are playing in this very same Test match for the opposition one who was the Captain when caught in Hobart last summer and is still the Captain of South Africa now and yet no outcry over that?!

Beasley Hutton wrote: Hmmm not condoning this act at all but gees there seems to be some double standards out there.
Australia have been caught and now charged (1st time) for ball tampering yep its disgraceful and against the spirit of the game but there is a long list of former players found guilty of the same offence including 2 who are playing in this very same Test match for the opposition one who was the Captain when caught in Hobart last summer and is still the Captain of South Africa now and yet no outcry over that?!

I really don't give a toss what other teams do BH. Australian cricket teams need to be better than what we have seen overnight.