So Ashamed of Our Cheating Cricket team

[Tahlee]

I never thought the day would come when I wouldn't support our national cricket team .... but it has ... and i feel that we have forever lost our sporting integrity.

CA should sack Smith, Bancroft and the "leadership team", declare on the current match, and withdraw from the test

So sad ... so bad


Rob

[Gabriel]

I agree with your sentiment, but I'm just perplexed as to how obvious it was and if they thought in today's 'everything on camera' society how they could get away with it....

I'm very interested to hear their reasoning and seeing the fallout....

Very sad day for cricket though

[Twisted Tenon]

I am not happy with what has happened either, but struggle to see the difference between these recent events and the 2005 Pommy test team that doctored the ball using mints.

TT

[rrich]

I understand little about Cricket. (I've watched but remain confused.) How can anyone cheat on video and expect to get away with it?

[Chesand]

To paraphrase Jim Hacker, Sir Humphrey and Bernard from Yes Minister "It is appalling".
I never thought that I would feel ashamed of being Australian.

[Bob38S]

It had to happen as it does in many arenas today. When the pressure is to always win and $$$$ are attached to that winning, the temptation to win at any cost becomes prevalent.

Stopped watching football many years ago when the games of skill took a backseat to winning and huge $$$ involved which led to the game becoming a TV show rather than a game.

In cricket, in the future, when something happens there will now always be the question, is or isn’t it legit? They didn’t need to do it, the team had plenty of skill and class to win or lose fairly but now....... it’s just a shame, what’s your reputation worth? What’s Australia’s reputation worth?

I’m severely disappointed to be so let down by the very people who are so looked up to by all of the kids going to practice and playing each weekend with the hope of one day playing with honour in a baggy green.

[Chesand]

....... it’s just a shame, what’s your reputation worth?

I would sooner be financially bankrupt than morally bankrupt. These guys are certainly morally bankrupt and their financial situation has/will take a beating. Smith has already been sacked from his position in the IPL.

[jmk89]

All of this is true but hardly unexpected in a world where people will scam anything, even puppy dogs.

[BobL]

I agree with Bob38S, there's just waaaay too much money involved, most professional sport is already highly contaminated or all headed that way.

I recently read a book about the corruption in European football - it just turned into a variation of WWW.

I used to be a keen sports follower on the media but these days the shed radio is usually tuned to RN.

[Dengue]

You can cheat, but don't get caught! Politicians, business men, sporting clubs ( eg.,Melbourne Storm, Manly Seagulls etc) and sportsmen all do it. Although why the Aust cricket team thought they could get away with it defies comprehension.
Smith will never step down, not with over $1m at risk.
Bring them all home now and forfeit the series, and sack Smith, silly bugger! No brains.

[Arron]

. Although why the Aust cricket team thought they could get away with it defies comprehension.

Usually, when this question is asked, the answer is because it’s been going on for so long that people have become inured to the risk.

I seem to remember that last time Bancroft was suspected he was photoed shovelling sugar into his pocket before he went on field.

I agree with the above comments. Sack them, forfeit the series and bring them home in disgrace. Then start again, and do something about the sledging and all the other unsporting stuff while at it.

[rustynail]

I can remember the monotonous trips into the Australian Rugby Union, trying to get professional recognition for our players. We were constantly told we would regret the day the code turned professional. Couldn't see it then, but sure can now.

[Tahlee]

Captain Smith has permanently smeared himself .... I will never buy any product he is associated with ... he is a cheat and a man of little moral fibre.

Please let him fade into obscurity ..... and please dont do feature stories about his certain depression and feeling of being victimised ..... he deserves to be depressed ... he has depressed a nation of cricket lovers.

Rob

[Handyjack]

OK, so Australia was not doing well in the test, but to try and alter the game by any illegal means is not in the spirit of not only cricket but any sport. Cycling and weight lifting, eastern European and Chinese athletes will always have a question mark over their performance. Now the Australian Cricket team will lose a lot of respect. The ramifications will be there for a long time. Cricket Australia will now have trouble selling broadcast rights for the money they want, and it will possibly mean a smaller audiance and fewer bums on seats. To quote a television presenter "What were they thinking?"
It is better to get done by fair means than to cheat. As it was Australia lost the test by over 300 runs - a big loss.
As for the rest of the series - not sure I will be really interested as anything might now be manufactured.
As for repecussions, those knowing involved (or prepared to put their hand up) should be suspended for 12 months, and S. Smith loose the captincy. Remeber Shane Warne was out of cricket for 12 months for taking a pill.

[Twisted Tenon]

Here’s a bit of balance

TT