Aussies face huge backlash, balls tampering

Mangalore Today News Network

Sydney, Mar 27, 2018 : Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland rushed to South Africa on Monday with the sport facing one of the toughest weeks in its history as a backlash grows over a ball-tampering scandal which is likely to cost Steve Smith the Test captaincy.

Sponsors expressed “deep concern” as media and fans called for widespread changes and decisive action following the shock admission that Smith and senior team members plotted to cheat in South Africa. Smith, 28, was removed from the captaincy for the remainder of the third Test against South Africa on Sunday and was then banned for one match by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

His team’s weekend of shame then ended in a crushing 322-run rout.

Now Smith is expected to face a harsh sanction from under-pressure Cricket Australia (CA) for his role in the plot which saw team-mate Cameron Bancroft tamper with the ball by using yellow sticky tape, before desperately trying to conceal the evidence down the front of his trousers.

A charge of conduct contrary to the spirit of the game includes a possible life ban.

CA has sent its head of integrity Iain Roy and head of team performance Pat Howard to Cape Town to conduct an investigation, with Sutherland, who is facing mounting pressure to take responsibility for what Australian media slammed as a “rotten” team culture, now deciding to join them.

“I am travelling to Johannesburg this evening and will arrive Tuesday morning local time to meet Iain to understand the findings of the investigation to that point, and to determine recommended outcomes,” he said late Monday.

“We know Australians want answers and we will keep you updated on our findings and next steps, as a matter of urgency.”

Smith and all members of the team will remain in South Africa to assist in the probe to determine exactly what happened, and who knew.

 Australia’s major cricket sponsors, including Qantas Airways, breakfast cereal maker Sanitarium, and brewer Lion, put CA on notice on Monday by saying that they were assessing their relationship with the country’s favourite pastime as a fallout of a ball-tampering scandal.

The incident also threatens to upset current negotiations over broadcast rights.

Weetbix-maker Sanitarium, which counts Smith as a brand ambassador, said it was reviewing its sponsorship pending the outcome of an investigation by governing body Cricket Australia.

“Certainly it’s under review as the actions taken by the team in South Africa don’t align with our own values – Sanitarium does not condone cheating in sport,” Sanitarium said in a statement. The sentiment was mirrored by almost all of the sport’s commercial partners in Australia, including Qantas, apparel sponsor ASICS, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, insurer Bupa, Specsavers, Toyota, and brewer Lion, which owns beer sponsor XXXX.

“Like the rest of Australia, we’re deeply concerned,” a Lion spokesman said in a statement. “This is not what you’d expect from anyone in the sport at any level.”

Cricket Australia said in a statement it would present the findings of its inquiry on Wednesday.

Cricket Australia earned A$338.4 million ($261 million) in media, sponsorship and spectator fees in the financial year ended June 30, 2017, according to its most recent annual report. The value of its individual sponsorships are not disclosed.