The Cricket Thread

[Pellshek]

I'm honestly struggling to get my head around what the fuck they were thinking.

And it strikes me England and Aussie should probably swap coaches. Lehman, a twinkle-eyed scoundrel, may be what England need, and Bayliss's chill may be what the Aussie hotheads need.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I'm honestly struggling to get my head around what the fuck they were thinking.

It's a recurring theme with Smith. He wasn't thinking when he looked to the balcony for guidance over DRS (and he'd learn from it), he wasn't thinking today (but he'll learn from it).

I like Lehmann but the TV footage I saw shows he's as guilty as fuck. As soon as he clocked the TV had spotted it he was on his walkie talkie to the 12th man who went straight out and told Bancroft he'd been rumbled.

I also wasn't impressed by his complaints about the disgraceful abuse his players received. Dominic Cork got it spot on when he said 'Really? try being an Englishman playing a test in Australia......pffft, do me a favour Darren' (I paraphrased a bit there)

 

[Wellspurs]

So that's how @aussiespursguy you won the Ashes!!

 

[aussiespursguy]

I am fucking totally ashamed waking up to this shit storm.
Absolute fucking disgrace.
I'll calm down a bit, try to find out a few facts, then decide what should happen to everyone of the fuckers that were involved.
Not happy Jan!

 

[Clark28]

Bancroft was only playing his 8th test, whoever made him do it (Smith, I'm assuming) needs to fuck off and never come back.

 

[aussiespursguy]

Bancroft was only playing his 8th test, whoever made him do it (Smith, I'm assuming) needs to fuck off and never come back.

This is possibly the biggest scandal in Australian sport. Ever. It appears Boof Lehmann was not involved. Thats the claim. I certainly hope not. Smith is gone. He wont survive this, and nor should he.

 

[DaiT]

Smith has to go.

The weather in Auckland is looking good.

We are going to have to save ourselves.

 

[DaiT]

This is possibly the biggest scandal in Australian sport. Ever. It appears Boof Lehmann was not involved. Thats the claim. I certainly hope not. Smith is gone. He wont survive this, and nor should he.

Didn't he send out the 12th man to advise the player to hide the evidence because he had been caught on camera?

 

[Arnoldtoo]

I would have thought that, of all teams, the Aussies would back themselves to win without having to cheat.

Obviously not.

 

[Dazzazzad]

The cheating is bad but for me what makes it worse is the attempt to cover it up. Lehmann getting the message out. Hiding the tape. Claiming innocence when confronted by the umpires.

As another cricketer said, nothing happens without the instruction of the coach and skipper. Those are the two who should be in the firing line. Amazing that Lehmann has so far stayed out of the shit.

When it happened I told my friend I thought Lehmann would try and take all the blame. Since he's the coach and his players have their careers ahead of them. How wrong I was.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Matt Prior's tweet made me laugh. "Why they not giggling like school kids anymore?!" referencing when Bancroft and Smith milked the Bairstow headbutt incident for all it was worth. Smith came across as such a smug ****. Cooks interview was also a little revealing when he mentioned the 'line' this Australian team like to keep on saying they never cross.

I don't think many people in cricket like this team or some of the people in it. Smith is forever going to be known as a cheat, nothing changes for Warner, he was always going to be forever known as a **** but surely some of this will stick too and it's going to be very interesting to see what action Cricket Australia take against this so called 'leadership group'. Probably not much, the buck stops at Lehmann and Smith I guess but if Smith gets sacked I don't see how they can appoint a captain from within that group.

Obviously heads have to roll, Smith should lose the captaincy but should there also not be a few 1 or 2 year bans from playing for Australia handed out? I think this 'leadership group' business needs dealing with too and its a very tough situation for Australian cricket because this is going to follow the Australian team around until the last of these players have retired from the team. Every time they open their mouths this is going to be rammed down their throats, its quite possibly shut them up for a very long time. They've got a lot to do to mend this.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Michael Clarke could be the solution although only short term, here's what he had to say about this when interviewed

"My heart feels for him. If something is to happen to Steve Smith, then the captaincy cannot go to anybody that has been involved in this situation," he said.

He told the broadcaster when quizzed whether he would assume the captaincy again if asked: "If I was asked by the right people, then I would think about my answer."

 

[aussiespursguy]

Matt Prior's tweet made me laugh. "Why they not giggling like school kids anymore?!" referencing when Bancroft and Smith milked the Bairstow headbutt incident for all it was worth. Smith came across as such a smug ****. Cooks interview was also a little revealing when he mentioned the 'line' this Australian team like to keep on saying they never cross.

I don't think many people in cricket like this team or some of the people in it. Smith is forever going to be known as a cheat, nothing changes for Warner, he was always going to be forever known as a **** but surely some of this will stick too and it's going to be very interesting to see what action Cricket Australia take against this so called 'leadership group'. Probably not much, the buck stops at Lehmann and Smith I guess but if Smith gets sacked I don't see how they can appoint a captain from within that group.

Obviously heads have to roll, Smith should lose the captaincy but should there also not be a few 1 or 2 year bans from playing for Australia handed out? I think this 'leadership group' business needs dealing with too and its a very tough situation for Australian cricket because this is going to follow the Australian team around until the last of these players have retired from the team. Every time they open their mouths this is going to be rammed down their throats, its quite possibly shut them up for a very long time. They've got a lot to do to mend this.

There is only one way to fix this problem. 2 key men from Cricket Australia would have arrived for a full investigation. Whoever was involved, even if they knew about it and did nothing, has to go. End of. Never to be involved in the Australian set up again. I dont care who it is, from Boof down. If its the whole fucking team then fine. Out.

Former PM John Howard, a cricket tragic, once said the position of Captain of the Australian Cricket team is the second most important job in Australia. It's revered. Recent Captains like Chappel, Border, Taylor, Waugh, Ponting and Clarke would never, ever have been a part of something like this, and would have stopped any thoughts of any player straight away.

These players have disgraced their country, failed their country. I haven't been a fan of some of the goings on recently, but this is the straw that breaks the camels back. Fuck off anyone involved, never to be seen play for Australia again. I would also stip them of their baggy green. I'm that pissed off.

 

[aussiespursguy]

Smith not on the field apparently.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Smith not on the field apparently.

Breaking news: Smith & Warner have stood down from their captaincy roles for the final two days of this test match

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/ste...ng-investigation-tim-paine-captain/2018-03-25

 

[aussiespursguy]

Both Smith and Warner have stood down captaincy wise. Thats Warners admission i guess. Another one gone.

 

[aussiespursguy]

Breaking news: Smith & Warner have stood down from their captaincy roles for the final two days of this test match

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/ste...ng-investigation-tim-paine-captain/2018-03-25

Beat me to it young fella

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Something that struck me immediately this happened - this wasn't rehearsed or anything. The way Bancroft went about the whole thing - it wasn't subtle, it wasn't sneaky - he could had a piece of tape on show the entire game, around one of his fingers with one corner twisted up, no-one would've looked twice, but instead he stashes it in his pocket? Then down his strides? In front of a live tv audience??

Amateur hour.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Beat me to it young fella

Here, here's another that I beat you to (If its true)

Rajasthan Royals have sacked Smith as their IPL captain according to a text I just received from my Australian mate

 

[Gb160]

Here, here's another that I beat you to (If its true)

Rajasthan Royals have sacked Smith as their IPL captain according to a text I just received from my Australian mate

Is that as a player or just as captain?
Thats gonna cost him fair bit of wedge lol.