The Disgraced Trio

The ball tampering scandal which unfolded during and after the third test match in Cape Town played between visitors Australia and the host South Africa is going to leave its scar for long in the history of cricket. While legends of the game are trying their every bit to spread the game across the globe, incidents like these are undesirable and condemnable.  Like any field in life, if your integrity and accountability becomes questionable, it begets disgrace for you and the people associated to you. In this case, unfortunately, the act of Smith (Steve), Warner (David) and Bancroft (Cameron) has not only tainted their own image but also brought about defame to Australian Cricket.

 

The cricketing fraternity is highly respectful the way Australians play their cricket. Their ruthless aggression to win a cricket match is highly regarded as “The Aussie Way”.  Though, we have seen in the past that often their aggression can go over the top and create controversies. But that is understandable, since players are not machines and on field rivalry can drive emotions beyond the control sometimes and thereby things do happen.  But what happened here is in no way an emotional unleashing of actions. As divulged by Steve Smith in post match media conference, it was a well knitted plan amongst the senior players, the onus of execution of which was onto the rookie Cameron Bancroft. Cricket’s long laid history will reveal that ball tampering controversies and other malicious activities are not new to cricket and it is also not associated only with Australian Cricket, but what is the point here is that even after getting severely reprimanded by the apex administrations, these things keeps on happening.

 

The time of this controversy is significant since Australian cricket is going through a transition. These new breeds of cricketers are trying putting their feet into the shoes of legends like McGrath, Steve Waugh, Hayden, Gilchrist and Warne. So, it is of paramount importance that they should be careful about the mantle they are carrying apart from the fact of representing their country.  Steve Smith is being reckoned as one of the potential greats along with his four contemporaries (Joe Root of England, Virat Kohli of India & Kane Williamson of New Zealand). His cricketing skill is what has earned him this respect and the crowning glory of his achievement is the honour bestowed upon by Cricket Australia having made him the Captain of Australian Cricket. It is very unfortunate that instead of keeping faith on cricketing skill and ability of self and his mates, he opted for paths which lead him where he is today.  He failed to become a inspiring leader by setting example paying the game in true spirit, at least for now.

 

The disgraced trio has handed their due by ICC and Cricket Australia. Cricket lovers may feel for Smith after his breaking down in press conference in Australia, but may not feel for Warner since his past behavioural incidents (the recent being nasty spat with South African keeper Quinton de Kock on way to locker room and as things revealed he is the mastermind of this entire occurrence). Amidst this duo, Cameron Bancroft is probably rueing most since his careers may get eclipsed.

 

But cricket will keep on moving leaving these aberrations in the bin. Optimistically, ‘Cricket on Ice’ will bring about its desired result, which is to globalise cricket more and more. As long as peoples like Glen McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh around Australian cricket can always rest be assured that things will start falling in place soon enough.