I Dont' Like Cricket, Oh No, I Love it, Yeah

[Bazal]

Michael Clarke speaking very well on channel 9. He is very impressive.

Clarke's problem was always that he was a divisive character. Very good captain

 

[Bazal]

Agree ... i just think its a bit of a step backwards .... find someone new to stand up - will have nothing to lose, no one will expect us to win with all our players out

Travis Head. Very impressive lad, lead a Shield winning side at 22 years of age... maybe his tactics aren't there yet but Smith was pretty dour tactically too

 

[Avenger]

Clarke's problem was always that he was a divisive character. Very good captain

He was always criticized because he didn’t carry on like a yobbo and drink beer after games. The man is class. A refined westy. Nothing beats that.

 

[Bazal]

He was always criticized because he didn’t carry on like a yobbo and drink beer after games. The man is class. A refined westy. Nothing beats that.

No I agree, I was and am a big fan even if he's a bit sycophantic in the comm box.

But he was a divisive character nonetheless and quite a few players didn't respond to his personality. He was the opposite of Ponting in a way, who was a great people person but inept tactically

 

[Joely01]

See ya Smith. Great player but once you openly go out and cheat to get a win you’re done!
Embarrassing

 

[Incorrect]

So who do you think is our ""leadership group" ... smith, warner ... who else? ... lyon? Starc? Hazelwood? .... group implies more than the capt and vice

Really hope Shaun Marsh is.... We can get rid of him that way....

 

[strider]

Really hope Shaun Marsh is.... We can get rid of him that way....

Lol

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

See ya Smith. Great player but once you openly go out and cheat to get a win you’re done!
Embarrassing

The one that I will say for him is that they could have just hung Bancroft out to dry (which is what usually happens), but they didn't.

 

[Kornstar]

The one that I will say for him is that they could have just hung Bancroft out to dry (which is what usually happens), but they didn't.

Yep, imo that is pure leadership.......as shit as the circumstances were to get there.......

 

[Gronk]

It actually sounds like clarke is considering it .... and his whopping ego would love it

Bobby Simpson did the same did he not ? I don't recall the circumstances.

 

[strider]

The one that I will say for him is that they could have just hung Bancroft out to dry (which is what usually happens), but they didn't.

But then bancroft would end up banned and then outted from the team cos lets face it he isnt going great ... and he'd feel hard done by and eventually blab ... it'd come back to bit you

If you told someone to do it, standing up and admitting it rather than hiding is not great leadership, its just not being a total prick

 

[Eelementary]

Travis Head. Very impressive lad, lead a Shield winning side at 22 years of age... maybe his tactics aren't there yet but Smith was pretty dour tactically too

Good batsman, too.

I'm a big fan of Travis Head.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

But then bancroft would end up banned and then outted from the team cos lets face it he isnt going great ... and he'd feel hard done by and eventually blab ... it'd come back to bit you

If you told someone to do it, standing up and admitting it rather than hiding is not great leadership, its just not being a total prick

Where did I suggest that it was great leadership?

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Aren't all the other merkins tampering with the ball anyway? Why is it we're so crap at reverse swing?

 

[strider]

Where did I suggest that it was great leadership?

Maybe i should have quoted korny too .... but you were both saying he has somthing going for him in not hiding behind bancroft and i see your point, but im just saying it just makes you not a total dog

The other thing that crossed my mind is, what if they are covering for bancroft? ... but i highly doubt it. It would be incredibly dumb .... smith is in it up to his eyeballs ... infact i reckon the whole team likely knows

 

[strider]

Aren't all the other merkins tampering with the ball anyway? Why is it we're so crap at reverse swing?

I dont have a problem with more "natural" forms of ball tampering .... but this was so blatant and incredibly dumb

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

I dont have a problem with more "natural" forms of ball tampering .... but this was so blatant and incredibly dumb

Yeah, it's a bit like the way we cheated the cap. Maybe the Aussie cricket team isn't very good at ball tampering because they haven't really gone down that route before, whilst other teams are more experienced and sophisticated at it. Just a theory.

 

[Twizzle]

Travis Head. Very impressive lad, lead a Shield winning side at 22 years of age... maybe his tactics aren't there yet but Smith was pretty dour tactically too

I like Head, (well who doesn't ), but we have Levers the WA captain and JL said he would do a good job

 

[Kornstar]

Maybe i should have quoted korny too .... but you were both saying he has somthing going for him in not hiding behind bancroft and i see your point, but im just saying it just makes you not a total dog

The other thing that crossed my mind is, what if they are covering for bancroft? ... but i highly doubt it. It would be incredibly dumb .... smith is in it up to his eyeballs ... infact i reckon the whole team likely knows

My first thought was they were covering for him......but I’m not sure of that either.

I just can’t believe they even thought to do it!

 

[Suitman]

The fact that there was ball tampering isn't that extreme in itself. Nearly all nations have been done for it and the ICC don't appear to take it that seriously with the penalties they hand out.

What is very much worse in this case is that there was a premeditated discussion to do this - Basically a plan to deliberately cheat. Absolutely disgraceful and a blight on this country's sporting history. The under arm incident vs NZ was morally appalling, but the players actually didn't do anything illegal. Bowling under arm was within the rules at the time.

This situation is completely different and whoever was involved deserve lengthy bans. Smith, as the captain and party to the discussion, should serve the longest ban of all.