[PPS]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

And Lehmann trying to run away from responsibility.

Few hours prior to that incident, Lehmann made a statement as to how it is disgraceful when the crowd abuses players & their families & made a big fuss about the Warner incident with a fan. I wonder what he has to say now after yesterday's blatant cheating. Lehmann has been part of so many World Cup winning teams in the past.

[hemanth.anand]

Shouldn't this match be declared unofficial? Ball tampering was caught when the score was 129-2. 3 more wickets were taken by the cheaters with the same tampered ball. Although the tampering itself may not be the reason behind those wickets, playing with the tampered ball shouldn't have been allowed at all. And now that they have accepted to doing it, the team of cheaters shouldn't be allowed to play. Whatever action the boards take, let them take before the next test, but this should be declared unofficial IMO.

[searacer932]

I don't understand this point about higher standards. It's exactly terms like higher standards and different standards which lead to such issues in the first place.

Let's have one standard for everyone and don't bring the point of spirit of cricket etc on this debate. The word has been greatly misused by cricketers and fans alike. A foul is a foul and you cannot say if the foul is committed by a lower standard team it's okay but it's not okay if it's committed by a higher/different standard team.

Let's keep everything black and white. These are professional crickets representing their country and you cannot have higher/lower standard criteria. Everything should be under the laws of the game. Full stop. You don't see terms like spirit of the game in F1 or Football.

[Sawyer]

The spirit of the game is what makes cricket the game it is, and different from many others. Some of us would not like that to be lost. And the phrase "higher standard" means more than what you have understood it to be.

I just read that RR have sacked Smith as the skipper in the IPL to start.

PS: the one good reason for abandoning the match, even if the tainted attempts to influence it have not mattered, is to be sure that Australia do not win it now. That would be an awkward result.

[Chetan_Rao]

Inevitable end result of letting infringements slide, until they get increasingly larger and ultimately lead to scandals like this.

I'd venture this is what happens when sport becomes business. People are more than capable of cheating on its own (de)merit, but the insane amounts of money involved just provides that extra nudge for those left with a semblance of integrity.

To what end? Flourishing careers thrown away for winning ONE game?

It's time the sport takes a stand across the board, and events are judged on their own merit, not the reputations of those involved, and without consideration of what a purge would do to the 'business'.

[Sawyer]

The business aspects of sports cannot now be wished away, but the resultant cons have to be managed effectively.

IF there is the will, it is a lot easier to do this in a cricket match, compared to a fast flowing game like football, now that there is DRS, camera coverage, stump mics and umpires wirelessly linked to the third umpire.

It just takes an ICC that has teeth and is willing to bite hard. Hence the capitalised IF.
PS: and now it looks like there is a falling out among the thieves:
"Smith’s suggestion that it was him and the so-called ‘‘leadership group’’ who cooked up the ploy was amended behind the scenes on Sunday as Cricket Australia clarified that it was ‘‘senior players’’ who were instead behind it.

It is believed that responsibility will rest with Smith and vice-captain David Warner, as well as Bancroft, the 25-year-old West Australian opening batsman who did the deed and was charged with ball tampering by the International Cricket Council.

Others seasoned members of the team who have been involved in the team’s leadership group at different stages – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon – have privately denied any involvement in the plot and there has been dissatisfaction that they were effectively thrown under the bus and unfairly tainted."

Strange, given that Lyon for example had said that the team intended to headbutt the line. That word again:-).

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Or maybe Rajasthan Royals can take the lead and sack him. Wouldn't that be awesome

In today's cricketing scenario, the best punishment that will act as a deterrent is money, but the deduction of match fees and fines will not suffice. Hitting where it hurts most is a good way to show that authorities are serious, so if a player's IPL/board contract is terminated/downgraded, it will be a good move in the right direction.

[hemanth.anand]

Just one match ban and 100% match fees for the captain and 3 demerit points for such a major offence!!
What about the 'leadership group'? Why are they left out of the punishment? This is very less compared to the other punishments players have received in the recent times.
Let's see what Cricket Australia who are known to be harsh (Symonds and Martyn come to my mind immediately) does now.

[Sawyer]

This is ICC at its worst; if CA does something a lot harsher, ICC is going to look very stupid. What was the need to for ICC to do this before CA did whatever they intend doing?

A weak ICC, trying to look on the ball, is one of the root causes behind the nonsense that goes on in cricket.

[NPV]

Looks like Karma is finally catching up with the Aussies

Tottering at 94/8 and on the brink of a huge defeat.

Edit:94/9, possibly minutes away from a very well deserved loss.

[Sawyer]

By losing all ten wickets for 50 in one session, Australia have allowed England, who did that for 58, look better in terms of recent collapses.

Cricket has thankfully been saved the huge embarrassment that an Australian win would have caused.

[Eddy]

Wow, a life ban being considered ? Now, that will be an overkill, considering the likes of Mohd Amir are playing again.

Life ban from captaincy maybe but a life ban from playing will be too harsh IMO.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/...ce-life-ban-ca

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Life ban from captaincy maybe but a life ban from playing will be too harsh IMO.

ICC will restrict the punishment to whatever is prescribed within its framework for the offenses committed/proved/admitted.
Beyond that, Cricket Australia can also take action and I think in this case due to the nature of it being a predetermined, planned strategy to cheat and subsequent admission in front of media, it has more significance and has brought disrepute to the game, Cricket Australia and their country, so more serious punishment is being considered. But again, it is a bit early, need to wait and watch to see what the final outcome is.

[Sawyer]

I believe the article points out that a life ban is the maximum possible punishment; taking away the captaincy for ever and a ban for a limited period is probably what will happen and is fair.

I refuse to believe that Australians did not know that their cricketers were seen as louts by all other teams and crossed the line more often than any other team. I suspect that the rage now is more at being publicly caught and shamed as a nation, and therefore bringing Australia into disrepute in a way that cannot be challenged. And for being caught doing something that was stupidly done, that made the country looked foolish as well.

Aussie Aussie Aussie Cheat Cheat Cheat can't be easy to swallow as an inevitable taunt from the Barmy Army in the days to come and the Aussie public will want someone to pay for humiliating the country in this manner that allows no defence or wriggling out of the situation.

[harry10]

Karma caught up with the cheaters. Deservingly thrashed.
Yes, life ban will be too harsh considering Amir is back to playing after fixing. Still, a one year ban should be minimum CA should give both Warner and smith along with Bancroft and if Lehmann is also involved he should be sacked as coach. Never been a fan of Australian team but this is even worse than their previous controversies. Completely disgraceful. Hopefully RR and Hyderabad will drop both as Ipl captains too.