Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns should be on the first plane to South Africa because Australia’s five-man leadership group must be suspended by Cricket Australia for next week’s fourth Test after conspiring to ball tamper.
Coach Darren Lehmann should be sacked if it is found that he was involved in the conspiracy to cheat, and there is strong reason to believe he was.
After the Bancroft tampering footage was first aired live on television there was highly suspicious vision of Lehmann communicating on a walkie talkie, seemingly with reserve player Peter Handscomb who was on the sidelines.
Soon after Handscomb was sent on to the field and had a conversation with Bancroft who, moments later, tried to hide down the front of his pants the yellow tape he admits he used to ball tamper.
While Smith denies Lehmann was aware of the cheating plan hatched by Australia’s leadership group, this aforementioned chain of events casts doubt over the veracity of his claim.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Australia should make six changes to their XI for the fourth Test, suspending Bancroft and the five players believed to make up the leadership group – Smith, David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Queensland openers Renshaw and Burns should replace Bancroft and Warner at the top of the order, with Handscomb slotting into Smith’s position at number four.
Reserve quicks Chadd Sayers and Jhye Richardson should take the places of Hazlewood and Starc, with back-up spinner Jon Holland coming in for Lyon.
Incredibly, that would be the single most changes Australia have made to their Test XI, from one match to the next, since 1884.
The last time Australia made anything like that many changes was 16 months ago when they brought in five new players for the third Test against South Africa in Adelaide.
The difference is that overhaul was prompted by poor performance, with Australia having lost five matches on the trot – the first two Tests against South Africa, preceded by three losses in Sri Lanka.
This time it must be a response to the weak, reprehensible actions admitted by Smith. While such an overhaul of personnel would greatly reduce Australia’s chances of winning the fourth Test, the outcome of this series has ceased to be important in light of the tourists’ cheating.
As the two best opening batsmen outside of the current Test XI, Renshaw and Burns are the obvious options to play at Johannesburg.
The problem with that is it would require them to leave the Queensland team mid-way through the Sheffield Shield final against Tasmania.
That would not be in the best interests of the Bulls but would absolutely be to the benefit of Burns and Renshaw, who would both have an opportunity to seal Test positions beyond this series in South Africa.
An impressive performance from Renshaw in the fourth Test could then see him retain his spot for Australia’s next series ahead of Bancroft.
The young West Australia looked to have firmed up his Test position with a solid showing in South Africa, being Australia’s leading runscorer with 197 at 39 up until yesterday. But the reality is that his Test future is now riddled with uncertainty.
Even if Bancroft is immediately recalled to the Test team after his expected one-match ICC suspension the pressure and scrutiny on the 25-year-old will be crushing.
It’s hard enough in the best of circumstances for any young opening batsman to flourish in Test cricket. The controversy and shame which will forever follow Bancroft presents a massive mental hurdle if and when he returns to international cricket.
For now Australia need to pick a largely fresh set of cricketers to try to defeat South Africa in the fourth Test. Smith, Bancroft, Warner, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon simply cannot be allowed to play in that match.
Australia’s appropriate team for 4th Test:
1. Matt Renshaw
2. Joe Burns
3. Usman Khawaja
4. Peter Handscomb
5. Shaun Marsh
6. Mitch Marsh
7. Tim Paine (C)
8. Pat Cummins (VC)
9. Jhye Richardson
10. Jon Holland
11. Chadd Sayers
elvis
Guest
Silly me, I thought Bailey was dropped because he had a test average of 26 batting in the easiest position...
W G GRACE
Guest
Young Lehmann can't even catch the ball let alone bat - but the cupboard for batsmen for the longer version of cricket is so bare for the convict colonials- he will most likely be in the test team.
W G GRACE
Guest
You are going to have some long long summers if that's your best 11 moving forward - like the WSC days and when Chappell/Marsh/Lillee etc retired. I can imagine the Convict Colonials team supporters doing a lap of the various cricket grounds when their captain wins the toss.
qwetzen
Guest
It's not. It's 'translation' that it's waiting on.
qwetzen
Guest
No Chris. It's not "us", it's you. "On 8 August 2016, Steve O'Keefe was fined $10,000 by Cricket Australia after being issued with a criminal infringement notice by New South Wales Police following an incident at a Sydney hotel on 6 August 2016.[2] O'Keefe was later fined $20,000 and suspended from the domestic Matador Cup following an alcohol-fueled incident in April 2017, in which he was reported to have made 'highly inappropriate comments' to a member of the NSW Breakers women's cricket team." wikipedia
Chris Love
Guest
I think that’s a bit Harsh. Put yourself in his shoes based on innocent until proven guilty basis. Your twelfth man for Australia, know nothing about the plan and next minute the coach is on the blower telling you to get out on the field and speak to a player because he’s just been busted ball tampering on camera. You’re going to say get stuffed? He didn’t do it, he had nothing to do with it and was asked to ferry a message, which is his Job! Why would you hang him out to dry?
Chris Love
Guest
Please enlighten us on Okeefe’s lack of integrity.
Chris Love
Guest
What was wrong with Clarke’s captaincy. We wouldn’t be in this situation right now under him that’s for sure.
Marco bangers
Guest
Wow Ronan ban the terrible cheaters they're so bad !!!!! But it's fine for the disgusting sledging that's been going on for years The Australian cricket team has been incredibly ugly on many levels for many years . If you think banning a few of these guys who have modelled themselves on the ugly Australians who are so called heroes such as the mighty tugga with his mental disintegration sledging tactics is going to change anything you are truly kidding yourself and I think you are missing the big picture here of the change that really needs to occur which is the entire culture of the Australian cricket team . Straya straya straya straya you beauty , They are an embarrassment and it's not for the ball tampering
Savage
Roar Rookie
FAF “mintgate” in 2016 is nowhere near same as Systemic ch57ting by Australian team.IIRC cricketing fraternity(barring Australia of course) were in support of FAF.What Australian Team did is not some kind of “brainfade” which smith used as an excuse in Bangalore. But you need to understand dave that this is a hard time being an Australian fan.They are widely regarded as the worst behaved team in the world and now Systemic ch57ters too.If they get any comfort by mentioning faf or some other names,then let them have it.Don’t be cruel please!.
Savage
Roar Rookie
Why my comment is awaiting moderation?
Savage
Roar Rookie
FAF "mintgate" in 2016 is nowhere near same as Systemic cheating by Australian team.IIRC cricketing fraternity(barring Australia ofcourse) were in support of FAF.What Australian Team did is not some kind of "brainfade" which smith used as an excuse in Bangalore. But you need to understand dave that this is a hard time being an Australian fan.They are widely regarded as the worst behaved team in the world and now Systemic cheaters too.If they get any comfort by mentioning faf or some other names,then let them have it.Don't be cruel please!.
Dave.SA
Guest
The whole equivalence debate bothers me a bit. Is what Faf did really the same as Smith / Bancroft / leadership group? I am not querying the ICC decision... I think they have applied the guidelines well. Maybe the guidelines need updating
Matt h
Guest
That was exactly my point James thank you. Certain people are taking this opportunity to make out Australia is the devil and the sole problem in world cricket.
Savage
Roar Rookie
Dave.SA Australian line belongs in the underwear of Bancroft.
Dave.SA
Guest
Bancroft and du Plessis got the same number of demerit points. Du Plessis got fined more. As for De Kock.... Disgraceful? Well it was over the line. I am amazed that you seem to own the line ... As if Warner was no over the line?
Vijayan Henry
Guest
I am much pained to read about the Ball tampering issue that happened in South Africa. The performance of the team overseas has been dismal of late, considering the 3-0 drubbing in Srilanka and the earlier 3-0 loss to Pakistan. The team needs a thorough overhaul leaving out the inconsistent and under-performing players like Usman Kawaja, Mitch Marsh apart from Steve Smith for Ball tampering decision. Australia has always been slow to bring in talented youngsters which hampers their development. Sachin Tendulkar played for India at 16 years of age. Please bring in young Batsmen like Travis Head, Jake Lehmann, Kutis Patterson into the team immediately and also Marcus Stoinis as the all rounder. Don't be sticking around with Usman Kawaja who is so inconsistent and so uncertain outside off stump. Please ring in these changes to take Australia to greater heights.
qwetzen
Guest
Fair enough. I thought his average was higher than that. Although non-performers have been elevated before, most notably Richie B.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Just to add a little context - du Plessis was fined for ball tampering, after shining the ball while sucking on a mint. his defence was that everybody did it and he didn't realise it wasn't ok. He never tried to hide the fact he had done it. Steve Smith even suggested it was a pretty common practice. Warner sprouted the holier than thou stance that Australian players always take. So, this pemeditated planned discussion leading to ball tampering isn't exaclty the same thing. Secondly, the South Africans claim Warner had been abusing de Kock about his sister and mother for much of the session, then kept going as they left the field, resulting in de Kock responding with the SBW slur. I find it hard to believe that a team unable to know the line when it comes to cheating by tampering with the ball, can be believed to have not crossed the acceptable line when it comes to verbal banter. This team simply has no credibility. Yet you want to believe them... How interesting.
qwetzen
Guest
Yep. We really should set the bar as low as possible. Its done wonders for America...