The ball-tampering scandal says as much about Steve Smith as it does the entire culture of the Australian cricket team.
Smith himself has been exposed as a cold and ruthless leader, but the whole team reek of entitlement, desperation and arrogance – especially the senior leadership group.
How extraordinary Australia tried to take the moral high ground on abusive crowd behaviour earlier in the series and then cheated.
Did Australia really believe they could get away with it? Did they not count the cameras at the ground?
The Australian cricket team is your classic bully. Stand up to them and they don’t know how to respond. Stand up to them and any measure is acceptable in pursuit of advantage.
They are a bunch of yobbos. Australia pioneered and institutionalised sledging, a strategy that deliberately seeks to intimidate and distract opposition through relentless and classless personal abuse.
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Brad Haddin, Merv Hughes, Michael Clarke, Dennis Lillee, Ian Chappell, Glenn McGrath, David Warner and Shane Warne, to name a few, all abused their opposition.
Apparently they’re all ‘good blokes.’ Apparently, it’s a part of the game.
The fact Australia has continued to sledge and justify sledging reveals a wider insight into how something like this scandal could happen: Australia are arrogant and lack class.
It’s often said the captain of the Australian Test team is the second highest office in the land, behind only the Prime Minister.
The fallout from this scandal, which could include loss of sponsorships, loss of careers and public humiliation, has put the spotlight on the bully. Can the bully change its ways and behave with at least a little more class in the future?
Paul
Roar Guru
It's an interesting issue because when Australia cricket has been down, we've been bullied yet when we've been on top, we're seen as the bullies. Mind you, exactly the same could be said the the West Indian sides of the late 70's 80's & 90's. Right now, regardless of this series result, Australian cricket is down so the bullying will cease, or at least moderate considerably. This will allow all other countries to jump on us and we'll have to cop it on the chin till we rise to the top of the heap when no doubt, we'll find another way to come across as ruthless, arrogant, etc.
moaman
Guest
Short answer; No, as long as an (in)decent chunk of Aussie fans think that kind of yobbo behaviour is perfectly acceptable if it gives their team an advantage. Remember when Haddin complained the kiwis were too nice and the 'boys' got together and decided to stick it to them verbally to show them that kind of (nice) behavior was unacceptable? I think the Aussie Cricket side showed the world it's true colours when Lehmann was made coach and later Warner made VC. That illustrated the 'in-your-face' sort of 'culture' they were trying to foster. That new players like Bancroft were inculcated to this new ethos is no surprise. What has pleasantly surprised me is that the overwhelming majority of decent Aussie fans have been vocal in their displeasure.This has been slowly boiling over a few years now and it will be facinating to see whether or not CA has the intestinal fortitude to deal with it swiftly and firmly. On that last point I am not holding my breath.