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Darren Lehmann’s tenure as head coach of the Australian cricket team is set to come to an abrupt end, if reports from the UK are to be believed.
The Telegraph is reporting that Lehmann will step down from his role in the next 24 hours amid the fallout from the ball tampering scandal which erupted during Day 3 of the recently concluded third Test between Australia and South Africa.
Captain Steve Smith was adamant that the side’s coaching staff was unaware of his plan to tamper with the ball in Cape Town, and Lehmann himself is yet to speak to the press since cameras caught Cameron Bancroft hiding the infamous piece of yellow tape in his pants.
Lehmann was seen talking to 12th man Peter Handscomb via a walkie-talkie before the Victorian ran onto the field to deliver a message to Bancroft. Bancroft was soon after seen hiding the tape, however it is not known what was said by Lehmann to Handscomb.
Lehmann’s position has still been called into question. Plenty of former players believe it unlikely he was unaware of the plot, but if he truly didn’t know, it is a damning indictment of his ability to control the dressing room.
The Telegraph claims Lehmann’s decision is the reason Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland flew out to South Africa last night. Sutherland had originally sent two CA officials – head of integrity Iain Roy and team performance manager Pat Howard – to conduct an investigation, but announced yesterday he would himself fly over to join the team.
Plenty of former players have criticised Lehmann over the last few days, with former England skipper Nasser Hussain one of the latest to do so.
“It doesn’t look good on Lehmann either way, really. If he did know then he’s in a whole heap of trouble and will not be able to hold his job down if he is condoning cheating and (the) scratching of a cricket ball,” Hussain said to Sky Sports.
“If he didn’t know, then questions will be asked as to why senior players are going round not telling the coach exactly what is going on.
“In the dressing rooms I’ve played in, it is inconceivable that the coach wouldn’t know something like this was being dreamt up.”
“The silence has been deafening actually, not just from Lehmann and (David) Saker, the bowling coach, but also from David Warner.”
(AFP, Glyn Kirk)
Former Australian coach John Buchannan cast doubt over the notion Lehmann was unaware of the plan, telling BBC Radio that, “It is unusual as the teams are walking out that the coach is unaware of what’s about to happen.
“Generally it will be the coach and captain, in the last couple of minutes before they go to the field, who will be saying, ‘these are the sort of things we want to do and put in place when we get out on the field’.”
If Lehmann is set to step down, attention will now turn to who his replacement should be. Current Perth Scorchers and Western Australia coach Justin Langer has been touted as Lehmann’s successor for some time, but the former opening batsman is not the only option.
Langer’s former teammates Jason Gillespie and Ricky Ponting are also possible contenders for the head coaching role.
Gillespie made his thoughts on the ball tampering issue known when he wrote a column for the Guardian yesterday calling for Steve Smith to be removed as captain. His availability for the role could be an issue, having recently taken up the head coaching position at Sussex in the English County Championship.
Ponting has become one of the game’s more respected commentators since his retirement as a player, however he has tended to be mentioned as a possible T20-only coach in the past.