Smith, Warner, and Bancroft to be sent home as Lehmann found innocent

Why do you reckon Smith put his hand up with Warner at the first press conference? Clearly they miscalculated about the reaction. They were most probably advised to "do the right thing" by the young fellow who was caught with his hand down his pants. Its speculation but who do you reckon advised them before the first press conference? Might be the smart operator with the walkie talkie. Lehmann has manipulated these young men for years. He probably calls this coaching. The limited admission was designed to partially shield Bancroft. But t was primarily designed to cover up the underlying strategy and Lehmann.

Lara even in the Mafia the foot soldiers eventually gave evidence against the god fathers. Will Warner keep his mouth shut about the systemic cheating? Its time for Warner to come out from under the bus and tell all. They threw you under the bus Dave after Lehmann used you as an attack dog. Time to tell all. Ironically, the best hope for a thorough cleaning up of the toxic culture of Australian cricket rest with of all people David Warner telling the whole truth about the Lehmann regime. Do it Dave.

The godfather is clean as a whistle, the hit men get their just desserts and are doing porridge. Sounds fair. When you are dumb as these 3 , you deserve no sympathy. Just watch out for the godfather, he will stay clean until the heat is off and will be up to his old tricks soon enough.....CA , you better watch your back.

Love the carry on because these preliminary findings don't fit with the opinions of some people. So during the first press conference Smith apparently tells the truth re the incident. Yet now he starts lying. He surely has it around the wrong way. If he lies in the first place this discussion would not be happening. Then as per all the other,tamperers he would be waking out on the field later this week.

Maybe Warner wasn't shining the ball in the game Starc, Hazelwood and Cummins didn't play either? Handscomb is a junior version of Warner in both sledging and batting ability. Handscomb is rubbish and if his plays his Test average will continue to go south.

Thank goodness Boof is innocent, now we can rebuild........please , give me a break.

Is it a possibility that they rest what's left of the leadership group play maxwell as the second spinner with the lefty and the reserve bowlers and Cummins. That would be a face saving statement with out appropriating guilt . Lehman is the only spanner there, his continued arrogance towards criticism and accountability enables these players to behave like pratts at no point while he remains will the Australian public get the accountability that they need now .

Great to see Maxie in there. I'm over this already let's play some cricket. Smith can't captain again, let them serve their CA-imposed suspensions, and if they are sufficiently contrite welcome them back to the team (if they are good enough). Warne was busted pocketing money from bookies and taking a steroid masking agent after all. Smith and Bancroft's trashed just like Warne's, but they will be forgiven and given the opportunity to play again (just not as a leader). Lehmann not being sacked is a head scratcher. The guy was on a walkie-talkie telling them to hide the evidence. He hasn't given a single press conference to express his outrage, to tell us this is unacceptable. His silence is almost an admission of guilt in my eyes.

only thing i agree with about this team is Maxwell batting at 4!

Because Naresh, many countries, but especially England, were humiliated for decades by previous Australian sides and see this as the chance to take 'revenge', however petty. The poms are having a collective circle jerk over this. Takes their mind off their own Brexit stupidity i suppose. If you take note, aside from Australian commentary on the matter, it is the English who are giving this situation the most oxygen. Previous players such as Nasser, little Bobby Keys and Vaughn are desperately trying to get air time in an attempt to eviscerate the humiliation suppressed for years by sticking the boot in as much as they can. Same goes for the English fans. Aside form the Aussies, they have been the most vocal. Of course there's been a few smug Kiwi and Indian supporters but it's the poms who are most desperate to see Australia go down. Who'd have thunk the poms have such a chip on their shoulder about Australia?

I agree with you Spruce, 6 months on the sideline for all cricket, (domestic and international)... they should than have to earn their way back into the side not only with runs but also through a changed attitude!

He's already found out Rob. He won't wear national colours again...

I reckon Andrew, especially as a the freshman Bancroft is a fully fledged member after a handful of Tests.

It's only my opinion JoM. I'm often wrong, especially at home. But, at best, I remain skeptical...

It has to be since we Australians are the biggest loudmouths when it comes to accusing other countries of cheating. We cheat as much as anyone else in sport but cheating really is not part of our nature. We are too stupid to do it properly.

Why so much hullabaloo is being created over ball tampering incident. This is not the first time that ball tampering has taken place and would also be not the last instance. Even cricketers like former English skipper Michael Atherton, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Shahi Afridi and there are mote in the list who had been accused of ball tampering at some stage of their careers but respective national cricket boards did not take any harsher view. No long ago current South African captain Faf du Plesis was allegedly caught tampering with the condition of the ball during previous series in Australia. Similarly, I think there is no need for Australian cricket authorities to act harshly because of undue hysteria created over tapegate to slap tough sanctions and impose a ban of one year on Smith, Warner and Bancroft. At the most three cricketers should be told to do public service for three months to repent on their act without imposing ban beyond this period (3 months)

Yes, Bamboo. And that should go for the entire team. A fresh start and a rebuild of reputation is only possible if the old culture is wiped out. On a separate note, isn't there an irony in the fact that Greg Chappell, as a selector, will probably be involved in the appointment of new players, captain and VC, after an incident bringing the game into disrepute?

Why so much hysteria is being created over tapegate issue. It is not for the first-time and will be last instance of ball tampering taking place. I do not think that Australian cricket authorities need to go beyond ICC's action and slap unnecessary sanctions against Smith, Warner and Bancroft owing to the fact that cricketers like former English skipper Michael Atherton, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Shahid Afridi and not long time back current South African captain F du Plesis had been accused of ball tampering got away lightly. So why such great deal of frenzy is being generated to bring sanctions against Smith, Warner and Bancroft. At the most all the three cricketers should be asked to do public service for three months without imposing ban on their playing.

On your third point Brasstax - I'd go a step further and say, that if Lehmann was not aware of any plot from the 'leadership two', then why was he on the walkie talkie at all? He'd be just thinking the umpires were talking about the general condition of the ball, field placement, something said out there, or whatever. Why be so concerned about an on-field chat as to send Handscomb out if there's nothing potentially to hide? You don't send your 12th man out there every time an umpire is having a chat to a player. As many others have said, I find it inconceivable that a small player group hatches a plan in the dressing room, and another group, including head coach, are completely unaware.

Handscomb hasn’t done anything do be ahead. He will only be a distraction.