Should Steve Smith, Cameron Brancroft and David Warner be allowed to play County cricket, or domestic cricket in any other country for that matter?
According to Cricket Australia’s sanction, the disgraced trio have been banned from playing international cricket and Australian domestic cricket for their respective time periods of between nine and 12 months.
But the board hadn’t ruled out playing overseas domestic cricket, leaving this decision up to the respective cricket boards.
While Somerset have already torn up Bancroft’s contract, it’s rumoured the other two have had counties get in contact to play for them this year.
Cricket-wise, it’s better for Australia if Smith and Warner play County cricket, considering both the Ashes and World Cup are played in England next year. These will be the series that both of them will immediately play, since their ban periods disallow them from participating in even Sheffield Shield games to gain match practice.
Club matches in Australia may not be sufficient for those two to get back to their top forms, and despite being vital clogs of the Australian team, their unprepared selves will be a hindrance to the side – especially given the high-profile nature of the events.
Preparation and early sighters in the country of the World Cup and Ashes itself would be crucial to Australia’s chances of defending both trophies.
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Furthermore, not only would it be rewarding for the batsmen, it’d be better for the system too, given how their participation would be helpful for the betterment of the English system, as County cricketers would face two superb batsmen and thus learn from them, ensuring both sides benefit.
But is it really fair for there to be a loophole? The trio have been banned from Australian domestic cricket for a reason, wouldn’t letting them play overseas lower the moral standards of those competitions?
Say Smith plays for Surrey or Hampshire, wouldn’t it be sending a signal that those counties value fair play less than New South Wales, Smith’s domestic team? It’d be akin to saying ‘sorry, I’m more concerned with winning a trophy than the way I play the game’, which is exactly what the trio seemed to project with their actions in the third Test.
The IPL set a precedent by banning the cricketers from participating this year, while their CA ban is still underway, but saying they’d be welcome back after it’s been completed.
It’d be morally ignominious for any overseas cricket board, let alone the English one, to allow the dishonoured cricketers to play.
As a fan of both Steve Smith and David Warner, I’d love to see them take the field for any professional cricket team, but I’d rather they serve their sentence properly, and not demean the punishments and the team they’d be playing for.
The punishments may be over-the-top, but serving them in full sends a better signal of their remorse.
JacquiMB
Guest
I cannot for the life of me think why these two guys are allowed to play cricket elsewhere in the world? Australia did the right thing and banned them. However, the ban, I believe, should have been for FIVE YEARS and WORLD WIDE. Otherwise it is like giving a child a small tap on the hand. They are still able to play the game they love, almost rewarding their bad behaviour! They are, in reality, out there promoting the game - not good ambassadors for this role given they cheated!! The message we are sending the rest of the world is a very weak one when it comes to breaking the sanctity of the rules of a gentleman's game. Yes, I believe they have suffered - and their families - but guess what? They had a choice.
JWedlake
Guest
I totally agree with you. In fact, while this ban is on-going, all three should be out of sight and out of mind. Let us live out the shame without being reminded by social media every few weeks.
Andrew
Guest
But doesnt it also go against the idea that Warner and Smith especially kept talking about during the wage negotiations last year about Australia being a unit and they are standing as one? Smith and Warner know that Bancroft had his contract torn up and may not be able to play in county cricket so it would be rather hypocritical of them to play there.
Andrew
Guest
But criminals who have been told they cant work or cant work in certain professions are not allowed to work.
qwetzen
Guest
I love a good typo... "...and despite [Smith & Warner] being vital clogs of the Australian team..." Obviously this should have read; "..and despite being vital clots of the Australian team..."
Camo McD
Roar Guru
I have a feeling if they shut up and take their medicine CA (and the public) will welcome them back with open arms and they might appear sometime in the second half of the shield season. If they go immediately chasing professional contracts this may not happen. Realistically they will probably enjoy some time off. If they do want to play some cricket now, it would be refreshing to see them give some time to a spot of playing and coaching club cricket in Scotland or Ireland or Nepal for example.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
I see CA haven't included Smith or Warner on their 2018/19 contracted player list, so outside of the CA sanctions, are they not free agents to trade their wares in other domestic competitions?
Greg
Guest
Smith and Warner should be allowed to play County Cricket if the deal is mutually beneficial for both parties. Action has been taken against them by Cricket Australia, but that action should not extent to other countries Cricketing jurisdictions. We cannot allow ourselves to fall into restriction of trade methodology. These guys should have the right to practice their livelihood. It's a basic workplace right.
jameswm
Guest
Agreed - it's not a loophole, I reckon CA deliberately left that option open.
Pablo
Roar Rookie
The point has been made, and they have learnt there lesson, Smith especially may never come back to the standard he was. Warner, who will be 33 yrs and will probably retire from Aussie teams and just play IPL etc, like Gale. Bancroft hasnt really made it yet, so he may/may not be good enough by then, but it certainly SHAKE HIM UP! They have served there ICC 1 game ban, and just need to not play for an Aussie team for 12/9 months. Let them play cricket and have an income, just NOT for an Aussie team until suspension is over. Mentally it will be good for them, to just get out in the middle without anymore of this hanging over them.
Dave
Guest
It would be a lot more “morally ignominious” for them to play county cricket if ECB had taken action against the England team that colluded to use special lollies in 2005 and earlier. Marcus Trescothick has played county cricket for nine years since those revelations in 2008 without penalty. Michael Vaughan swans around as a commentator and journalist and even pontificates on the sins of Smith and Warner! As does Atherton. No one even suggested du Plessis shouldn’t get another IPL contract. It’s ridiculous that they should be banned from domestic cricket for a full year, given they’ve effectively been banned for nine Tests and as many as 25 ODIs and 7 T20Is. But it would make more sense if they could be reprieved later in the year for part of the Australian domestic season rather than county cricket which will obviously “look” a bit soon.
Ben
Roar Guru
For a young county cricketer to have cricketers like this mentoring them far outweighs any grievances of the easily offended. As one of my old trainers told me "You learn more from your losses than you do from your wins".
JayG
Guest
While I tend to agree in speculating with you that CA must have reached some quid pro quo arrangement with the players for their cooperation in not appealing the ban at this "sensitive time" of TV rights negotiations, I doubt it would be a salary for filing work, bin emptying etc. They don't exactly strike me as short on cash and that is an understatement. I am speculating here, but I think a reasonable quid pro quo would have involved assurances they would make it back to the team when their bans are over or that the severity of their punishments would be reconsidered at a later date
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Given they are not going to be on new contract list, CA would presumably have no authority to prohibit them playing except in teams and competitions in CAs control. Whether it undermines the bans or not is an interesting question. It would all be much clearer if the ICC imposed proper penalties for cheating.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Agree with you Pedro and the others. The ICC, CA, IPL, and, in Bancrofts case, his county team, have sanctioned these players to death. Enough already! (...and using The Cruel Sea's lyrics is a bonus Pedro)
JayG
Guest
Lol, Ben. I also think the Counties would be stupid not to take them on. Not only are they excellent cricketers who could teach a thing or to upcoming English cricketers, I bet they have some significant life lessons to impart as well. Success doesn't teach you nearly quite as much as adversity does.
JayG
Guest
I think upholding the ban had more to do with BCCI keeping CA happy than any sense of moral outrage. BCCI has recently offered a contract to a cricketer under criminal proceedings for battering his wife - I think it is safe to say they are not losing their marbles over some amateurish attempts to scuff up a cricket ball
Matt H
Roar Guru
I think the only message that will be sent if they play for the Counties in May/June is that they can't play on seaming pitches, but I guess we shall see. Seriously though, CA have no jurisdiction in England. I don't see a problem at all. It's not as though they have been charged with assault or anything. They received their international one match ban. England have no further penalties for ball tampering. In fact they appear to celebrate it if 2005 is anything to go by (of course they weren't so keen on it when Pakistan were running over them).
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Maybe because Stokes hasn't been found guilty of anything yet?
Ben
Roar Guru
Let's not stop there! I think they should be banned from playing ALL cricket, even big bash cricket on their phones. I reckon they should have someone go to their homes and remove all cricket gear and paraphernalia, making sure they also have their televisions taken too, so they can't watch it either. While we're there, i think it's only fair that we have someone tail them everywhere, to make sure they don't talk about cricket, because they shouldn't be allowed to do that either. Also, all cricket grounds around Australia... nup, around the world, should have pictures of these "decrepit criminals" on their front gates to make sure they aren't allowed in, because you just don't know what they might do! Wink, wink! "I’d rather they serve their sentence properly" By "properly", you surely mean by not playing for their country, or at domestic level in their country for the term of one year... They've been stripped of the one thing that means the most to them sports wise. They've lost millions of dollars. Most rational thinking human beings would've probably been happy with a large fine and perhaps having them banned for a series. ...Give them a break!