Now that the dust has settled on the Cape Town incident and Australian cricket is making steps to move on, Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft are probably in a better place mentally to begin working on their redemption stories.
Part of the battle was already won by their emotional apologies and subsequent acceptance of the Cricket Australia sanctions – most Australian cricket lovers have forgiven them in the face of obvious contrition.
The path to earning back respect, however, might be longer. Listed below are suggestions that might help.
Mentor kids
This one is obvious, as the optics of running around with a bat around small kids is hard to beat. My suggestion here is they consider going a step further and putting up training videos on a YouTube channel to reach a broader audience.
Mentor replacements
These are three excellent batsmen and the batting strength of the team is greatly weakened in their absence. Opposing teams sense blood and will move in for the kill.
Cricketing fans hate seeing Australia lose and will appreciate it if the three help their teammates become better batsmen so they can give teams a fight they do not expect.
It is taken as a given that the three will be selected back on the team once their bans finish. If we are to win the Ashes against England and have a chance of winning the World Cup, we need greater batting depth – they could help the team develop this.
By doing so, they will show us unequivocally that the success of the Australian cricket team is more important to you than personal glory.
Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images
Play grade cricket
They need to show fans how they intend to play cricket from now on: hard but fair.
We will be disappointed if they remain sore losers and obnoxious winners, but disappointed if they turn into bland doormats. Hopefully they find that happy medium.
Playing grade cricket will also demonstrate that they love the game and not the big money and high-profile career that comes with international cricket.
They can show us they have no ego when it comes to the game and no forum is too small to demonstrate their enthusiasm for cricket.
Develop another interest
One of the reasons we were so disappointed after the Cape Town incident is that it is so completely inexplicable why they would do this. Why indulge in such a blatant attempt at something obviously against the rules?
The post-match press conference in Cape Town was telling – they thought the match was important to win. It speaks to being completely ensconced in a cricketing bubble where winning a particular match in a bilateral series was more important than the warning bells that were surely clanging.
Perhaps they need more perspective about other, more important things in life. It makes sense to try and develop other interests. Associate with a cause, pick up a hobby, start a business. Hopefully, they return better-rounded cricketers.
Play County Cricket
Similar to playing grade cricket, this will demonstrate the type of cricket they want to play. Also, play for the reasons Virat Kohli is playing County Cricket instead of an international Test match – to prepare for playing in English conditions.
Be prepared for intense booing.
Have a civil disagreement with a person of equal stature
This is especially true for Steve if he wants to be captain again.
He has been well-liked and it appears he wants to keep it that way. It must be questioned, however, how this extended to not putting his foot down on a downright stupid plan.
Trying to be popular makes for terrible leadership. He has already proven he is willing to stand up to other teams, now he must prove to the selectors, fans and, most importantly, to himself that he is willing to stand up for a just cause – even if that entails discord with people considered friends.
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Interact with the public
The easiest way to make us forget about the old controversy is to create a new one – ask any politician.
Since the three, however, presumably do not want to be associated with more controversies in the near future, the mid-way option is to interact often with the public. When we hear from them regularly, it is harder for us to remember what they said or did months ago which made us mad.
Support another athlete when they are down
While they attracted vitriol after the Cape Town incident, they also attracted a lot of support. Selectors, colleagues, players from other countries, ex-Australian players, celebrities from different walks of life in different countries, as well as many cricket fans across the world who did not know them made their support known – many of them publicly.
It would only be fair if they passed the good deed along and supported another person when they are down.
Cooperate with the review being undertaken by CA
We understand that there is some unfairness in them carrying the can for a cricketing culture they did not initiate, and which they might have made efforts to mitigate.
We want to get to the bottom of the causes and effects of this culture that culminated in the pathetic on-field behaviour that we sometimes saw on our screens and how that might have contributed to the Cape Town incident.
When these three represent Australia, we do not like the world thinking that all Australians behave that way.
Complete and honest cooperation in the review towards improving the cricketing culture will go some way in convincing us of their commitment to improving the behaviour and perception of the Australian cricket team.
We fans have many disagreements about the severity of the offence, the fairness of the punishments, CA’s handling of the incident, the roles played by fans and media in the aftermath, and much more.
We are, however, united in one belief – what happened in Cape Town was sad and disappointing.
We are looking forward to the redemption of Australian cricket and part of that is Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft’s personal redemption.
We are eager to prove all those naysayers wrong – please give us that opportunity.
Mushi
Guest
Yawn post from a vacuous human being who judges themselves by the lowest available common standard.
Matt Davies
Guest
@Pedro, Sorry you were bored. In any case, the article is not so much on how badly they need redemption but on how they can get it. I agree with you, in fact, that what they did does not justify the media firestorm or the bans that followed. But you have to agree that it was not in the spirit of the game? And that, presently, that is the last thing about them in the public mind? And that they would wish to change that. Unfortunately, the simplest way to change public perception - play good games for Australia is not available to them in the near term. Hence, my suggestions :-)
Pope Paul VII
Guest
It's not really relevant if they don't like him, which may or may not be true. The only thing that will keep him out is outstanding form of the incumbents and victories. This is going to be a bit of struggle with Warner and Smith.
JayG
Guest
I may be speculating here, but I reckon David Warner is a sure shot to re-enter the team after his suspension is over. I feel the only reason he did not appeal his sanctions and create a media circus for CA was that he was given the sense he will be selected to the team after his suspension - he has no incentive not to put his point across otherwise. Also, I feel David Warner's suspension is even more inexplicable than Steve Smith's. Smith was involved in a cover-up so perhaps that was CA's justification. What exactly was David Warner's charge - coming up with a plan to tamper with the ball?!?!? Please! Novelists and Hollywood writers come up with terrorist plans for a living - it is hardly a crime to come up with a plan! At the end of the day, Cam Bancroft tampered with the ball of his own free will - Warner hardly kidnapped his mother and threatened dire consequences if he did not tamper with the ball. If I come up with a bank robbery plan with my neighbor and he executes it while I sit at home, will it make sense for me to be punished more than him?
Paul
Roar Guru
by some team mates - apparently.
SP
Guest
Warner isn't wanted back by his team mates apparently: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5701361/David-Warner-teammates-tell-Cricket-Australia-stand-him.html
JamesH
Roar Guru
In Smith's case, the point about developing another interest might just be the most important on of all. The guy has lived and breathed cricket since he could hold a bat so he could probably use a bit of perspective.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Yawn ... Another misguided opinion stating how badly they are in need of redemption for committing what amounts to a misdemeanor at an international level!
Nick
Roar Guru
Go and spend 8 months travelling to countries cricket doesn't take them to. China, South America, SE Asia, Europe, US. Use this as an opportunity to live.
Andrew Young
Roar Guru
I like your observation about mentoring their replacements. Would be a noble and respectable thing to do, and should they be given the chance, they ought to seize it with both hands.
Paul
Roar Guru
The best way to achieve a number of these things on your list would be for the 3 guys to spend the next 5 months playing cricket in Darwin. Warner has already made a start based on an ABC story and clearly has been accepted back by the parents up there. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-06/david-warner-in-nt-after-ball-tampering-cricket-australia-saga/9732536?section=sport There's also a story on the CA website about the NT Cricket Association being keen for them to play. This to me would be a terrific scenario and a huge win for all concerned. The three players would play a reasonable standard of cricket on some pretty good pitches, so would keep their eye in. They would also have to interact with the public, but having lived there for many years, Darwin people will give them space and will treat them as equals. There are many opportunities to promote the game across the NT and having 3 star players available will be huge because the Top End is starved of this quality player and will allow them to complete their community service obligations in a part of Australia that would embrace them. The various reviews would be able to access these guys quite easily, either by flying them to Sydney or where ever or simply by video conferencing. In return, the players would get a very different outlook on life because Darwin's a very different place from the capital cities down south. They will very quickly come out of their cricket bubble, but not in a bad way as Territorians are not like that.We believe in given people another chance, which these guys deserve.