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Cricket Australia cops a major uppercut from the independent review

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29th October, 2018
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The independent review called by Cricket Australia after the ball-tampering fiasco in South Africa saw captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner banned for 12 months, and Cameron Bancroft for nine.

It would be a fair comment to say that Cricket Australia had no idea what the review would turn up.

In short, the review accused Cricket Australia of being arrogant and controlling by not living up to the organisation’s values, not handling situations that go against them, and reverting to bullying tactics, or worse – ostracising their critics.

That was a self-inflicted uppercut on many fronts.

The drawn-out pay dispute was a perfect example of bullying by Cricket Australia, but it was the players who copped the public criticism for being money-hungry.

Not so.

In the end the net result was good for both parties, but there was a lot of pain inflicted before both sides signed on the dotted line.

Since Cape Town, three senior Cricket Australia appointments have either gone or are going.

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James Sutherland ended 17 years as Cricket Australia CEO last week, of his own volition.

Throughout that lengthy tenure, I found Sutherland to be one of the very best administrators in any sport – he will be sorely missed.

James Sutherland

James Sutherland. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

He’s been replaced by Kevin Roberts, who was involved in the pay dispute.

Australian coach Darren Lehmann also signed off on his own volition, being replaced by Justin Langer.

Pat Howard, the high-performance director, ends his tenure next month, and if Cricket Australia has anything left, he won’t be replaced.

It was a pointless appointment following the flawed Angus Review in 2011, that included both the captain and coach as national selectors.

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So where does Cricket Australia go from here?

There are nine directors on the board, but only Mark Taylor and Michael Kasprowicz have worn the coveted baggy green.

The other seven – five men and two women – have only an outsider’s knowledge of what happens in the middle.

Chairman David Peever, a former managing director of Rio Tinto, is widely acclaimed as a corporate giant, but his one claim to cricket fame was as a lowly grade player at Brisbane Easts club occasionally facing Craig McDermott, Carl Rackeman and Geoff Dymock in the nets.

Earl Eddings has been North Melbourne cricket club president from 2001 to 2018, a director of Cricket Victoria from 2006 to 2015, and deputy chairman 2008 to 2015.

Paul Green has been deputy chair of the Tasmanian Cricket Association since 2004.

John Harnden is chairman of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

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Dr Lachlan Henderson was a first grade cricketer in Perth with University, and has been chairman of the WACA since 2015.

Jacqui Hey is a non-executive director of SBS, Qantas and the Bendigo Adelaide Bank.

And Michelle Tredenick has had 30 years of corporate experience, and currently a director of the Bank of Queensland, and Canstar Pty ltd, and chair of IAG NRMA Corporate Superannuation.

I’d like to see this board revert to the good old days when cricket writers had their own interviews with players of both sides. The post stumps all-in ruck of today was never heard of, it’s become so impersonal.

The players, and the writers, trusted each other.

The ruck started in the late 1980s, or early 1990s, after some cricket writers, who didn’t last long, were only looking for muck to grab front and back page headlines.

The trust was gone, and so were the one-on-one interviews.

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On another front, Cricket Australia has agreed with the review to take into consideration player character and behaviour in awarding honours such as the Allan Border Medal, along the lines of the AFL’s Brownlow Medal.

Rugby league should follow suit with the Dally M Medal, and especially the Immortal status.

So were does that leave Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft, and their bans, in the light of the scathing review of Cricket Australia?

Cameron Bancroft

Cameron Bancroft of Australia talks to the umpire. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)

Last week I flagged a reduction now all three have served seven months, and was pilloried from all points of the compass.

I still contend they have done their time, far more than any other ball tamperers.

Let’s see how Cricket Australia reacts.

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