The jargon was heavy, the irony stark, and in the end Cricket Australia’s response to its own corporate failings went exactly as expected.
The long-awaited Longstaff Review delivered findings perhaps even more scathing than anticipated, but were absorbed by an organisation with little appetite for tangible change.
After re-electing its Chairman David Peever and appointing new CEO Kevin Roberts before the findings were released, Cricket Australia solidified their foundations before the storm struck.
And when the storm arrived yesterday, the only damage was rather superficial.
Peever’s performance in front of cameras on Monday was, if not for the bleak landscape it painted for a sport in need of change, almost comically ironic.
The Chairman’s claim to ‘accept responsibility’ for what happened in Cape Town, despite instigating no actual changes to hierarchy, was foretold in the Longstaff document sitting in front of everyone: ‘CA is perceived to say one thing and do another’, it said.
The very next line in the 147-page document read: ‘The most common description of CA is as “arrogant” and “controlling”.’ The review made it entirely clear that the systemic arrogance of the Australian men’s team was reflected in the corporate offices.
When asked by a journalist how that stood with him, Peever said “I am not embarrassed. I am not embarrassed at all”.
But why not? Steve Smith was, in South Africa. In fact he said it numerous times: “I am embarrassed to be sitting here”, the former captain said of his role in the ball tampering scandal. But when it was Peever’s turn, he turned on autopilot and the rhetoric flowed: “There are elements of the review we need to work on,” he conceded.
Steve Smith reacts during a press conference. (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)
When Cameron Bancroft pulled yellow sandpaper from his pocket on that fateful afternoon on March 24, the fallout was immense.
Many thought it would turn cricket in this country upside down – and for the better. But the fallout, as we have seen, stopped at the halfway point. The first half – the players themselves – were dealt with severely and swiftly by an incensed public and, following that, Cricket Australia themselves.
But the faintest scratching of the surface would reveal that the events which unfolded in Cape Town were merely the tip of the iceberg.
A culture that not so much encouraged winning as demanded it lurked beneath the surface. The arrogance that so incensed the Australian public was hardly confined to the players.
‘Responsibility for that larger picture lies with CA and not just the players held directly responsible for the appalling incidents at Newlands’, Longstaff’s review confirmed.
And it is wholly correct. After all, it wasn’t the players who created the coarse #BeatEngland hashtag during the Ashes.
It wasn’t the men in whites who concocted the thoroughly classless 4-nil hand signs that accompanied the dais after reclaiming the Ashes. And it also wasn’t our bowlers and batsmen who blindsided the Bangladesh cricket board by cancelling a tour at the last minute in May, citing a lack of ‘commercial viability’.
Cricket Australia Chairman David Peever (AAP Image/Penny Stephens)
So where’s the sorry for those? Where’s the recrimination and bans and lifetime scars to wear? Peever told us back in April that there’d been ‘enough sorries’. Yesterday he told us it’s time to ‘move on’. So that’s that, I guess.
Cricket Australia’s position to accept the Longstaff findings and, at a corporate level, continue untouched is untenable.
Peever’s position as the Chair is arguably exactly that, and Longstaff made a none-too-subtle hint that he or one of CA’s top executives should walk: ‘It is the unfortunate lot of a leader that he or she may sometimes be called upon to sacrifice themselves for the greater good…Cricket has a chance to set a better example – and in doing so, to remediate much of the harm caused by the incident at Newlands.’
golfunion
Roar Rookie
Well said Big Daddy, Mark Taylor has never given the paying cricket public any genuine insights into our National Team’s performance nor our coaching performance, ‘Spin and Fake News’ have been the cornerstone of Mark Taylor, together with the former ‘Channel 9’ commentary team and the ‘CA Board’.
Big Daddy
Guest
In some ways the review is pointless because at the end of the day CA are under this impression that the 41 recommendations only applies to the players. All good for Peever to say he takes responsibility but its still us against them and it always will be. They search the world for a new CEO at a cost not disclosed and still appoint somebody involved in the last farce. The same thing happened with the NRL with Greenberg. Its a very closed shop and always will be.
Goalsonly
Roar Rookie
The big story was 'us pure sport Aussies' cheating at all .. and at cricket the gentleman's game to boot. How to get the sport back in the good graces of the public. They'll be back because the players took it on the chin and sobbed like little babies. Now there's outrage (rightfully) at corruption (anti siphoning) at boards level. Look ... I'll take a bit of ball tampering and a bit of sledging and even the above mentioned corruption..those are going to happen. The thing that is knocking our kids about in sport is the unhealthy obsession with winning over enjoying the game. It comes in when you are in your teens and there are little hitlers everywhere running their clubs like the third reich. I am a big fan of national socialism but when you start building weapons and picking on cults and gays and artists well that's just going too far...oops i got off the track. Winning is a token, winning is a plastic trophy, a short term thrill. Of course you play to win but don't let it spoil the game... that's crazy. Just play the game and enjoy all the skills. I think the motto Australian Sport and Cricket need is to Play Fearlessly. Emotional Intelligence (EI) (ask the Chinese) is the key to getting on top of any Sport. That means you are not scared of losing. You were scared of losing so you got the sandpaper out. You were scared you'd lose some money so you did a shonk at board level. You were scared by a sledge so you lost concentration. Make that an ethic Mr Longfellow NO FEAR in the changing rooms No Fear on the Field. Go watch field of dreams again. One day you'll be a ghost in a cornfield and you'll miss the sights and sounds the touch and the smells. All that good stuff that was scared out of us when the obsession to win kicked in. I knew this kid who could swing the ball a mile when he was 14. It was MAGIC and I am not joking it was MAGIC. By the time he was 15 he was gone...all gone. They wanted him to be a quick so he (it's too sad for words). I think you know the story. What the public want is that kid playing for Australia and just being himself. Some make it through and don't they shine. Bless em all.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
I suspect Peever was chosen by Sutherland, remember Sutherland said he and Peever had been discussing the succession plan for 2 years. Which I thought was a bit strange, why is there a succession plan and its discussed between those two ,when you expect the whole board to make the appointment from a list of candidates and Sutherland to be not involved. So if Roberts is chosen by Sutherland they have Peever as chairman and the other person who seems to be connected to Sutherland is Mark Taylor is on the board, Sutherland can still influence all the big decisions. The reason they were so eager to lock in a fixed pay deal was they knew they were going to double the local TV deal and it was before the Ashes were revenue rises by a 100 million for the year. The Bangladesh series was a perfect example of how this group operate with money as the top priority. Sutherland in a interview said that while the Australian team were dominating before he came in that was actually not good for the bottom line for one team to dominate so much. Australia losing the Ashes led to a massive increase in revenue, and Sutherland has never made performing overseas a priority. Its more the case the Australia team were shuttled around to get others to return the favour by touring here. My suspicions regard the ball tampering is that there may have been betting involved, as Rabada was suspended and if that was leaked to everyone before it was made public you could have a betting plunge. The idea that this leadership who was happy to lose overseas to make more money here influenced it with pressure is clearly off track.
Matt H
Roar Guru
He is on the Board of Directors. His influence is still significant.
Matt H
Roar Guru
There is a great article by Daniel Brettig overnight, which points out that a director of the 'independent' firm engaged to do the review is also on the board of CA. In addition the senior liaison for Rick McCosker's review is a long time paid consultant of CA. He then goes on to imply that the low response by the players was becasue they had no faith in the process or that anything would change. The further implication given the culture of bullying, and people feeling unable to speak up, is that the players may have felt like they would be harming their careers if they responded.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Speaking of 'bully boys', I'm interested in knowing who was bullied, who felt bullied, who did the bullying and how?
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
Whether the people at the top were to blame or not for the culture. I dont believe they told Warner to concoct a scheme to cheat and gave Bancroft the sandpaper. Thats on the players.
anon
Roar Pro
Sarwan got McGrath good though.
Richard Islip
Roar Rookie
And when the Aussies get it back to them, they have proved time and again, they cannot take it. In particular, McGrath, who would start to shake his head continually, and mutter away, to Warner, who had to punch in a pub, and start grappling off the field once again, in South Africa. Shame.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Steve Waugh encouraged "mental disintegration". David Warner told Jonathan Trott he had "scaredy eyes". Michael Clarke warned a No. 11 batsman "do you want a --------- broken arm"? And don't forget that charming sledge from Glen McGrath directed at Sarwan. This toxicity has been festering for some time & has been allowed to do so unchallenged.
Rob
Guest
It appears the blokes running the show conform to the ' all care no responsibility " mantra. The game and players in Australia are paying the price for a bunch of arrogant business men that are only interested in making money at any cost.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
Umm, maybe because he’s innocent
Higgo
Roar Rookie
Fair criticism of the powers that control the game. But you cannot tell me that players are told to behave the way they do. Often they are an embarrasment to watch, with their poor sportsmanship. They carry on like warriors on the field. I have always said, put two cricket teams in a room together, and they wouldn't say "boo". Time for cricket to behave with humility and respect on and off the field from players and administrators alike
Bunney
Roar Rookie
When I heard the news that he was re-elected, which is an anomaly in recent times (most chairmen last only one term), I wondered if it was deliberately engineered so he could take responsibility, do the right thing and step down to prevent who would normally have replaced him from being chairman for a week... I thought that was ballsy and transparent, but instead they've chosen the extra ballsy 'F$#@ you - we're doing nothing of substance' in response!
Bunney
Roar Rookie
Great call Matt. The problem is the CA bigwigs won't accept responsibility, meaning they'll avoid all censure. Justice here relies on the states sacking the board. Maybe we should start petitioning them.
Simoc
Guest
The seedy looking Peever is a bully boy. He should go into politics where he can trade lies with the similarly qualified grubs. He is a complete flop at CA as he was at Rio Tinto. His former executives at RT are heading for jail if the cases against them are proven. Seems his qualification was being a mate of then PM, Malcolm Turnbull. Since Turnbull would be available now they could appoint him. But most of all they need a respectable person, which Peever is not. Someone like ex-Chair of selectors, John Inverarity, would also be good.
Nick
Roar Guru
Meh His influence will be on the wane now that he didn't get a job for the upcoming season.
Matt H
Roar Guru
The no names was a legal thing. The report was prepared by a consultant for CA only and CA elected to release it, instead of just the recommendations. As a result there were parts of it, including names, that had to be redacted to protect the consultant and board from possible defamation actions, given no standard of evidence was required before naming them, like it would be in a court or even a newspaper. I would love to have seen those parts though.
Peter
Guest
Actually pigs are intelligent, honest and from my experience seem to have lines they won't cross. Please apologise to pigs.