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Banned stars Steve Smith and David Warner should have their sanctions loosened to allow them to play in the second half of the Sheffield Shield season.
I strongly agree with Australian Cricketers’ Association President Greg Dyer who yesterday told media the bans handed to Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft should be reconsidered.
Dyer made that comment after the release of the key findings from the Cricket Australia Ethics Committee’s independent review of Cricket Australia which was prompted by the ball tampering scandal.
That report was damning of Cricket Australia, suggesting the organisation was partly to blame for the cheating incident by fostering a win-at-all-costs culture.
It is these findings which prompted Dyer to say the bans should be re-examined. I have no issue with the 12-month suspension from international cricket for Smith and Warner or the nine-month ban given to Bancroft.
But I do believe that, in light of Cricket Australia’s poisonous role in the scandal having now been exposed, the penalties should be lightened.
All three cricketers have already suffered enormous hardship as a result of their unacceptable actions.
They have damaged their career prospects, have lost huge sums of money, and have been buffeted by public shaming, something which will continue for many years to come.
A resounding message has already been sent by Cricket Australia that cheating will earn players huge penalties.
While initially I thought the international bans were too long, I soon agreed with them and felt they did draw an important line in the sand.
Now I believe this blaring message which Cricket Australia delivered would not be weakened to any significant degree by allowing Warner and Smith to play in the second half of the Sheffield Shield season.
Cameron Bancroft of Australia talks to the umpire. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)
This would only help the struggling first-class competition. The Shield draws only a handful of spectators each round and barely rates a mention in the mainstream media.
It would gain valuable exposure and prestige by featuring two of the world’s best batsman. Not to mention the benefit to Smith and Warner, and to their Shield opponents.
From the start I did not agree with the domestic component of the bans. Missing an entire year of international cricket was a gigantic penalty for Smith and Warner.
They should have been allowed to play this domestic season instead of taking part in overseas T20 leagues and in Sydney grade cricket.
It is one thing to take away a huge chunk of these men’s international careers. It is another thing to deprive them of the opportunity to prepare themselves properly for their returns to international cricket.
Smith and Warner cannot adequately get ready for next year’s Ashes series in England by playing in club cricket and weak overseas T20 competitions for the next four months.
They deserve to get 5-6 Shield matches under their belt after Christmas, tackling the Dukes ball which they will face in the Ashes.
Their presence would be a boon for bowlers from WA, SA, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland who would be able to test themselves against two of Australia’s greatest-ever batsmen.
It would also be a prize for fans of Shield cricket who could avoid the hefty ticket prices they normally have to pay to watch Warner and Smith in action.
As one such domestic cricket geek I’d be giddy at the prospect of heading to the WACA to watch Smith and Warner up against a WA Shield attack of Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson and Ashton Agar.
Make it happen Cricket Australia. This wouldn’t make you look weak, instead you’d appear pragmatic.