In the aftermath of that incident in South Africa, Steve Smith, Cameron Bancroft and David Warner each copped a series of penalties, one of which was around future leadership roles in Australian cricket.
Warner was banned for life from any captaincy role in Australian international teams, while Smith and Bancroft were banned from any captaincy roles in national sides for a further 12 months after their one-year bans from cricket had been served.
At the time, most cricket pundits thought little of this, with most focusing on the period of the ban. There have been lots of thoughts flying around social media about this topic, but little has been mentioned about the leadership bans.
In March this year Durham County Club announced Cameron Bancroft would captain the team, and it’s fair to say this decision brought out a wide range of comments, from howls of derision from Sir Ian Botham to cautious approval from Mark Wood, an English Test bowler. Bancroft has answered his critics in the best possible way, scoring centuries and leading his side to victory in the Royal London One-Day Cup.
Cameron Bancroft. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Over the Easter long weekend the Rajasthan Royals announced Steve Smith would captain their side for the rest of the year, and he responded with a matchwinning half-century.
That means two of the three players involved in ball tampering are back leading teams and doing so very successfully.
Warner also appears to have a lot of say in field placings for his IPL team, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and this must be something he relishes, as it has hardly affected his batting.
The question is: did Cricket Australia take things too far by placing the leadership bans on these players?
Aaron Finch and Tim Paine have done an excellent job with their respective teams. Finch has led his side to some important recent victories, all while batting himself back into form.
Paine has actually done a lot more for Australian cricket, helping to rebuild a badly tarnished image through his approach to the game and the media. Along the way he has led the team to important Test victories against India and Sri Lanka and has the team well placed to mount a strong challenge for the Ashes in August.
Dave Warner and Steve Smith (AFP Photo/Greg Wood)
What happens, though, if either of these two players are injured and have to miss the World Cup or the Ashes?
Australia is so thin for leadership in the ODI team that the selectors chose two vice-captains – Alex Carey and Pat Cummins – yet most pundits would probably have Glenn Maxwell as their preferred choice.
The guy left out of discussions proved to be an outstanding captain for the Australian T20 side and his IPL team: David Warner. There are no doubts about his ability to lead a team with flair while still making runs at a great strike rate.
A similar dilemma exists in the Australian Test team. Pat Cummins is a reluctant vice-captain and Travis Head, the other possibility, is still seen to cementing his place in the team, though it’s likely he will captain the team in a few years if form doesn’t desert him.
In the short term we have a guy who is arguably one of the top two Test batsmen in recent times and, prior to his indiscretion, had led Australia to a four-nil series win over England. Steve Smith has experience playing in England and has captained Australia 34 times for 18 wins, often scoring the bulk of runs for the team.
Even Cameron Bancroft must come into the conversation if Paine’s injured. He’s obviously a long shot to make the squad, but if he continues with his great vein of form in English conditions and his side continues to rack up the victories under his captaincy, maybe he’s a bolter, at least for a vice-captaincy role.
Warner and Smith are both in the national ODI and Test teams. The logic for them being included is that we must play our best players, and these two are clearly in that category.
If we’re going to allow them to play, why should we hobble the team with inexperienced captains if Finch or Paine are injured?
Waqar Younis, Mike Atherton, Shahid Afridi, Faf du Plessis and Stuart Broad are just a few of the guys who have something in common with Warner and Smith. They all tampered with the ball and all held captaincy roles for this respective countries. Why can’t Smith and Warner be treated to same way if the opportunity were to crop up?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Dropped balls are indefensible. Waiting on the umpire's call is ok by me as they're there to adjudicate. Still these were all before he became captain. As captain he was ruthless which I like.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Ahhh yes. Waugh's run-out of Marto was the stuff of legends. It was Marto's call, Marto was set (42), Waugh wasn't (0), Waugh ignored Marto's call *and* gestures. Typical selfishness by the most self-centered & egomaniacal Oz Test player of the last 50 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjaEzHNiDSM Claiming catches (exuberantly even) after picking the pill up off the grass. Old odi one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW1qy1jh9j8 1995 .ie . 10 years into his Test career, not "early". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW1qy1jh9j8 And just for good (bad?) measure, here he is waiting until the ump gives him out for a blatant Handled the Ball. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMOUxEw4g-s One thing about those old clips... It makes you appreciate the 4k on Fox.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I believe both were early in his career and it did take me a long time to warm to him. I abhor cheating in any form. But he redeemed himself thru not only great performances but also he lead the team well. My only lasting criticism is that he was a selfish runner between wickets miraculously watching his partner walk on too many occasions in a runnout.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Would that be the same Waugh who *twice* appealed for catches that he'd blatantly dropped?
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
1. lol. But you *did* respond. 2. You don't get to be the judge of what's "needed". 3. I believe that it was a fair call to suspect that you're familiar with morally corrupt people if you want to whitewash cheats & liars like Smith & Warner. 4. If you think what I wrote was an "insult" then you've lead a very sheltered life.
Joe Obmud
Guest
Did CA go a step too far with their leadership bans? The short answer is NO
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
The leadership bans were a CA construct designed to tell future and current leaders what will happen in an Australian team, as well as a financially punitive message. To my knowledge no other nation has levelled a similar sanction at their ball tampering players captains including England, so the reactions of Botham et al are purely based on what CA decided. If they hadn't no pundits would've suggested it as it has not arisen with the long list of international ball tamperers before and after the Australian 3.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
I did write a comment yesterday but it went 'upstairs' and disappeared into the ether. Duttonbrain refers to Peter Dutton who attacked Malcolm Turnbull in an interview in 2018. A Cabinet minister said after Dutton's outburst: "Maybe he [Dutton] is just an egotistical moron who lacks self-awareness?" That quote sums up Warner's character and so Warner is a Duttonbrain.
Nick
Roar Guru
Waqar Younis, Mike Atherton, Shahid Afridi, Faf du Plessis and Stuart Broad are just a few of the guys who have something in common with Warner and Smith. They all tampered with the ball and all held captaincy roles for this respective countries. Why can’t Smith and Warner be treated to same way if the opportunity were to crop up? It's a great question, but there is a fundamentally critical difference between the players in that list and Smith/Warner. All those above captains tampered the ball themselves. They didn't devise a plan to throw a junior under the bus. That's the most unforgivable aspect, and a failure of leadership that justifies the permanent line through Warner, and a lengthier leadership ban for Smith.
slobba
Roar Rookie
Of course Smith and Warner will make their voices heard, and so they should. Whoever is captain would be a fool not to ask for and listen to suggestions these guys might make. The issue is not about the on field responsibilities , but more the off field. Smith and Warner made a major error in judgement and Leadership and that is why I believe they should not be considered for Captaincy for some time. Whether you agree with the original punishment, and I'll admit I do, to change the conditions of the ban now would send the wrong message. CA made a strong statement that we as a sporting nation hold our stars up to a higher standard. Perhaps if other countries or preferably the ICB had have shown the same standards we would not have reached this point. Taking away the financial benefit of captaining the national side, there is also the Public Prestige that these positions hold. Smith and Warner need to show that they can once again display the qualities that we as Australians expect from our sporting leaders
Paul
Roar Guru
Your last sentence sums things up beautifully Dougie. I just hope we don't get into a situation where my suggestion needs to be considered.
Paul
Roar Guru
I also hope someone like Head cements his place over the next 18 so he can take over the reins instead of Smith
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
I'm more comfortable with the leadership bans than the playing bans.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Your final paragraph is a great question! And I think the answer is, Australia has higher standards of morality and expectations of their sports leaders, than those countries. Thats a fact, born by the evidence. As James Hird has learnt, irrespective of how much a champion player you are or were, we do not accept striving to win at any cost.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I assume it refers to the member for Dixon.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Lol. I love ‘Duttonbrain’.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
To be a great captain you have to be a 1) leader of men (we are talking men’s team currently) esp in the field but also in the sheds and on tour. 2) an excellent field marshall. 3) know how to wear a ball even if they are a bowler. Smith saying he didn’t want to know about it was poor form. I think Border, Chappelli and Waugh would’ve grabbed Warner for a ‘quick talk’ out the back! I nominate Ian Chappell, Steve Waugh and Richie Benaud as our best. We haven’t had a true great since Waugh. A mention to Allan Border even though he was an average tactician.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Yep, I'd forgotten his mental exhaustion after the Ashes. Paine seems to be doing a great job. Will be super happy just to see Smith blazing away with his bat and not having to run the show.
Paul
Roar Guru
what exactly is a "Duttonbrain", Timmuh? It's a pretty interesting word I've not seen before.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think your right jeznez, Smith was not a natural captain on the field and his youth probably acted against him off the field. I still thought his efforts in the last Ashes series as captain were outstanding, but the effort he had to put in to Australia across the line, totally drained him and certainly contributed to his poor showing in the ODIs after that series. Did they then contribute to the events in South Africa? No doubt we'll see a tell-all book within the next few years.