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Roar Rookie
Joined January 2019
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Ryan, an interesting and insightful commentary as always. You have hit the nail on the head with your theory that the Australia team had been upping the ante in ball management for quite a while. In my opinion the heat was on Warner at the time of SandpaperGate, he knew the SA media were onto him, and he anointed some other poor sucker to tak over the role. That sucker unfortunately was so inept that he was an easy catch for the SA media. I want to pose one other question though..How many of the remaining Australians knew what was going on, both in SA and beforehand? I’ve played cricket , opened the bowling and I had one tool of the trade.. the ball, and we all knew it well. We lovingly looked after one side and we made sure the other got as rough as it could. I can assure you I could identify exactly what happened to it between deliveries, and could spot every new mark or scratch on it. I find it hard to fathom that an elite cricketer could not identify that the ball in his hands had been sandpapered since he last held it. Smith said as much in his first news conference when he stated that “the leadership team” knew what was going on. Is Warner the scapegoat for everyone else who knew what was happening and went into hiding when they got caught.. I think so. The final thing which has grated on me since that fateful day is how on earth were an Australian Captain and a test player , both of whom had been caught utterly red handed, allowed to front a news conference and lie through their teeth about what had happened. Was there no media training? Was there no advice from anyone with two brain cells before they went out? Surely the only solution that afternoon was to either say nothing, or tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I remember that morning I woke up and viewed that news conference as the lowest point of the whole saga. And the cover ups and scapegoating hasn’t lifted Aus from the mire since.. Sandpaper Gate is not dead and won’t be until Dave Warner uncovers the bodies and the truth is told.
Sorry folks, sandpaper-gate ain’t over just yet
Excellent analysis Ronan. I totally agree with your comments regarding Bryce. The only thing’d like to add to the conversation though is that the public and the media quickly tire of the a classic dour cricketer. You only need to consider another member of the Qld side to see this. Matt Renshaw. Matt was selected for Australia based on great technique and an ability to bat time and wear bowlers down. On his entry to the side he did just that, several great innings culminating in his first test ton. However all the time the birds kept chirping in his ears, he’s too slow, he needs to be able to step up a gear, and suddenly he’s out of the side to work on his game. The messing with his head from the media, selectors and public destroyed what could have been a great career for Australia and it is only now he is finding his way again. Pick him for higher honours anytime you like, but don’t try and change what he was selected for in the first place!
Bryce Street's defensive batting style could translate to Tests