Chandimal suspended for one Test; could miss four more
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... -condition
Javagal Srinath (match referee):
"After reviewing the footage of the incident, it is clear that Dinesh applied an artificial substance to the ball, namely saliva containing the residue of something he had in his mouth, an action which is prohibited under the ICC Code of Conduct.
"The footage shows that upon receiving the ball, Dinesh took something from his pocket and put it into his mouth. After sucking or chewing whatever he put in his mouth for a few seconds, Dinesh then proceeded to spit on his finger and polish the ball with his saliva which would have contained the residue of the artificial substance that he had in his mouth, on two separate occasions.
"During the hearing, Dinesh admitted to putting something in his mouth but couldn't remember what it was, which I found unconvincing as a defence and the fact remains it was an artificial substance.
"In the pre-series briefing held on the back of the ICC Cricket Committee recommendations, both the sides were explicitly told that the match officials would be extra vigilant towards all aspects of fair play, including changing the condition of the ball and as such it is disappointing that this has happened."
The ball tampering saga
Smith, Warner free to play in Sheffield Shield final
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket ... 4zmxt.html
"The Shield final is traditionally held in late March but an expanded BBL has pushed the start of the final back to March 28, the same date the exiled pair's 12-month suspensions for ball tampering expire."
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket ... 4zmxt.html
"The Shield final is traditionally held in late March but an expanded BBL has pushed the start of the final back to March 28, the same date the exiled pair's 12-month suspensions for ball tampering expire."
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... australias
A. Fernando wrote:...
Here is why the two incidents will be treated differently.
There is minimal outrage in Sri Lanka
...
Australian sportspeople are generally put on a high pedestal, and allegations of cheating - even for what was a Level 2 ICC offence - are taken seriously. Sri Lanka's cricketers are widely admired, but do not face anywhere near the level of public scrutiny that many others from around the world contend with.
...
In general, Sri Lanka's cricketers are perceived at home to be relatively well-behaved. Although there is widespread disenchantment with the country's cricket administrators, the players themselves have mostly (but not totally) been immune to public anger over the state of the nation's cricket.
...
The series has mostly been good-natured
...
The teams have played to largely empty stands. At no stage has player discipline been an issue. ...
That Cricket West Indies has been quiet through the whole affair is also unsurprising: SLC is assisting the West Indies board with some of the costs of this tour - costs the hosts would ordinarily be required to bear.
Sri Lanka's long-term tendency has been to forcefully defend its players
This is partly small-country syndrome, and partly skepticism of international cricket officiating based on past events. When faced with official sanctions, Sri Lanka sides have often closed ranks and adopted a siege mentality...
...
No delegation, no evidence of conspiracy.
...
There is no strong leadership at SLC at present
...
Smith and Warner return to cricket among farm sheds of sleepy Canadian town
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket ... 4zo67.html
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket ... 4zo67.html
...
Three months off have allowed Smith to rest, re-evaluate and focus on positive endeavours such as talking to school students about mental health, a new foray for a man who admitted in his autobiography that he's never had any interests outside cricket.
Indeed, he will donate his entire players' fee from the Canadian competition (organisers would not disclose the amount but top pay for the event is $C100,000, about $100,000) to nurture youth cricket in Canada and Australia, Fairfax Media understands.
...
Chandimal did not intend to tamper - SL administrators
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... nistrators
"Not only is the Sri Lankan cricket establishment taking the view that there was no intent to tamper on Chandimal's part, there is also little public appetite for Chandimal to be banned for a long time. In fact, there is more public disappointment in the team's delaying of the game for two hours, than about the tampering itself. In any case, Chandimal is expected to resume leadership of the Sri Lanka Test side the moment his suspensions are served."
"Chandimal had made the point during the hearings that he had a variety of edible substances - including nuts, but also cough lozenges - and he did not remember which of those he had put into his mouth when television cameras had caught the incident."
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... nistrators
"Not only is the Sri Lankan cricket establishment taking the view that there was no intent to tamper on Chandimal's part, there is also little public appetite for Chandimal to be banned for a long time. In fact, there is more public disappointment in the team's delaying of the game for two hours, than about the tampering itself. In any case, Chandimal is expected to resume leadership of the Sri Lanka Test side the moment his suspensions are served."
"Chandimal had made the point during the hearings that he had a variety of edible substances - including nuts, but also cough lozenges - and he did not remember which of those he had put into his mouth when television cameras had caught the incident."
Hardest days still ahead of Smith, Warner - Taylor
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... ark-taylor
Mark Taylor:
""The next nine months are going to be extremely tough for him [Smith], for David Warner and for Cameron Bancroft, because they're going to have to watch more of the Australian side right through the summer, here in Australia. That will really hurt. ...
"But in the long run I think it's good for all three of them. He made a bad mistake, as did the other two guys, three or four months ago, and he's paying a very high price for it. I think the penalty they've received is very harsh but very fair, and I think we've now set a tone for world cricket that we're not going to allow this sort of cheating to go on."
...
"There were obviously things going on in the back of the brain which weren't great for Steve, Dave and for Cam, particularly for Steve and David our captain and vice-captain. Unfortunately it led to them tampering with the ball and Steve not doing enough about the tampering with the ball.
"They were talked to about it - Pat Howard went from Australia to South Africa to talk to the team about that sort of behaviour, we need to tone things down. But it still doesn't stop that one moment where two guys in the changeroom say we're going to do something about changing the condition of the ball."
[Comment: "Set a tone for world cricket"? Huh? Delusional. And why has Pat Howard not been sacked?]
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... ark-taylor
Mark Taylor:
""The next nine months are going to be extremely tough for him [Smith], for David Warner and for Cameron Bancroft, because they're going to have to watch more of the Australian side right through the summer, here in Australia. That will really hurt. ...
"But in the long run I think it's good for all three of them. He made a bad mistake, as did the other two guys, three or four months ago, and he's paying a very high price for it. I think the penalty they've received is very harsh but very fair, and I think we've now set a tone for world cricket that we're not going to allow this sort of cheating to go on."
...
"There were obviously things going on in the back of the brain which weren't great for Steve, Dave and for Cam, particularly for Steve and David our captain and vice-captain. Unfortunately it led to them tampering with the ball and Steve not doing enough about the tampering with the ball.
"They were talked to about it - Pat Howard went from Australia to South Africa to talk to the team about that sort of behaviour, we need to tone things down. But it still doesn't stop that one moment where two guys in the changeroom say we're going to do something about changing the condition of the ball."
[Comment: "Set a tone for world cricket"? Huh? Delusional. And why has Pat Howard not been sacked?]
ICC approves harsher penalties for ball-tampering
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... -tampering
"A player found guilty of ball-tampering can now be banned for up to six Test matches or 12 ODIs. ...
Changing the condition of the ball, previously a Level 2 offence, is now a Level 3 offence. Sanctions for Level 3 offences have also been hardened: where they would have earlier earned a player eight suspension points - leading to a maximum ban of four Tests or eight ODIs - it will now earn 12 suspension points. Level 4 offences, meanwhile, will earn a minimum of 12 suspension points."
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... -tampering
"A player found guilty of ball-tampering can now be banned for up to six Test matches or 12 ODIs. ...
Changing the condition of the ball, previously a Level 2 offence, is now a Level 3 offence. Sanctions for Level 3 offences have also been hardened: where they would have earlier earned a player eight suspension points - leading to a maximum ban of four Tests or eight ODIs - it will now earn 12 suspension points. Level 4 offences, meanwhile, will earn a minimum of 12 suspension points."
Ball-tamperers' mega reunion in Colombo
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... on-colombo
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... on-colombo
...
If you are a lawyer employed by any of these gentlemen you can stop reading here, because I apologise profusely and unreservedly, and will absolutely stop making fun the moment I get through these next couple of gags.
...
On top of which even if players are attempting to change the condition of the ball, they don't seem to be particularly successful at it. The ball was inspected at Newlands, but remained unchanged after Cameron Bancroft had had his way with it - the umpires stating that it remained suitable for play. At St. Lucia, where the most-recent case of tampering emerged, umpires allowed Sri Lanka to continue bowling with a supposedly tampered ball, and only changed it after viewing incriminating footage the following morning.
...
Signs from the ICC are that tampering will continue to be policed largely based on the outrage it is capable of generating, with broadcasters heavily relied upon to first notice acts of tampering, then bring such footage to the match officials' notice.
...
Chandimal to miss four more games over spirit of cricket breach
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... ket-breach
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... ket-breach
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal and coach Chandika Hathurusingha have been suspended for four ODIs, in addition to the two Tests they are already sitting out, after receiving the maximum possible punishment for their spirit of cricket offence. Team manager Asanka Gurusinha also receives the same sanction.
Following a ball-tampering row, the trio had been charged with the level 3 offence over Sri Lanka's refusal to take the field on day three in the second Test in St Lucia last month, a refusal that resulted in a delay of roughly two hours. ...
Caribbean calling: Smith will continue comeback to Calypso beat
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket ... 4zt9l.html
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket ... 4zt9l.html
Banned former Test captain Steve Smith is on the verge of signing a contract to play in the Caribbean Premier League.
Fairfax Media understands Smith will join the Barbados Tridents as a replacement player for the six-week long Twenty20 tournament.
...
Smith will again lock horns with his former vice-captain David Warner, who last month signed with St Lucia Stars as a late replacement for compatriot D'Arcy Short. Short was named in the Australia A squad for a tour of India.
...
The bans handed to Smith and Warner relate only to international cricket and competitions run by CA. Big Bash League boss Kim McConnie this month confirmed there would be no softening of the bans to Smith and Warner that would allow the pair to play in this summer's edition.
...