Steve Smith, Australia’s captain and perhaps the finest batsman the country has produced since Donald Bradman, is battling for his job and reputation. During the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday, the 28-year-old confessed to ball-tampering accusations. Cameron Bancroft was captured on camera using yellow adhesive tape filled with dirt to modify the condition of the ball, in what has been dubbed the most humiliating chapter in Australian cricket. Then, in a startling admission, Smith, and Bancroft admitted to cheating in a fiery news conference. After Smith was acknowledged to be the captaincy in 2015, there have been calls for him to resign or be fired as Australia captain.
The baggy greens now have very little respect in the cricketing world, and the indignation that has erupted since Smith’s stunning post-match confession has been staggering. Since the problem in Australian cricket began, experts and fans have taken the moral high ground, ignoring the truth that players frequently try to influence the ball to make it do things it wouldn’t usually do. Of course, this does not imply that scheming to cheat is right, but Smith’s men did what many others have done before them at all levels.
Even after being caught putting dirt on the ball during a Test against South Africa at Lord’s in 1994, Mike Atherton kept his England leadership and escaped punishment. Pakistan declined to take the field after tea on day four of the 2006 Test in England due to ball-tampering claims from umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove. In 2010, Shahid Afridi was caught on camera trying to bite and chew the ball seam. In previous episodes, South Africa’s Faf du Plessis and bowler Vernon Philander were seen on camera using anything from fingernails to a zipper to mint to help shine the ball.
In each of these cases, the accused players maintained their innocence throughout the process but were never able to rebut the claims, whereas Smith and Bancroft came clean and admitted their mistake right away.
At a time when the entire world is dancing on the grave of Australian cricket, former captain Michael Clarke has asked supporters to forgive Smith and focus on rebuilding the sport’s tattered reputation, despite being devastated by the scandal.
Former India pacer Ashish Nehra praised Smith for recognizing the error. “This is not the first time something like this has occurred. It has happened in the past, particularly in Test cricket. But I will give Steve Smith credit for admitting that he made a mistake, “Nehra said. “Smith has done a lot for Australia’s cricket team. Whatever occurred has occurred. Let’s get this party started. We are all human, and we make errors.” He continued.
Despite the furious fans’ dramatic reactions, there are still others who support Steve Smith – the batsman who hides his talent in plain sight.
