[Cricket] Aussie Cheats!

[Brovion]

The Bairstow stuff is appalling.

On a human level, IMO, actually much WORSE than the calculated cheating, through the shenanigans with the sandpaper.

The Aussie PM has come out and stated that it 'beggars belief' that sportsmen would cheat in that manner. But it really doesn't. It beggars belief that they could be so stupid, but not that they might be minded to cheat. Cheating goes on in some way or other in almost all professional sports, so we know that it's in the psyche of some competitors to take that path - to weigh up the act against the potential reward, and decide its worth it.

On the other hand, to stand there in the field, yards from a fellow young professional, and to taunt him about the suicide of his father (another fellow professional cricketer, who JB himself discovered hanged, on his return from school, at the age of eight), purely in an attempt to break his concentration in a sporting contest? THAT, to me, genuinely does beggar belief.

Did that actually happen? Not doubting you, but I must admit to losing interest in the Ashes very early so I didn't read all the reports. However if that's true ..... well, it would be bad enough behaviour in an interrogation cell, but in a sporting environment, like you say it beggars belief.

EDIT: Reading some other posts after yours it seems others are just hearing this too, but that it has never been 'officially' discussed.

 

[dazzer6666]

It's well worth reading some of the Australian press articles about this, at least they're all taking it seriously and realise there's something rotten in their current players mentality.

Regarding the Bairstow stuff, it's never been reported exactly what was said but it's been heavily alluded to by people close to Bairstow. To his credit I think Bairstow didn't want the inevitable media storm that would've followed those kind of accusations.

Did that actually happen? Not doubting you, but I must admit to losing interest in the Ashes very early so I didn't read all the reports. However if that's true ..... well, it would be bad enough behaviour in an interrogation cell, but in a sporting environment, like you say it beggars belief.

EDIT: Reading some other posts after yours it seems others are just hearing this too, but that it has never been 'officially' discussed.

Think [MENTION=3969]Billy the Fish[/MENTION] is spot on - it was implied, or at least pretty obvious from various reports at the time what the subject matter was, but JB didn't want to take it further - he just said he would if anything crossed the line in future. I suspect that's why Bairstow's headbutt never got taken any further either.

Storm seems to continue to be gathering on this one anyway, driven by Aussie outrage and shame - Smith and Warner, plus Lehman at least, look doomed.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Did that actually happen? Not doubting you, but I must admit to losing interest in the Ashes very early so I didn't read all the reports. However if that's true ..... well, it would be bad enough behaviour in an interrogation cell, but in a sporting environment, like you say it beggars belief.

EDIT: Reading some other posts after yours it seems others are just hearing this too, but that it has never been 'officially' discussed.

Regarding the Bairstow stuff, it's never been reported exactly what was said but it's been heavily alluded to by people close to Bairstow. To his credit I think Bairstow didn't want the inevitable media storm that would've followed those kind of accusations.

It was discussed widely on twitter during the Tests, with people considered close to JB quite angry about it all - not the most reliable of sources, for sure, and no verbatim quotes detailing exactly what was said - only that it was 'stuff about his Dad' / etc. I'm confident that they were not making fun of Bairstow snr's batting average.

 

[papajaff]

Quite. At least one of us was joking.

I see poor Tyrone still can't take a joke

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Lehmann's inevitable sacking will probably see Sussex lose their new coach.... IMHO... which will be a big shame.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Good. The hypocrisy of Warner before the last Ashes series, passing comment about the Stokes incident & how he'd let so many people down. From the same person who was sent away from an England ashes tour after assaulting Joe Root in a night club. Same with Lehmann. Encouraging Australian crowds to 'send Broad home crying' during the previous series, but whinging about SA crowds giving their players a hard time. Mega karma coming back to bite these two.

Warner epitomises the Aussie bully mentality. I was at a kids presentation at SCCC a few years ago and Richard Kettleborough did a Q&A with the kids afterwards. One of the questions was "who is the worst player to umpire" and he laughed and said it'd have to be Warner as "let's just say, he's not the sharpest tool in the box".

It wont surprise anyone if it turns out that he was the driving force behind this. The rat faced tosser.

 

[dazzer6666]

Lehmann's inevitable sacking will probably see Sussex lose their new coach.... IMHO... which will be a big shame.

Ah true, hadn't thought of that. He was interviewed on TV this morning..........

 

[Surf's Up]

Lehmann's inevitable sacking will probably see Sussex lose their new coach.... IMHO... which will be a big shame.

Yup, looks likely

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

I've been reading some of the Aussie media on this and Smith's press conference started playing again on one site. However much you listen to what he said it isn't at all clear if he regrets

a) cheating, or,
b) the attempt to cheat not being effective, or
c) being caught.

Breathtaking arrogance.

 

[dazzer6666]

I've been reading some of the Aussie media on this and Smith's press conference started playing again on one site. However much you listen to what he said it isn't at all clear if he regrets

a) cheating, or,
b) the attempt to cheat not being effective, or
c) being caught.

Breathtaking arrogance.

It's c)

 

[Billy the Fish]

Both interesting articles. It's good that previous tests are also being scrutinised, the second article raises questions about Warner's handling of the ball in this series.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/the-team-that-just-doesn-t-get-it-20180325-p4z663.html

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/david-warner-at-heart-of-ball-tampering-scandal-20180326-p4z6d3.html

 

[Papa Lazarou]

It's c)

Yep definitely C.

 

[Gwylan]

Lehmann's inevitable sacking will probably see Sussex lose their new coach.... IMHO... which will be a big shame.

The report I read said that Justin Langer was favourite to take over. That makes sense as Langer is seen as a pretty straight guy who won't get up to any nonsense.

If they did go for Dizzy, they'd have pay Sussex a heap of compo - they may not be keen to do that.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

The report I read said that Justin Langer was favourite to take over. That makes sense as Langer is seen as a pretty straight guy who won't get up to any nonsense.

If they did go for Dizzy, they'd have pay Sussex a heap of compo - they may not be keen to do that.

Sussex could probably do with the money.

 

[LlcoolJ]

The report I read said that Justin Langer was favourite to take over. That makes sense as Langer is seen as a pretty straight guy who won't get up to any nonsense.

If they did go for Dizzy, they'd have pay Sussex a heap of compo - they may not be keen to do that.

Langer would be a sensible choice to sort out this mess tbf.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Report here says Langer as next coach when Lehmann is imminently removed - https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...g/news-story/9f579398f2e41208189d21cbb36d4b70

It also mentions 12 month bans for Smith & Warner. Ouch.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Report here says Langer as next coach when Lehmann is imminently removed - https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...g/news-story/9f579398f2e41208189d21cbb36d4b70

It also mentions 12 month bans for Smith & Warner. Ouch.

Shame there isn't another Ashes series in the next 12 months.

Actually, scrub that - I WANT them both here when we play them next.... we need to give them a proper welcome... nothing nasty though - just some witty ditties.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Shame there isn't another Ashes series in the next 12 months.

Actually, scrub that - I WANT them both here when we play them next.... we need to give them a proper welcome... nothing nasty though - just some witty ditties.

Shame about their IPL contracts.

 

[dazzer6666]

Shame there isn't another Ashes series in the next 12 months.

Actually, scrub that - I WANT them both here when we play them next.... we need to give them a proper welcome... nothing nasty though - just some witty ditties.

Yes, definitely want them playing next time around.

 

[Brovion]

Think [MENTION=3969]Billy the Fish[/MENTION] is spot on - it was implied, or at least pretty obvious from various reports at the time what the subject matter was, but JB didn't want to take it further - he just said he would if anything crossed the line in future. I suspect that's why Bairstow's headbutt never got taken any further either.

Storm seems to continue to be gathering on this one anyway, driven by Aussie outrage and shame - Smith and Warner, plus Lehman at least, look doomed.

It was discussed widely on twitter during the Tests, with people considered close to JB quite angry about it all - not the most reliable of sources, for sure, and no verbatim quotes detailing exactly what was said - only that it was 'stuff about his Dad' / etc. I'm confident that they were not making fun of Bairstow snr's batting average.

Thanks guys.

I must admit from reading the Australian reports that whilst their (current) cricketers may be a bunch of graceless, cheating tossers, I do have a newfound respect for their media and indeed their Prime Minister. Rather than just trying to brush it off (like Smith himself tried) they do seem to be genuinely upset and ashamed, and I get the feeling that it had been brewing for a while (perhaps stoked by the Bairstow affair). And whilst, in the eyes of the ICC anyway, ball tampering isn't that serious an offence, it seems to have been a bit of a 'final straw' moment and a lot of pent-up anger has come out.