The Australian cricket team is, among other things, well-known for its grit and determination on the field. However, as sad as it now is for whatever is left from the tattered values of what was once a game played with honour, with an afternoon break for a refreshing cup of tea and camaraderie, among the “other things” the Aussies will now be remembered for is their “grit” on the field – an unwholesome moment applying a scrap of sandpaper in a dishonest act of scuffing the cricket ball.
It is not that cheating in cricket, as oxymoronic as “cheating in cricket” sounds for what is meant to be a “gentleman’s game” – the latter statement itself now mythic and similarly oxymoronic, is something we have not encountered before. The last high-profile cheating scandal featured members of the Pakistan team in 2010 following an admission to spot-fixing. Then in 2000, South African captain Hansie Cronje was banned for life after fixing his team’s One Day Internationals against India. Also, Skipper Salim Malik was banned for life in 2000 after allegations surfaced of match-fixing during Pakistan’s tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe in 1995.
Up to last month, Australia maintained its high standard for quality play, despite their lack of sportsmanship in acts of intimidation, the “sledging” of batsmen on the pitch, when the team’s most junior member Cameron Bancroft was caught by cameras tampering with the ball; former captain, Steve Smith and former vice-captain David Warner later admitted to roles in this mortifying act of dishonesty.
Following the scandal, a contrite Smith said he was not proud of what he did; also: “It’s not within the spirit of the game. My integrity, the team’s integrity, the leadership group’s integrity, come into question and rightfully so.” Bancroft also admitted to the skullduggery, saying he was “in the vicinity” when the plan was hatched, and was nervous about the presence of so many cameras: “Once I was sighted on the screens and having done that, I panicked quite a lot, and that obviously resulted in me shoving it down my trousers.”
Speaking to the BBC, Simon ‘The Analyst’ Hughes said Australia was “deluded” into thinking they could pull off such a dishonest act: “It is almost impossible to get away with any of this in international cricket now. There are 30 cameras watching you, and umpires regularly inspecting the ball. There’s always been skulduggery in cricket, but it has always had this status as a sport where people behave well and respect each other.” A tearful Australian coach, Darren Lehmann, later resigned.
Cricket Australia has since suspended both Smith and Warner for one year, and Bancroft until December of this year, from all international and domestic cricket. Despite having expressed contrition, and having returned in humiliation to Australia from South Africa, the trio have now retained legal counsel and are challenging the length of their suspensions. Also, last week the Australian Cricketers Association called on Cricket Australia to consider reducing what it described as “disproportionate” sentences imposed on the players.
As it is with us in the Caribbean and here in the diaspora, despite our unending criticism over the performance of our present cricketing configuration, the game is similarly endeared and cherished by Australians, thus the cheating scandal hits at the core of Australia’s guiding philosophy about making one’s way in the world – notably, Don Bradman is nationally respected as the country’s first international success through his remarkable career. Understandably, Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was not thrilled with “Sandpapergate”, saying it was a “shocking affront to Australia” and “a terrible disgrace”. He has ordered Cricket Australia to clean up the sport, and has criticised the unethical Australian practice of “sledging” batsmen on the pitch.
What is apparent after such a humiliation is the Aussie team must now grit its collective teeth and begin rebuilding its tainted reputation.