The fallout from the Australian cricket team’s ball-tampering scandal during the March tour of South Africa has resonated throughout the wider cricketing world.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
I think it was the culture growing up. Australia were the ones who started the sledging and never took a step back.
- Far South Coast Cricket Association development officer Charles Aggenbach
The results of a damning independent organisational review into the state of Australian cricket culture, and a new behavioral charter for players, was released by Cricket Australia this week.
Tathra Cricket Club president Adam Blacka, who played alongside banned batsman David Warner in junior cricket, said he has seen a shift in his own children’s views on the game as a result of the scandal.
“Every kid was dying to be Steve Smith or David Warner. They were the most looked-at cricketers,” Blacka said.
“Now my kids have picked different players to look up to. They don’t want to be Steve Smith anymore.
“What the players did is shocking. It is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in Australian cricket.”
Completed by independent not-for-profit organisation The Ethics Centre, known for presenting the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, the redacted report blames six different factors for the meltdown in South Africa.
It states players showed a lack of maturity of judgement, a lack of understanding of consequences of actions, a fear of speaking up, a win at all costs mentality and aggressive tactics ahead of the Newlands debacle.
One of the factors has been redacted from the released report. It is unknown what information it contains.
“The captain of the Australian side, Steve Smith, set aside his suspicions and turned a blind eye to conduct that was, by any measure, outright cheating,” the report reads.
It says some players were even coerced to “play the mongrel”.
“Some players may have a natural affinity for playing such a role. However, the cost of playing such a role is that they risk becoming such a person,” the report reads.
Far South Coast Cricket Association development officer Charles Aggenbach said he has been guilty of pushing the game to its limits during his 21 year career, and said the cultural issue is a “grassroots problem”.
He said banter on the field can add drama and excitement to a game that takes a long time to complete and doesn’t draw many spectators.
“I do see some kids who want to be that sledger in the team,” he said.
“I think it was the culture growing up. Australia were the ones who started the sledging and never took a step back. It was okay when we were winning, but then we started losing.
“It is win at all costs at all levels. Nobody wants to lose.
“Locally most teams want to win, even in C Grade, but then the players all have a beer with each other after. After the game everyone hangs out together,” he said.
In a message to cricket fans on Tuesday, Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts described this year as “one of the most difficult years in our recent history”, and the organisation is working to “reset the bar and refocus our efforts on making cricket Australia’s favourite sport”.
Australian Cricket Chairman David Peever apologised for the “difficult and confronting time” in an open letter to the public this week.
“Mistakes have been made, lessons have been learnt, and changes are and will continue to take place,” he said.
On Wednesday, the executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association said Cricket Australia should lift the bans on Smith, Warner and Bancroft over the ball-tampering scandal.
Wolumla Cricket Club’s Chris Hawkins, who played against former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg in Melbourne club cricket, said the bans imposed on Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft were “harsh” given South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis was found guilty of ball tampering in 2016 and avoided suspension.
He said while sledging can “go overboard”, anything said during the game should be “left on the field”.
“When you sledge you never bring personal stuff into it,” he said.
“Nine out of ten times you’re getting sledged with the bat in your hand you’re doing something right.”
He said terms like “you’ve got a bat like a doughnut”, and “all swing no ding” were common sledges still in the spirit of the game, and said the culture of mateship with the opposition has eroded over time at international level.
“There’s stories about the team all having a beer together after games with the West Indians, but it’s all changed now,” he said.
“There’s too much money in the game now.
“They don’t enjoy life enough these young blokes.”
