Is a year's ban right for Steve Smith?
Is a year's ban right for Steve Smith?
It is hard to believe that a man, who is best in the business and has been compared with Sir Don Bradman till recently, has been banned for a year over the ignominious ball tampering scandal that has rocked the world of cricket. The scandal continues to ripple far beyond cricket circles, with captain Steve Smith portrayed as arch-villain in the sorry saga. Soon after he admitted that they did try to tamper with the ball, the cricket fraternity has been condemning the players involved. Although, International Cricket Council has imposed one match ban and charged 100% of his match fee, Cricket Australia has ousted him for a year from cricket.
Is it a harsh decision? Is ball tampering same as match fixing? With Steve Smith owning his mistake, doesn't he deserve a second chance?
Nobody should underestimate the damage this has done to the game. But the fact is that his counterpart Faf du Plessis was too found guilty of the same act and that too twice where he was charged 50% of his match fee and then 100% with some demerit points but he was announced the captain of the South Africa test side very next month. There are many past instances where players were caught for damaging ball but were not made to regret so harshly.
Would other country have also handed its captain a 12 months ban for attempted ball-tampering?
Discussion
- RE: Is a year's ban right for Steve Smith? -ban right for Steve Smith (06/21/18)
- Many players were accused of ball tempering in the past and reprimanded ban of 1 or 2 matches by ICC. But Smith along with his other colleagues are exceptions in the sense they are subjected to ban for 1 year from competitive cricket by Australia Cricket. Australians are known fighters on the field, they pride themselves in saying that they "play hard but fair". In the wake of ball tempering saga, the pride was tossed up and shaken, leaving CA take stern action to make Steve Smith and partners learn lesson in the hard way.
- RE: Is a year's ban right for Steve Smith? -ban right for Steve Smith (04/17/18)
- Ball tempering is an old technique the bowlers have been resorting to reverse swing. Surprisingly, ICC doesn't whim hard enough to deter the players inhibiting to such tactics. Steve Smith and his team members were caught red handed tempering with the ball and ICC reprimanded them just a one match ban. It is Australia Cricket who had gone head and banned them for 1 year, in my opinion, ICC should have stepped up and taken stern action in order to protect the sanctity of Cricket. Australia Cricket has taken a bold step and laid a strong precedent for other boards to follow. ICC think tank should take the cognizance of the situation seriously and enact a strong punishment for the guilty.
- RE: Is a year's ban right for Steve Smith? -LEGION (03/30/18)
- "That's not cricket", this phrase is common among Australians whenever one try to cheat. Meaning of this phrase is, "not a fair play" which tells how important and a respected game cricket is in Australia.
The heat of this issue can be recognized by the fact that top leaders if the country have themselves commented on it. This is not only a black mark on Cricket Australia but on entire nation as they have set very good image of themselves in past few years in terms of fair play be it Olympics, Commonwealth or any National and International game. The high standards Australian have marked as sportsmanship fell down just by a small mistake in cricket.
Punishment was necessary and harsh this time, as a lessons to other also as Cricket Australia in past had been involved in numerous of controversies, have revolved around the line but never crossed it.
Steve Smith learned it a hard way that more than winning the game itself is important and this incident will be remembered in history as a lessons who all those who believes in disrespecting the game by breaking it's rules.
- RE: Is a year's ban right for Steve Smith? -Shambhavi (03/30/18)
- More than a corrupt, he looks to be a desperate captain who wanted to win a match for his country. But more than a win it's important how that win has come. Steve Smith is learning this lesson in a tough way, it will haunt him for rest of his life. More than the ban it will be tough for him to being called a cheat. The whole saga is a big lesson for all players will help them play within the spirit of the game. So, I think the ban is important. Nobody should be above the game.
- RE: Is a year ban right for Steve Smith? -Ganesh T (03/30/18)
- It takes years of hard work to reach to top level and a moment of wrong decision and mistake to fall flat on the ground, the scandal that has engulfed Steve Smith and co is the apt example for such situation. Cricket Australia has handed them a year of ban but the decision is not going well with many who think that it is too harsh. They have accepted the charge, let's not forget that they are not criminal and second change should be given. They should be punished to uphold the sanctity of game but it should fit the mistake.
- RE: Is a year ban right for Steve Smith? -Steve (03/29/18)
- Cricket Australia has always boosted of "play hard and play fair" attitude but recent scandal of ball tempering under the leadership of Steve Smith has shattered their claim. They have blatantly shown "win at any cost" attitude which can't be pardoned. They have embarrassed the game of Cricket and left us think if it was a gentleman's game? The punishment looks a bit too harsh but it is good for the game and a precedent that would scare many players. It is a good standard set by Cricket Australia that nobody would be spared and will have to serve ban for such act. To see Steve Smith in the role of protagonist in this sorry saga is great pain and massive loss to Cricket who has been so good on the field. We shall certainly miss him for those months.
