WHILE the Australian cricket team was plunging new depths in South Africa bringing the game into almost fatal disrepute, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack was hitting a career high in Wagga Wagga while keeping the spirit of cricket alive.
Australian captain Steve Smith has been suspended for one match and fined his entire match fee for a ball tampering incident that’s rocked the cricketing world and ignited global backlash.
Rookie opening batsman Cameron Bancroft narrowly escaped suspension for his role in the shocking scandal that’s also drawn stinging comment and ignited a call to Cricket Australia from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull expressing national disappointment.
But Bancroft was fined 75pc of his match fee after he enacted the on-field plot to use yellow sticky tape to try to change the ball’s condition, to gain an unfair advantage over the opposition’s batsman, in a scheme hatched during the pivotal lunch break of the third test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town.
To cap-off the embarrassment, Smith - while carrying a mind full of guilt, doubt and distractions, like a politician facing travel rort accusations - failed dismally with the bat as Australia suffered a record 322-run thrashing to go 2-1 down in the four test series.
Smith also stepped down as captain prior to play starting yesterday, as did vice-captain David Warner, as both now await further retribution and an investigation from Cricket Australia, following the International Cricket Council’s initial fines and suspension.
But at Wagga Wagga in regional NSW, Nationals leader Michael McCormack played in his first ever grand final victory at the weekend, along with his two sons Nick and Alex, after a life-time of trying, with the winning runs coming off a six, in the penultimate over of the day, to hand his team a nail-biting one wicket victory.
His contribution with the bat during the successful run chase was 10 runs which he modestly described as a “solid” innings involving some important partnerships.
The new Deputy Prime Minister and Riverina MP is a renowned cricket tragic who plays the occasional game on rare weekends, away from demanding parliamentary duties.
He also captains the parliamentary cricket team and opens the batting; including a mini-series against the visiting British parliamentarians which coincided with the recent Ashes clash in Australia.
So some would say, due to lived experience, he’s even better-qualified to comment on cricketing matters than the Prime Minister.
On the ball tampering incident involving the Australian cricket team, Mr McCormack said it was “reprehensible and utterly unacceptable” but doesn’t want Steve Smith bashing to become a national sport.
“Whether it’s fourth grade in Wagga Wagga or an international test match the spirit of the game and fairness of play has to be foremost,” he said.
He said the controversial incident had cast a “great shadow of doubt” over the national cricket team and – aside from the under arm incident in 1981 involving Australia and NZ - had questioned the national summer sport’s integrity, like no other time in history.
Mr McCormack said while celebrating his team’s victory on Saturday in Wagga, the ball tampering incident was yet to hit the headlines so it wasn’t a point of discussion and debate among the players.
But he said like many Australians, he woke to the news of the incident in South Africa and “like most people I was appalled”.
“Like most Australians I asked, how could this happen?” he said.
“You don’t expect the Australian cricketers to do that sort of thing.
“This test series has been dogged by poor behaviour, from both teams, and for any young cricketers watching the match, or anyone else for that matter, it’s really not a good look.”
Mr McCormack said the grand final he played in on Saturday was decided with a six that was hit in the second last over of the day and it was a “reasonably willing” contest.
“It was played hard but fair out on the field and it was a real grand final atmosphere,” he said.
“But then after the game we all ended up out in the middle of the pitch, an esky was brought out and someone was able to get the music started, and we sat around and talked for two hours and didn’t leave until it got dark.
“That’s the way cricket should be played; not just in the country leagues either.
“The Australian cricket team has always played hard but fair cricket and unfortunately in South Africa the game obviously hasn’t been played as fair as it could be, in the spirit that it’s meant to be played.
“I feel for people like Adam Gilchrist particularly because he was a player who was not only fair but he took it to the next level when playing for Australia by walking, because he thought he was out.
“That’s the sort of cricketer and that’s the sort of integrity we’ve been renowned for and we should be encouraging - but those standards have now been lowered by this ball tampering incident.
“We’ll recover from this – we always do – and Steve Smith’s a good person and great player ultimately.
“But we need to apply high standards everywhere, especially when representing the nation when playing for the Australian cricket team, because this type of behaviour, and any cheating in general, is completely unacceptable.”
Mr McCormack said Steve Smith had “fallen victim “to the fact there was intense pressure on individuals and teams to win and “we see it in all facets of life”.
But he said he hoped the incident doesn’t define him as a cricketer and as a person, going forward.
“He’s a young man who has made a mistake and been caught out but he’s also admitted that he did wrong,” he said.
“We also need to remember that he’s been a very, very good cricketer and sportsman.
“The Australians aren’t the first to tamper with a cricket ball but sadly, in today’s win at all costs attitude in the international sporting arena, they won’t be the last.
“It seems in today’s society failure is not an option and unfortunately because of this people are driven to do things they wouldn’t normally do.”
Mr McCormack said he didn’t believe Smith should be sacked as the Australian captain permanently, describing that as a “bridge too far”.
“He needs a spell away from the captaincy and I’d never say he should never be brought back as captain, but the problem is the media, our opposition and lovers of the great game of cricket wouldn’t accept him being in that position of responsibility,” he said.
“He’s a very likeable young man but the right decision has been taken.
“He obviously can’t play in the next test now and that’s fair and reasonable and anyone else found to be involved needs to be stood down immediately.”
Sports Minister McKenzie says cheating in any sport is “unacceptable”
Nationals deputy-leader and federal Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie issued a statement saying “today is a sad day for Australian cricket”.
She said she understood Cricket Australia was investigating the matter and it was “important that proper process is followed”.
“Athletes who represent our country have a responsibility to the Australian public to set standards as role models for future generations of sports men and women,” she said.
“Australians don’t condone cheating in any form - it is completely unacceptable.
“Australian sports have the highest reputation on the international stage when it comes to integrity.
“The Australian public expects players to abide by the rules and for our elite athletes to lead by example.
“It is important that people watching sport have confidence in the integrity of their athletes.”
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland issued a statement last night addressed to “Australian cricket fans”.
“We are sorry that you had to wake up this morning to news from South Africa that our Australian men’s cricket team and our captain admitted to conduct that is outside both the laws of our game and the spirit of cricket,” he said.
“This behaviour calls into question the integrity of the team and Cricket Australia.
“Cricket Australia and Australian cricket fans expect high standards from cricketers representing our country and on this occasion these standards have not been met.
“We know how you feel and have heard your feedback loud and clear - we share your anger and disappointment.
“As you would be aware, we have launched an immediate investigation into what transpired in Cape Town and our head of integrity is travelling to South Africa as we speak.
“All Australians, like us, want answers and we will keep you updated on our findings, as a matter of urgency.”
Mr Turnbull said “we all woke up this morning, shocked and bitterly disappointed by the news from South Africa”.
“It seemed completely beyond belief that the Australian Cricket Team had been involved in cheating,” he said.
“After all our cricketers are role models and cricket is synonymous with fair play.
“How can our team be engaged in cheating?
“It beggars belief so for us all, there’s a lot of disappointment.”
Mr Turnbull said he spoken to Cricket Australia Chair David Peever and “expressed to him very clearly and unequivocally my disappointment and my concern about the events in South Africa”.
“He’s said to me that Cricket Australia will be responding decisively, as they should,” he said.
“That’s their responsibility, to deal with it, but I have to say that the whole nation, who holds those who wear the Baggy Green up on a pedestal, about as high as you can get in Australia - certainly higher than any politician, that’s for sure – this is a shocking disappointment.
“It’s wrong and I look forward to Cricket Australia taking decisive action soon.”
Mr Turnbull would now however be drawn on whether Smith should be sacked as captain.
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