Roger Fernandes
Have you ever watched sports stars on TV and felt that you wanted to be just like them? Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were all top cricketers who gained many accolades in recent years. But their careers came crashing down after one fatal act of cheating caught on camera that was seen by millions around the world.
Smith (28), Warner (31) and Bancroft (25) were implicated in a Ball Tampering scandal at a recent Test match between Australia and South Africa. Ball Tampering is an act in which a bowler or fielder illegally alters the condition of the ball.
This led to severe repercussions for the guilty trio. Warner and Smith were slammed with a one-year ban, while Bancroft was hit with a nine-month ban. This is undoubtedly very painful for Australia, as they have lost their two best batsmen for their highly anticipated Test series against India in November this year. It will also cause some faltering in their preparations for the World Cup in 2019.
Over the last few years, Smith, Warner, and Bancroft have played very well in all three formats of cricket—Test, T20, and ODI internationals. Smith stood out, and became the Australian captain, with Warner as his vice-captain. The two star cricketers have also played quite well in the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading their teams and scoring many centuries.
The three erring players have been given the harshest punishment in Australian cricket history. In contrast, in 2016, the South African captain Faf Du Plessis was fined 100 percent of his match fee, but escaped a ban for ball tampering in their series against Australia.
Australian Cricketers’ Association president Greg Dyer said, “Of the dozen or so matters of this type, the most severe suspension to date has been a ban for two one-day internationals. The most expensive fine has been 100 percent of a match fee.”
Warner, Smith, and Bancroft were great players and represented Australia proudly. They certainly deserve another chance to play for the country and redeem themselves. Let’s hope these three young Australian players hold their nerve through their exile, stay in good shape and come back next year with a bang to claim the top spots in the game.
