Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

[mjp]

No secret that after loving cricket through my youth I have fallen away from it over the past 10 years. It's to the point where I would have watched < 1 over of play during this years internationals...once upon a time I would drop past the WACA after work to watch the last session of a shield game.

There are many reasons I guess...footy being all consuming for me is obviously high on the list. But the Warner/Smith cheating stuff/reinstatement...I'm battling with it. I cannot see any reason why they are in the national team - surely the integrity of the game and in particularly the baggy green is worth more than a few runs.

This reached a high point for me this week with all the Warner talk about defying his critics etc...he brought the criticism upon himself. You've brought the game into disrepute and shouldn't be in the side. Smith is in the same boat - the talk that he should be considered for a leadership position? Seriously...

What do those of you who still love the game think about all of this? Everytime I see them I think back to what happened in South Africa.

[Bornadog]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

You can't ban these blokes for life can you. They paid their dues and are now back playing.

Warner - I am not a fan of his even though he has played good cricket over the years and recorded over 8100 runs and sits 7th in all time list I don't really like him as a person.

Smith - Great batsman, very quirky and highly dedicated to the sport. Currently 6th highest run getter but after Sydney should get to 4th. Love watching him play at his best.

[merantau]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

The thing that I can't accept is Cameron Bancroft was the player with the sandpaper. Did he volunteer to do it? Was he asked to do it? Or was he prevailed upon to do it? Did the inquiry establish that?

Furthermore whose idea was it to fly the initial story that it was a bit of adhesive tape that had dirt and grit adhering to it? Really? That is just an insult to anyone's intelligence. Did they think they were trying to spin a tale to the infants class?

[MrMahatma]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

It’s definitely tarnished them. I can’t watch them without thinking “sandpaper”.

Would you have banned Warne for life for taking that masking agent? Do you believe it was an accident?

It’s complex I guess. You gotta allow people to make mistakes and come back. But where’s the line of zero tolerance?

[whythelongface]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

Hold on. We were able to accept players like Terry Alderman, Mike Gatting, Trevor Hohns, Graham Gooch back into the game after partaking in rebel cricket tours of South Africa during the apartheid regime. One of these players even ended up being a top official in our game as Chairman of selectors. This was (is) a far more serious issue than ‘sandpaper gate’. Thus if they were allowed back into the game i have no issue with either Smith or Warner coming back. It hasn’t changed my love for cricket (T20 has but that is another story).

Don’t get me wrong Smith and Warner deserved to be banned and fined but as BAD has mentioned they have served their time.

[GVGjr]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

At the time I was very strong that Warner, Smith and Bancroft deserved their bans but now that it has been served it's nothning more than just a black mark against their name from my perspective and they should be able to get on with their life and their profession without the ongoing angst.

I don't feel sorry for any of them but Warner's family shouldn't be copping the negative attention like they have.

[DOG GOD]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

Hate their guts. Should never have been under a 5 year ban, and it’s an absolute farce that Smith can capt the team again.

Salman Butt got 10 years jail didn’t he for being the capt involved in the no ball spot fixing ?

But what would one expect from CA…aren’t they known for sweeping things under the rug.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

Life bans for both of them.

Can't stand either, and will be glad when they're gone.

More Boland types please.

[Scraggers]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

I was told that Smith knew nothing of it; it was Warner bullying Bancroft to do it (which is why there were differences in the bans. Smith fell on his sword as captain; should have known what was happening. I have no idea if this is true but it makes sense.

Back to the OP; I can’t stand Warner, he’s a smarmy git who has 100% turned people away from the game.

[GVGjr]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

I was told that Smith knew nothing of it; it was Warner bullying Bancroft to do it (which is why there were differences in the bans. Smith fell on his sword as captain; should have known what was happening. I have no idea if this is true but it makes sense.

Back to the OP; I can’t stand Warner, he’s a smarmy git who has 100% turned people away from the game.

I think it's acknowledged that Smith knew of what Warner was setting up and walked away from it. His silence was acceptance.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

I think it's acknowledged that Smith knew of what Warner was setting up and walked away from it. His silence was acceptance.

No excuses, however it raises the question about the pressure to perform.
Either that or everyone was doing it and they raised the stakes.

[jeemak]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

If you recall this board was heavily divided over whether the public, CA, the media etc. etc. were going too hard on the three of them versus the punishment and pile on not being enough.

[DOG GOD]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

What makes me laugh is that the bowlers had “no idea”. I guess they couldn’t ban Starc, hazelwood, Cummins and Lyon as well could they.

[Bornadog]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

There is more to sandpaper gate:

More than just three involved in 'Sandpaper-gate', says Warner's manager

There were more people involved in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal than just David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, Warner's manager said on Thursday.

James Erskine told Australian radio that opener Warner had "protected" his team mates on his advice after 'Sandpaper-gate' erupted in South Africa in March 2018.


Warner was adjudged to have played the leading role in the scandal and was banned from elite cricket for a year and from leadership positions for life.


Smith was also banned for a year and from leadership positions for three years, while former test batsman Bancroft was given a one-year ban from leadership positions on top of a nine-month playing suspension.


Erskine told SEN radio there was more to the story.


"The truth will come out," he said.


"There's lots of people .... There's two cricketers at the time that said, 'Why don't we just put our hands up and tell the truth, they can't fire all of us.'

[DOG GOD]

Re: Does anyone else simply hate the sight of Dave Warner and Steve Smith???

There is more to sandpaper gate:

Wouldn’t surprise me if the whole team and Lehman was involved. I thought it stank at the time and something still stinks.