Australian cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner were suspended by Cricket Australia (CA) on Wednesday for 12 months each and Cameron Bancroft for nine months over a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, the media reported.

CA Chief Executive James Sutherland met the players at their hotel in Johannesburg’s Sandton district to tell them their fate before they flew back to Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Smith broke the news to his teammates soon after he was handed his penalty. He has been stripped of the Australian captaincy, which is being taken over by Tim Paine on a full-time basis.

By Veturi Srivatsa.

Australians proudly proclaim they play their cricket hard, now they have revealed they play so hard that they are out to win at any cost.

For someone like Steve Smith, one of the the best batsmen in world cricket, going by sheer weight of figures, it is hard to believe that he could resort to a stupid tactic like tampering with the ball to win a match, when scores of television cameras are catching every minute happening in detail.

In three years as captain of Australia, he has done everything a leader is expected to do and he is the No.1 batsmen in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings.

Yet, even the most liberal Australian cricket fan is today condemning Smith as a cheat after he had admitted to the ball-tampering plot in the third Test at Cape Town. Accepting the guilt does not mitigate the gravity of the crime.

Chief executive officer of International Cricket Council (ICC) David Richardson speaks during a news conference at the end of its annual conference in Kuala Lumpur June 28, 2012. REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad (MALAYSIA – Tags: SPORT CRICKET HEADSHOT)

Now even the ICC levels of offence and the punishment look inadequate as Smith was slapped a ban of just one Test and fined the entire Cape Town match fee while the young man (Cameron Bancroft) who exuberantly executed the disgusting plan 75 percent of his match fee.

After the reactions from cricket-loving Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and former cricket stars, continuation of Smith as captain has become highly untenable.

The Prime Minister’s shock is palpable: “It seemed completely beyond belief that the Australian cricket team had been involved in cheating.”

“After all, our cricketers are role models and cricket is synonymous with fair play.

“How can our team be engaged in cheating like this? It beggars belief.

He wants Cricket Australia to take a decisive action and was assured of action by David Peever, Chairman of Cricket Australia.

As ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said the decision of the leadership group is clearly contrary to the spirit of the game, and it “risks causing significant damage to the integrity of the match, the players and the sport itself.”

It is beyond one’s comprehension that an Australian team management did not know that to carry a foreign object on to the field with the objective of changing the condition of the ball to gain an unreasonable advatage. It is clearly against not only the Laws, but the spirit of the game.

Smith knew the enormity of his wrongdoing and promptly decied to stand down from captaincy midway through the just-concluded third Test which resulted in victory for South Africa and take an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the four-match series, though he blamed the entire “leadership”, whoever he may have meant by that, for the detestable act.

The Australians have always been famous for their sledging, and their unprintable verbal on-field exchanges between individuals unnerved their opponents, disturbing their equanimity. This was part of their strategy, but seldom have they been so desperate to employ underhand methods to win a match.

Smith should have known what is fair and what is foul in international cricket. He once got away on India’s tour last year, admitting he had a “brain fade” when he looked up to the players’ enclosure in Bengaluru for a nod to go in for a DRS, but an alert English umpire Nigel Llong quickly thwarted it.

Interestingly, Llong was the umpire at Cape Town, and he, along with countrymen Richard Illingworth and third umpire Ian Gould, tracked down opening batsman Bancroft’s suspicious on-field activity when he tried to use what looked like a piece of sandpaper or some stickly patch of substance to alter the condition of the ball.

It is not that Smith got into a fit all of a sudden to numb his thinking. He has had a record of on-field eruptions.

He was fined for his unacceptable behavior in the Christchurch Test and had his run-ins with fast bowlers, Englishman James Anderson and on the current tour with Kagiso Rabada. He was clearly unhappy that Rabada’s ban for two Tests was overturned by an ICC inquiry committee.

After the Christuchurch flare-up, Smith stated that he should learn from his mistakes to be a better leader. This was two years ago and obviously he has not learnt anything from his past errors.

Having won the first Test and losing the second to be tied 1-1 before they went into the third match and there was no need for the Australians to get into a confrontational situation. Losing a Test or a series is not the end of the world.

The ball-tampering saga has its fallout on Indian cricket, Smith will not lead the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and his deputy David Warner, who has quit as Australia’s vice-captain, may follow suit by relinquishing the Sunrisers Hyderabad captaincy.

It will also have its repercussions on all the Australians playing anywhere.

Cricket can expect some good from Cape Town shock.

(IANS)

Punjab stalled Karnataka’s surge with a 2-1 victory while Goa snatched a lifeline with a 6-1 rout of Odisha in Group B matches of the 72nd edition of the national football championship for the Santosh Trophy here on Monday.

Karnataka had won against Goa (4-1) and Odisha (2-1) to come into this game having six points from two games, behind group leaders Mizoram who are on nine points.

Third-placed Punjab, who had lost to Mizoram 1-2 in their last outing, rode on first-half goals from Jitender Singh (18th) and Baltej Singh (26th) to cancel out Rajesh S early strike from the spot in the seventh minute at the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium.

Courtesy the result, Punjab now also have six points from three outings while high-flying Mizoram look likely to finish top of the group. Karnataka and Punjab will now fight for the second spot.

Punjab will now take on Goa while Karnataka will cross swords with Mizoram on Wednesday.

At the Mohun Bagan ground, India discard Victorino Fernandes racked up a hat-trick (15th, 45+3, 54th) while Mackroy (58th), Shubert Pereira (71st) and Marcus Mascarenhas (86th) also got on the scoresheet for Armando Colaco’s team.

Sunil Sardar (16th) sneaked in a consolation goal in the middle of the onslaught. Now if Mizoram beat Karnataka and Goa manage to see off Punjab, Goa can qualify.

(IANS)

Steve Smith and David Warner will stand down as captain and vice-captain for rest of Australia´s third Test match against South Africa, Cricket Australia said Sunday as it investigates a ball-tampering scandal.

There have been growing calls for Smith to be sacked as captain after he admitted being the mastermind of a premeditated plan to change the condition of the ball on the third day of the Test in Newlands on Saturday.

“Following discussions with Steve Smith and David Warner they have agreed to stand down as captain and vice-captain respectively for the remainder of this Test match,” CA chief James Sutherland said in a statement. Sutherland said Tim Paine would step in as acting captain for the remainder of the Test.

“This Test match needs to proceed, and in the interim we will continue to investigate this matter with the urgency that it demands,” he added. “Both Steve and David will take to the field today under Tim’s captaincy.”

Sutherland earlier Sunday announced an investigation into the scandal, which has plunged Australian cricket into crisis and resulted in widespread condemnation at home, including from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

CA’s head of integrity Iain Roy and head of team performance Pat Howard were flying to South Africa to conduct the investigation. “All Australians, like us, want answers and we will keep you updated on our findings, as a matter of priority,” the CA head added.

Television footage had showed Smith’s teammate Cameron Bancroft, 25, taking a yellow object out of his pocket while fielding in the post-lunch session and appearing to rub it on the ball. He was later charged with attempting to change the condition of the ball. Smith, 28, has earlier said he would not quit as he felt he was still “the right person for the job”.

India spinner Harbhajan Singh today slammed the ICC for letting off Australian opener Cameron Bancroft with only a fine of 75 percent of his match fee and not a ban, despite his role in the ball tampering scandal in the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Harbhajan recalled the 2001 South Africa Test where five Indians — Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Shiv Sunder Das and Deep Dasgupta, apart from him, were banned for at least a Test by match referee Mike Denness for various offences. He also referred to the 2008 Sydney Test against Australia, infamously described as Monkey gate, where he was banned for three Tests for an alleged racial slur against Andrew Symonds.

“wow @ICC wow. Great treatment nd FairPlay. No ban for Bancroft with all the evidence whereas 6 of us were banned for excessive appealing in South Africa 2001 without any evidence and Remember Sydney 2008? Not found guilty and banned for 3 matches.different people different rules,” he tweeted. Former England captain Michael Vaughan too was critical of ICC’s decision.

“1 Match Ban & 100 % March fee Fine for Smith #ffs … 75% match fee fine for Bancroft and some bloody Demerit points for Bancroft … Pathetic penalties for CHEATING … Surely this moment was the time to set a precedent … !!?? All the team should be penalised,” he wrote in his handle. Australia captain Smith was today handed a one-match suspension and fined 100 percent of his match fee after he owned up to a ball-tampering conspiracy in South Africa.

However, opener Bancroft was fined 75 percent of his match fee and handed three demerit points for breaching Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third day’s play. The incident that led to the charges being laid took place during South Africa’s innings yesterday afternoon when Bancroft was seen on television holding a foreign object while rubbing the ball, before hiding the yellow object in his pocket, then inside his trousers.

His U-19 World Cup heroics still fresh in memory, top-order batsman Shubman Gill is now looking to walk Rahul Dravid’s talk and be mentally strong as he gets ready to play against the “big boys” in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

“We all talked to him. He had a word with all of us before we dispersed after the tournament. He had a one-on-one chat with everyone. He told us that from here on, there will be more mental preparation.

“When you go to the higher level, there is a difference and it is more in the mind. You have to prepare yourself mentally,” Gill told IANS in an interview at KKR’s team hotel here.

“It’s more of a mental game now. Dravid sir told us that everybody has skills, but it’s how you prepare yourself mentally to execute at the stage and at that particular time,” the 18-year old Punjab right-hander added.

Under Dravid’s tutelage, Gill and his teammates claimed a record fourth U-19 World Cup, beating Australia in the final by eight wickets.

All through the tournament, India were not only unbeaten but utterly dominant, winning three matches by 100 or more runs and two by 10 wickets.

“It was a great experience for all of us in the U-19 World Cup in New Zealand,” Gill reminisced.

“Our bowlers did a great job, both the medium pacers and the spinners. We got great exposure and because of that opportunities have opened up for all of us. People have started recognising us. We get motivated by that and our chances to doing well are enhanced,” he said.

Soft-spoken and very articulate for his age, Gill finished the World Cup as the “Player of the Series” after scoring 372 runs in five matches at a whopping average of 124 and a strike rate of 112.38.

Asked about his stellar show at the showpiece event, Gill again credited Dravid.

“We were fortunate that we worked with him (Dravid) and that helped not only me but all of us play the way we did. He shared all his experiences of going to New Zealand with us before the World Cup, during our preparations. He is such a legend,” he said.

At KKR, there is a shortage of top-order batsmen and Gill could come in handy with his penchant for big runs. Gill, who had a base price of Rs 20 lakh in the IPL auctions, was roped in for Rs 1.8 crore by KKR.

“It’s a great opportunity for all of us to… play at such a high level. I am really looking forward to it. Our preparations are going well and we will try to deliver our best,” said Gill, who is more about textbook shots than big bat swings.

Against arch-rivals Pakistan, Gill underlined his potential with a classy 94-ball 102. Comparisons with India skipper Virat Kohli have already started doing the rounds but Gill, whose favourite cricketer is Kohli, wants to take it easy.

“I look up to Virat Kohli. But at the moment, my only goal is to make my team win every time. Our chances of taking the next step will only be enhanced if we win the IPL. I always think of how I can help the team and how I can contribute.

“If I do well for KKR, I will automatically do well for myself,” said Gill, who made his first-class debut before the World Cup for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy in late 2017 with a half-century in the game and 129 in the next match.

Not wanting to think too much about breaking into the senior team, Gill signed off by saying he admires each and every member of Kohli’s side and it is their fielding and fitness that attracts him the most.

“This Indian team has changed the trend in terms of their fielding and fitness standards,” Gill said.

“Now the Indian team is one of the best fielding sides in the world. The way they carry themselves, their attitude on and off the field, all the guys, I really admire them.”

(IANS)

In-form Vidarbha middle-order batsman Apoorv Vijay Wankhade feels that his good showing in the Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup has helped him mature as a Twenty20 cricketer and that will hold him in good stead when he turns out for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season.

“I have always had a knack for T20. I enjoy the format and I can express myself. This season, I have done well in red-ball cricket. The Ranji Trophy season went well and I was among runs. I think my Ranji and Irani form has helped me mature as a T20 cricketer,” Wankhade told IANS in an interview here.

Wankhade not only helped Vidarbha clinch their maiden Ranji Trophy title this season, but also contributed with the bat scoring 296 useful runs in 10 innings. That included a timely century against Kerala to help them qualify for their maiden Ranji Trophy semi-final.

More recently in the Irani Cup, the 26-year old notched up a career-best unbeaten 157.

“Everyday before going to bed, I have it planned in my head what I want to do the next day. I think of the areas I need to work on, my fitness. I break down my training and want to improve after every session,” said Wankhade on his secret to keeping good form of late.

Wankhade was rewarded for his consistency in domestic cricket as KKR picked him in the IPL auction for his base price of Rs 20 lakh.

“I have been hitting the ball in the last three years. In the IPL, I won’t change my game. Like I play for my state, I will do the same for KKR as well,” a confident Wankhade said.

Wankhade scored 197 runs in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at an average of 49.25 in 2015-16 and remained unbeaten in 5 innings. In 2016-17, he finished three out of five matches.

Interestingly, his strike rate last year was 151.61 as compared to 122.36 in 2015-16. This year also he emerged the highest run scorer for Vidarbha in Raipur’s testing conditions.

Wankhade said he is looking forward to meeting big names like Mitchell Starc and Chris Lynn in the KKR squad and would aim to learn how they approach the game and handle pressure.

He added that skipper Dinesh Karthik’s recent pyrotechnics (29 off 8 balls) for India in the final of the Nidahas trophy T20 tri-series against Bangladesh has inspired the finisher in him.

“I am looking forward to meeting all of them. I have just watched them on television. I want to learn how they approach the game and handle pressure. I want to see their mindset and learn from it,” Wankhade said.

“Like DK, the way he finished the game for India against Bangladesh in the final, I want to get inside his head and know how he thinks during those final overs,” the M. S. Dhoni fan added.

Wankhade wants to keep working hard for a India call up.

“I am working hard and that’s why I got picked to play in the IPL from my state. Things will fall into place if I continue working hard and not think too much about the result,” he signed off.

(IANS)

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra on Thursday trained his guns at the sports ministry for trimming as many as 21 officials from the Indian contingent for the upcoming Commonwealth Games starting at the Gold Coast April 4.

According to the list, the ministry has omitted the names of the Chief Medical Officer and an assistant physiotherapist of the IOA besides other officials of the National Sports Federations (NSFs).

“I haven’t received the official list from the ministry as yet, but from what I have come to know from the media that 21 names have been deleted. This also includes the Chief Medical Officer and an assistant physiotherapist of the contingent,” Batra told reporters on the sidelines of the send-off ceremony of the contingent.

“I am not here for any blame game with the sports ministry. The final list is cleared by the ministry, the (IOA) is like a postman, as the NSF’s send us the list which we forward to the ministry for approval. The NSF’s are autonomous bodies, we have no hand in trimming the list. It is the ministry who has the authority,” he added.

Batra maintained that the physio or the medical officer are mandatory requirements of any contingent and further said that it is the ministry who should shoulder the responsibility if an athlete underperfoms in such a scenario.

“I don’t see any reason in dropping a physio, masseur from the team, they are mandatory requirements. Tomorrow if an athlete’s performance is hampered, then don’t blame the federations or the athlete. Instead the ministry should take responsibility of its actions,” Batra said.

Batra has often been at loggerheads with the ministry since assuming office. When queried about the reasons, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) President said: “There is no enmity or war with the ministry, we understand the demands and needs of the federations and the athletes but somewhere there is lack of understanding in certain bureaucrats of the ministry.”

“Take the case of boxer Sarita Devi during the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. There was no one to protest on behalf of her as the coach had to prepare for the next boxer’s bout.

“There are no extra officials, who are going for a vacation misusing public money. There is a 33 percent quota and beyond that if there is a requirement, such officials can travel and the expenses will be borne by the respective NSFs. I don’t have any power to delete their names from the list,” he added.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his junior Minister Kiren Rijiju wished the contingent during the send-off ceremony here.

Batra, along with Secretary General Rajeev Mehta distributed the official kits to the members of the Indian contingent.

Wishing the athletes, Rijiju said: “I am confident the Indian contingent will return with a huge haul of medals from Australia.”

(IANS)

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his junior Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday wished the Indian contingent for the 2018 Commonwealth Games (CWG) during a send-off ceremony organised by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) here.

IOA President Narinder Batra, along with Secretary General Rajeev Mehta distributed the official kits to the members of the Indian contingent, leaving for the Gold Coast Games, which starts on April 4 in Australia.

India will see the participation of 222 athletes across 15 different disciplines including aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, cycling, boxing, gymnastics, hockey, shooting, squash, table tennis and wrestling.

Wishing the athletes, Rijiju said: “I am confident the Indian contingent will return with a huge haul of medals from Australia.”

Australia dominated with both bat and ball to defeat India by six wickets in the first match of the women’s Twenty20 International (T20I) Tri-Series here on Thursday.

Asked to bat first, India made 152/5 in their 20 overs.

Opener Smriti Mandhana was the highest scorer for the hosts with 67 runs off 41 balls.

Her 72-run stand with Mithali Raj gave the innings a strong platform, but the other Indian batters were not equal to the task.

Anuja Patil scored 35 runs off 21 deliveries lower down the order to help add some late momentum to the Indian innings.

Ashleigh Gardener and Ellyse Perry were the most successful among the Australian bowlers with a couple of wickets each.

Delissa Kimmince also bagged a wicket when she dismissed Patil with the last ball of the 19th over.

In reply, the Australians romped home with 11 deliveries to spare.

They suffered an early scare when opener Alyssa Healy was bowled by veteran Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami in the very first over.

Goswami dealt yet another blow when she bowled Gardener in the third over to leave the visitors in a spot of bother at 29/2.

However, opener Beth Mooney and Elyse Vilani added 79 runs between them to bring the Australian innings back on track.

Mooney was the highest scorer for the visitors with 45 runs off 32 balls before being dismissed by Goswami in the 13th over.

Vilani, who scored 39 runs off 33 balls, followed Mooney back to the pavilion just six deliveries later when she was caught and bowled by Poonam Yadav.

However, the Australians were well in sight of victory by then and skipper Meg Lanning scored 35 runs off 25 balls to finish the job in style.

Goswami finished as the most successful among the Indian bowlers with figures of 3/30.

Brief scores:

India: 152/5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 67, Anuja Patil 35; Ashleigh Gardener 2/22, Ellyse Perry 2/31) vs Australia: 156/4 in 18.1 overs (Beth Mooney 45, Elyse Vilani 39, Meg Lanning 35; Jhulan Goswami 3/30).

(IANS)