Ball-Tampering Scandal: Once Touted As Next Bradman, Steve Smith Faces Stunning Fall From Grace

Agencies
March 28, 2018

Steve Smith was handed full-time captaincy of the Australian cricket team after the team lost the Ashes 2-3 to England under the leadership of Michael Clarke in 2015.

With his on-field aggression and match-winning attitude, Smith became Australia's brand of "hard, aggressive" cricket in a short period of time.

Just 32 months on, the 28-year-old Smith has been sent home in disgrace from a tour of South Africa after masterminding a ball-tampering scandal.

Smith's stunning fall from grace -- on the heels of high praise for his recent performances in the Ashes when he was described as the "best since (Don) Bradman" -- is an extraordinary turn of events for the world's premier Test batsman.

Steven Peter Devereux Smith, born in Sydney in 1989, made his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2008 when he was regarded more as a promising leg-spinner.

Two years later, he was given his Baggy Green cap against Pakistan, where he batted at number eight.

Dropped during Australia's home series Ashes loss to England, Smith was recalled to the Test team in 2013. His maiden Test century came at the expense of England in the fifth Test at The Oval.

'Extraordinary talent'

The hundreds started to pour in and when he filled in for then-skipper Clarke, who was injured, on the 2014-2015 tour of India, he again impressed with centuries in all four Tests.

By the time Smith was anointed Australia's 45th Test captain in 2015, he was hailed by former national selector Rod Marsh as a "fine young man with extraordinary talent, excellent leadership qualities and a terrific temperament".

Yet even as the batting accolades piled up for the unorthodox right-hander, questions were raised about his leadership acumen.

In 2016, he was fined 30 percent of his match fee for dissent after an obscenity-laced rant against the umpires during the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

He pledged to be a better leader, but last year Smith drew criticism from India captain Virat Kohli for looking to his dressing room for help while deciding whether to call for a review after his lbw dismissal in the second Test in Bangalore.

He later described the moment as a "brain fade".

The tensions with other teams grew, and England bowler James Anderson blasted the Australians as bullies who overstepped the line in the home 2017-18 Ashes series.

Tarnished reputation

In the current series against South Africa, Smith stirred the pot when he appeared to cast doubts on the International Cricket Council's appeal process after a ban on South African bowler Kagiso Rabada for bumping him was lifted.

Vice-captain David Warner -- also exiled with Smith over the ball-tampering plot -- was fined for a confrontation with Quinton de Kock during the series.

But the ugliness surrounding the series was set to take a darker turn when Smith sat down with Cameron Bancroft at the press conference after the third day of the third Test at Newlands on Saturday.

Bancroft, caught on TV appearing to rub yellow tape on the ball, admitted trying to change its condition while Smith said the team's "leadership group knew about it".

Bancroft was docked three demerit points and 75 percent of his match fee by the ICC, while Smith copped a one-match ban and was fined his entire match fee.

The penalties were largely viewed as too light by shocked Australians, and Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said on Tuesday that further punishments for the three players would be announced "within 24 hours".

The biggest challenge now for the gifted batsman will be off the field, as he seeks to rehabilitate a badly tarnished reputation and avoid being remembered as a cheat rather than for his incredible feats on the pitch.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 30,2020

New York, May 30: Cricket superstar Virat Kohli remains the only Indian in the Forbes' list of world's highest-paid athletes with total earnings of USD 26 million, jumping to the 66th spot from 100 in the 2020 standings.

Kohli's earnings from endorsement stand at USD 24 million and USD 2 million from salary/winnings. The 31-year-old is also the only cricketer in the top-100 list.

With earnings of USD 25 million, Kohli was ranked 100th in 2019 and 83rd in 2018 with USD 24 million.

Tennis legend Roger Federer has toped the list for the first time with earnings of USD 106.3 million, rising from fifth place last year.

Football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are second and third respectively with earnings of USD 105 and USD 104 million.

The others in the top-10 are Neymar (football), LeBron James (basketball), Stephen Curry (basketball), Kevin Durrant (basketball), Tigers Woods (golf), Kirk Cousins (American football) and Carson Wentz (American football).

The athletes' earnings have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which led to suspension of sporting activities all around the world.

Comments

Ismail
 - 
Sunday, 31 May 2020

Saina Nehwal is the only Indian to feature in the world’s 20 most charitable athletes, as per a list compiled by the US based website in Athletes Gone Good. 

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 27,2020

New Delhi, Mar 27: India skipper Virat Kohli on Friday made a heartfelt appeal to the citizens of the country, asking them to follow social distancing as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic.
He also went on to say that over the past few days, he has seen some people still taking to the streets, and added that if people still continue to venture out, then they are not being honest with the country.
Kohli released a small video clip on Twitter, making the public appeal and captioned the post as: "Please wake up to the reality and seriousness of the situation and take responsibility. The nation needs our support and honesty"
"Today, I am talking to you as a citizen of the country. Whatever I have seen over the past few days, I have seen people not following the lockdown, it has made me feel that some people are taking the battle against COVID-19 very lightly. I request you all to please follow social distancing, whatever the government is asking you to do, please follow it," Kohli said in the video released on Twitter.
"Think about what can happen to your family members because of your negligence. Our medical experts are fighting this battle day in and day out. If you are still going out to the streets, then I don't think you are being honest to your country," he added.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to impose a 21-day lockdown in the country as a precautionary measure against coronavirus.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases have risen to 724 in India (including 640 active cases, 66 cured or discharged people) and 17 deaths.
The World Health Organisation had termed the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on March 11. 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 18,2020

Feb 18: Spinner Poonam Yadav claimed three wickets as India geared up for the ICC women's T20 World Cup with a thrilling two-run win over the West Indies in a low-scoring warm-up match in Brisbane on Tuesday. Electing to bat, India posted a lowly 107/8 in their stipulated 20 overs before returning to restrict the West Indies to 105/7. Chasing 108 to win, West Indies were comfortably placed at 57 for one in 13 overs when Deepti Sharma struck, cleaning up opener Lee-Ann Kirby (42) to trigger a collapse. Soon skipper Stafanie Taylor (16), Chedean Nation (0) and Deandra Dottin (1) were back in the hut as West Indies slipped to 67 for five in the 17th over.

Hayley Matthews (25) and Chinelle Henry (17) blasted three fours and a six in the 19th over to leave them with 11 to get off the last six balls.

Henry blasted Poonam for a four but the Indian dismissed Matthews in the fourth ball.

West Indies needed three runs off the last ball but Henry was caught by Veda Krishnamurthy.

Earlier, India's top-three failed to fire as they were reduced to 17 for three in 3.1 overs.

Opener Smriti Mandhana (4) lasted just six balls, while Jemimah Rodrigues (0) failed to open her account.

Young Shafali Verma blasted a couple of fours before being caught by Britney Cooper off Shamilia Connell (2/20).

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (11), too, didn't stay long, while Krishnamurthy was cleaned up by Afy Fletcher (1/26), as India slumped to 52 for five in 11.2 overs.

Deepti Sharma made a 32-ball 21 before becoming a victim of Anisa Mohammed (2/16), while Pooja Vastrakar (13) was removed by Aaliyah Alleyne (1/9).

Stafanie taylor then got rid of Taniya Bhatia for 10. Shikha Pandey finally smashed a 16-ball 24 to give some respectability to the total.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.