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Vodafone uses Smith's ball-tampering shame in ad

Agencies
December 20, 2018

Melbourne, Dec 20: Disgraced former Australia captain Steve Smith has tied up with the local arm of Britain's Vodafone Group in an advertising campaign that leverages the nation's ball-tampering shame for marketing purposes.

Smith, along with former vice-captain David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, remains banned from international and state-level cricket in Australia as he serves out a 12-month suspension for his part in the Cape Town scandal.

Vodafone Australia's "Gutsy is calling" commercial starts with a voice overlay of Smith's tearful apology when he fronted the media upon his return home from South Africa before cutting to scenes of him playing for local club Sutherland and conducting a coaching clinic.

"Everything I dreamed of, everything I was a part of was just falling to pieces," Smith says in the commercial.

"I was in a pretty dark space. It was just about being upfront and honest and taking responsibility.

"I've certainly had some difficult days. But it's OK to be vulnerable. Everyone makes mistakes. It's about the way you respond to it that's really important."

It concludes with Smith saying: "I want to come back better than I was."

Smith has shunned interviews since returning home from South Africa in disgrace but is set to front the media on Friday before training with Sydney Sixers, a local team in Australia's 'Big Bash' Twenty20 tournament.

Smith is also banned from playing in the Big Bash, which is sponsored by Vodafone Australia.

Local media reported Smith was donating his fee for the advertisement to a local charity for men's mental health.

The advertisement -- and Smith's participation in it -- was quick to draw criticism from local media pundits and drew mixed responses on social media.

"Don't use mental illness to try and flog off some phones," 3AW radio host Justin Smith said on the Melbourne station.

"Looking at this tacky rubbish, I wonder if he's learnt anything at all."

Vodafone Australia responded to criticism from one Twitter user, saying the company was supporting Smith "in his mission to spread awareness about mental health for young Australians."

Australia, now led by Smith's replacement Tim Paine, is tied 1-1 in the current four-match test series against India ahead of the third contest in Melbourne starting next week.

Smith and Warner are suspended until the end of March, 2019.

Bancroft's ban expires on Dec. 29.

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Agencies
January 25,2020

Headingley, Jan 25: England have become the first team in the world to score 500,000 runs in Test cricket. They achieved the feat during the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa being played at The Wanderers.

On Friday - the opening day of the Test match -- England captain Joe Root's single through the covers took the Three Lions to a landmark 500,000 run-mark in the longest format of the game. They achieved the feat in their 1022nd Test match.

Australia comes second in the list, with 432,706 runs in 830 Tests. India, meanwhile, are third, with 273,518 runs in 540 Tests, followed by West Indies (270,441 runs in 545 Tests).

In the third Test played at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, England had become the first team to play 500 Test matches on foreign soil. Australia are the second team to play the most away Test with 404 matches they have played so far.

India have played 268 Tests on foreign soil in which they have won 51, lost 113 and 104 have ended in a draw.

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Agencies
April 25,2020

London, Apr 25: Former Australian cricketer Graeme Watson who was fighting cancer, has died at the age of 75.

Primarily a middle-order batsman and a medium-pace bowler, he featured in five Tests from 1967 to 1972 and two ODIs in 1972, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The all-rounder earned the national call during the 1966-67 tour of Rhodesia and South Africa. Watson slammed a half-century in the first innings of the second Test of the series.

However, the medium-pace bowler was ruled of the next test after suffering an ankle injury. He returned for the fourth Test in Johannesburg where scalped his career-best 2 for 67 but failed to leave a mark with the bat as Kangaroos lost the series.

In 1971-72 he moved to Western Australia and played a major role in their Sheffield-Shield win in 1971-72, 1972-73, and 1974-75 seasons.

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News Network
March 31,2020

New Delhi, Mar 31: Australia batsman David Warner on Tuesday decided to shave off his head to show support towards all those people who are working relentlessly on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

After shaving off his head, Warner also challenged his Australian team-mate Steve Smith and India skipper Virat Kohli to do the same.

Warner, shared a time-lapse video on Instagram, of him shaving his head, and captioned the post as: "Been nominated to shave my head in support of those working on the frontline #Covid-19 here is a time-lapse. I think my debut was the last time I recall I've done this. Like it or not".

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Australia's death toll stands at 19, as per the Sydney Morning Herald.

As of 8 am today, 4460 people across Australia have tested positive for COVID-19.

The World Health Organisation had termed coronavirus as a 'pandemic' on March 11.

Earlier in the day, Australia Test skipper Tim Paine also confirmed that the side's tour of Bangladesh is unlikely due to the virus spread.
"You don't have to be Einstein to realise (the Bangladesh tour) is probably unlikely to go ahead, particularly in June. Whether it's cancelled or pushed back, we're not quite sure at the moment," cricket.com.au quoted Paine as saying.

Currently, Australia has 296 points in the WTC from 10 matches, while India has 360 points from nine matches.

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