Australian ball-tampering scandal: James Sutherland leads Darren Lehmann tributes in wake of resignation

CRICKET Australia (CA) boss James Sutherland was full of praise for Darren Lehmann following the Aussie coach’s shock resignation, saying ‘I have huge respect for the way he has gone about his job.’

CRICKET Australia (CA) boss James Sutherland and players’ union counterpart Alistair Nicholson have offered near-identical praise for Darren Lehmann following the coach’s shock resignation.

Lehmann stunned colleagues and his players on the eve of Australia’s fourth Test against South Africa, revealing it will be his final game in charge. Some 24 hours prior Lehmann had vowed to stay on, a stance that was supported by CA chief executive Sutherland.

Lehmann was cleared by CA’s investigation of the ball-tampering scandal and held a contract until the end of the 2019 Ashes, but the no-nonsense mentor knew it was time to go after watching footage of Steve Smith shed so many tears at Sydney airport.

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“I’m ultimately responsible for the culture of the team,” Lehmann said, himself repeatedly breaking down.

Sutherland thanked Lehmann for his “fantastic service”.

“One of the things that really strikes me about Darren, and his character as a coach, is the way he genuinely cares for and loves his players,” Sutherland said.

“I have huge regard and respect for the way he has gone about his job over the time he has been coach of the Australian men’s team.

Darren Lehmann will still take charge for the fourth Test.

“I have seen first hand the pride in which he has gone about his work. The love he has for the job, his incredible work ethic.”

Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Nicholson has rowed with Sutherland over a range of issues - most recently CA’s response to the ball-tampering saga.

The head of the players’ union, who has been in Cape Town and Johannesburg during the past week does, however, share his counterpart’s admiration of Lehmann.

“Shattered about Darren Lehmann,” Nicholson posted on Twitter.

“Former ACA President and a bloke who genuinely cares for the game and its players. We will miss you as coach Boof.”

Coaching contenders

Justin Langer

Long been earmarked as Lehmann’s successor. Most people expected the baton to be passed after the 2019 Ashes, but the cheating scandal has thrown the plans of Cricket Australia (CA) into chaos. The former Test opener coached the national side when Lehmann skipped an ODI tour of the West Indies in 2016, while he has mentored Western Australia in recent years. Once described the role of coach - when it comes to managing behaviour - as a mix of policeman, headmaster, parent and mate.

Ricky Ponting

CA has long wanted the nation’s all-time leading run-scorer to coach more, but Ponting has been reluctant to spend time away from his young family in recent years. Lehmann’s outpouring of emotion after he and and his family “copped a lot of abuse over the last week” may do little to change that mindset. The former skipper has been floated as the nation’s Twenty20 coach, having done a stellar job in a couple of short-term consultant stints plus won an Indian Premier League title with Mumbai.The current crisis may prompt James Sutherland to split the job in two and appoint a red-ball coach and white-ball coach, an idea Lehmann flagged last year.

Jason Gillespie

Coached the Adelaide Strikers to their maiden Big Bash League title earlier this year, while he has also served as a consultant coach for CA in the past. The former Test paceman, who played alongside Lehmann at both South Australia and Australia, recently insisted he has every intention to honour a three-year deal with English side Sussex. Lehmann’s resignation may force a rethink from Gillespie, who went close before ultimately losing to Trevor Bayliss in the race to be England’s new coach on the eve of the 2015 Ashes.

Trevor Bayliss

Contracted to coach England until 2019, but could come up in discussions - especially if there is a white-ball gig to fill. England were smashed 4-0 in the recent Ashes, but belted Australia 4-1 in the ensuing ODI series and are set to be World Cup favourites when they host the tournament next year. The Goulburn- raised coach is highly respected by by many Australians in the Test XI, having mentored NSW and the Sydney Sixers in the past.

Mike Hesson

Lehmann suggested his side, desperate to clean up their image and win over the Australian public, could do a lot worse than behaving like New Zealand. If Sutherland wants to go down that path then he should call the man in charge of that team. Hesson never played first-class cricket but worked his way up the coaching ranks and was appointed by New Zealand Cricket in 2012, shortly after resigning as coach of Kenya because of security issues. One problem is NZ’s longest-serving cricket coach is contracted until next year’s World Cup.

Anil Kumble

The former leg-spinner was appointed coach of his homeland in 2016 and played a key role in India’s 19-Test undefeated streak and associated hold on the world No.1 ranking. Axed in 2017 because captain Virat Kohli wanted him out. Kumble’s 619 Test wickets says plenty about his cricket brain. Hiring one of the protagonists in the ‘monekygate’ saga would upset a lot of people and is unlikely to considered, but he’d be a handy trump card to play when India arrive in Australia for a four-Test series later this year.

David Saker

The side’s bowling coach filled in as head coach during an ODI tour of India last year. Lacks the profile of some of the other names on this list, but has previously made it clear he would one day love to take the reins.

Brad Haddin

The former wicketkeeper has been Australia’s fielding coach for a tick over six months. Almost certainly hasn’t served a long enough apprenticeship to get the top job, but his coaching skills are well regarded by many and - as the past week has proved - anything can happen.

Originally published as Australian ball-tampering scandal: James Sutherland leads Darren Lehmann tributes in wake of resignation