Cricket Australia ball tampering: Stench lingers as Sutherland forces world to wait on Lehmann future
THE world’s media turned up to hear the verdict handed down by Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland, only to be told it will be delivered in 24 hours.
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THE world’s media turned up to hear the verdict, only to be told it will be delivered in 24 hours.
A nervous Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland lobbed the hacks a few bones by revealing that coach Darren Lehmann had not tendered his resignation and that only three players conspired to tamper with the ball.
Beyond that the press conference on the first floor of the Holiday Inn Sandton, in central Johannesburg, raised more questions than answers which is why things turned aggressive.
Sutherland was asked three times if he thought Australia cheated.
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He nervously deflected twice before the press officer stepped in the third time.
If, as expected, the Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft rulings are delivered via press release with no further explanation, that will only exacerbate the mess.
Staying some 600 metres away, the players would be feeling claustraphobic.
With morale in tatters, suspended trio Smith, Warner and Bancroft are believed to have stayed the night ahead of Wednesday’s departure along with the rest of the squad who are three days out from their fourth and final Test against South Africa.
Yet the all-important training session two days out has been cancelled.
One can only imagine the mood in the meal rooms.
They emerged stony-faced at Johannesburg Airport earlier in the day, some more upbeat than others.
Smith hid behind aviator sunglasses while Warner was lagging behind, seemingly detached from the group.
Lehmann, who to his credit was front of the queue, was riled by a persistent English TV reporter who kept asking if they’d cheated in the Ashes. The reporter was straying close to “the line”.
Nonetheless it’s nigh on impossible seeing Lehmann survive this crisis.
Even if his declarations of innocence are proven to be correct, there is such a stench around this team with much of it emanating from him.
Many good judges are questioning whether merely the brat pack trio concocted the tampering plot, but the biggest outcry after the Sutherland cameo was Lehmann’s role and reputation remaining in tact – according to CA anyway.
“I fully understand the appetite for urgency, for more detail, however urgency must be balanced with due process given the serious implications for all involved,’’ Sutherland said.
“No other players or support staff had prior knowledge, this includes Darren Lehmann who despite inaccurate media reports has not resigned. He will continue to coach the team under his current contract.
Sutherland said that “most” of the players had been interviewed by CA investigator Iain Roy alongside two ICC integrity officers.
Yesterday’s performance leaves huge question marks around whether this inquiry will suffice.
Originally published as Cricket Australia ball tampering: Stench lingers as Sutherland forces world to wait on Lehmann future