Cricket Australia vows to ‘do better’ following Sandpapergate debacle, ahead of culture review

CRICKET Australia is nervously anticipating the arrival of dual cultural reviews, but has vowed to restore the faith in the national team in the wake of the scandalous events in South Africa this year.

It has been a horror year for Australian cricket. Picture: AFP

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CRICKET Australia chairman David Peever has conceded the part his administration played in the scandalous events in South Africa earlier this year.

And he said CA would use the recommendations from dual cultural reviews, ordered in the wake of the Cape Town incident and to be released on Monday, to ensure everyone in the game “does better” and restores faith in the national team.

Peever refuted accusations CA had been sitting on the Longstaff Review for weeks and said it was only recently completed.

Cricket Australia chairman David Peever has vowed to restore the public’s faith in the national team. Picture: AAP

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He has seen it, and the recommendations, and said a CA board meeting on Friday would determine their response with cultural changes set to sweep through the game.

Speaking after Thursday’s Annual General Meeting Peever, who was retained for a second term as chairman, said everyone at CA had committed to making the national team one everyone could respect.

“It was a very unhappy incident (in South Africa) and there have been other unhappy incidents in our past. But having said that it’s an ill wind that doesn’t blow good,” Peever said.

“We clearly have used the opportunity to open up the organisation to what we can be doing better. And that’s exactly what we have done.

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“The review has been undertaken voluntarily and is completely independent and we are going to use that as a basis to make cricket stronger.

“An event like South Africa undoubtedly damages faith in cricket and we are absolutely conscious of that

“Australian cricket teams have a proud history of winning … that’s not going to change. The players want to win, we want them to win, and the public wants them to win.

“It also true that we and they and the public want to be able to follow teams that they can be proud of in every respect.”

Peever (L) and outgoing CEO James Sutherland. Picture: AAP

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In his last official act, exiting CEO James Sutherland — who finishes up this week — said if nothing else the events in South Africa highlighted how much the national cricket team and it’s actions affect Australians.

But he departed knowing the game, and its people, were strong enough to bounce back bigger and better.

“The public’s love and affection for the game is strong and not something to be taken for granted,” he said.

“But it is strong, and the game, in my experience in over two decades in administration is that you have moments where you have disappointments and in the eye of the storm they feel disastrous.

“But the game’s resilience is strong and the game as a result bounces back. It doesn’t necessarily bounce back easily but learning from what happened in those instances and situations and then responding appropriately sees the game grow and grow another leg, and go to another level.

“I think the game is already better and stronger, not just here in Australia but worldwide, for highlighting the events in South Africa.”

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