Tim Paine sexting scandal: How has dumped captain become victim in cricket saga?

Why are we all consenting to the victim blaming narrative being run as part of an elite cover-up asks Jessica Halloran.

Just like that, Tim Paine has somehow become the victim.

Paine, the guy that sent an unsolicited picture of his penis to a woman and she in turn complained, is the one Cricket Tasmania is saying we should be feeling sorry for.

Cricket Tasmania made it official with a press statement on Tuesday claiming Paine’s treatment by Cricket Australia had been appalling.

But what is most “appalling” is both Cricket Tasmania and Cricket Australia’s handling of this complaint by a woman. “Elite honesty”? Try elite cover-up.

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Tim Paine’s sexting saga has exposed Australia’s ‘win-at-all-costs’ attitude remains. Picture: Eddie Safarik

These cricket authorities have tried to convince us they are truly keen on fighting for the fairer sex, when in fact if an incident can destroy their Australian men’s team, they will absolutely protect him at all costs.

This despite the fact that the win-at-all-costs culture was supposedly dismissed after a thorough review into Sandpapergate.

Meanwhile the woman who was the subject of Paine’s sexting — the true victim — who complained in a letter to not only Cricket Tasmania, but Cricket Australia and also to the Human Rights Commission, has been smeared and shamed.

Since the original story was broken by the Herald Sun’s Stephen Drill, the theft charges lodged against her have been pushed aggressively into the light.

She allegedly fraudulently obtained a $705 Cricket Tasmania junior and platinum membership, a $339 Hobart Hurricanes family membership, and stole $1942 in cash — and what does that have to do with it all? How does that absolve someone for sending an unsolicited picture of their genitalia?

What this narrative is really doing is deflecting from true issues in the Paine scandal, like the fact CA and Cricket Tasmania are yet to explain how their investigation started with a written complaint from a woman about receiving “unsolicited” images and ended with them being able to declare with absolute certainty that this was an exchange between two consenting adults.

Sure, the woman was not interviewed and didn’t co-operate with the investigation at the time, but really who would want to take on the Test captain? Certainly not a receptionist in this case.

Paine has stood down as captain in the wake of the scandal. Picture: AFP

And while CA sent Paine’s mobile away for forensic testing, which returned no trace of the images or messages, how did they all come to the conclusion — which they now state as hard fact — this was between two consenting adults? Have they just taken Paine’s word for it? Have they assumed her flirtations were an open invitation for nudity?

And if the Test captain can just resign his job for private messages being made public, but can still play Test cricket, does this mean they‘re OK with 10 members of the Test team all sending lewd images to women privately, so long as they’re not the captain?

For all the noise made by Cricket Australia and their state bodies around gender equality, their handling of a genuinely concerning allegation of sexual harassment has been nothing but troubling.

Paine took over as captain after Cricket Australia were made aware of the text exchanges. Picture: Getty

This incident was covered up for three years.

While CA’s handling of this saga has been shocking it should come as no surprise. Three years ago Cricket Australia sacked a female employee after she campaigned for abortion reform on social media

We have seen other elite sportsmen quickly lose their jobs for unsavoury behaviour and yet Paine could still be named in the Ashes team.

It feels like CA are asking Australia to turn a blind eye to the sordid past, and you really shouldn’t expect anything less, because that win-at-all-costs culture still seems to be alive and well.

Why Cummins can turn 150 years of history on its head

By Sam Landsberger

Pat Cummins will have no problem turning almost 150 years of Australian cricket history on

its head by becoming the first fast bowler to permanently captain his country thanks to a “low-maintenance” bowling unit.

Cummins’ composure has been likened to former captain Mark Taylor as the golden boy continues to win endorsements to take the reins for this summer’s Ashes series and beyond.

It comes as Cricket Australia has invited female board member Mel Jones on to a five-person panel tasked with assessing the new captain recommendations that have already been put forward by selectors Justin Langer, George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide.

Cummins will carry a heavy workload - even without the captaincy. Picture: AAP

CA chief executive Nick Hockley, chairman Richard Freudenstein, Bailey and Dodemaide – who only commenced his position this month – as well as Jones will spend the next 48 hours thoroughly reviewing the candidates in an extra step that appears to be a direct result of Tim Paine’s shock resignation.

It’s understood the panel’s series of meetings will include interviews with leading candidates as they seek to lock in a player who, according to Hockley, holds “values of respect, of inclusion and of making Australians proud”.

CA’s board will then ratify who will become Australia’s 47th Test captain, which is unlikely to happen before Friday.

But with Jones and Freudenstein sitting on the intermediary panel and the board it is unlikely the board will challenge the final recommendation.

Former Test quick Damien Fleming said Cummins, 28, only had to nail his own bowling workloads to shine in what would be an expedited rise to the top job.

“He’s got a low-maintenance and experienced attack, and he’s also got (Steve) Smith and (David) Warner there for support, and potentially Paine still keeping,” Fleming told News Corp.

Damien Fleming believes Cummins has a ready-made bowling attack to make his transition into captaincy easier. Picture: Grant Wells

“Half the problem as the captain is setting fields or bowlers not bowling to their plans – you ask any of the skippers.

“But with (Nathan) Lyon, (Josh) Hazlewood and (Mitchell) Starc they know their fields. Even with Jhye Richardson coming in, I think we know what we’re going to get from him.

“That would decrease his workload, and I’m just guessing, but by 20-30 per cent.”

Fleming said Cummins could tap into Langer and his support staff for advice when Australia bats, but would no longer be allowed to rest in the outfield during bowling innings.

“It’s just how he regulates his bowling and then when he fields he’s probably not going to be able to rest out at fine leg, is he?” Fleming said.

“He’s going to have to be in the ring. As for composure, I’ve never really seen him lose his control. He reminds me a bit of ‘Tubby’ Taylor.”

Pat Cummins would have to field in the ring when he isn’t bowling if he is made captain.

Australia has been captained by a specialist fast bowler in only one of its 834 Test matches.

That was by Ray Lindwall, who tossed the coin in Mumbai in 1956 when skipper Ian Johnson and deputy Keith Miller were both injured.

That match 65 years ago ended as a draw, giving Cummins the chance to become the first and only fast bowler to captain Australia in a winning Test.

Cummins would also become Australia’s fifth captain in 2021, with Matthew Wade, Alex Carey filling in for Aaron Finch in white-ball matches and Paine leading Australia in two January Tests against India.

“I’d make him captain,” Fleming said.

“Who was Paine throwing the ball to when he needed a wicket? It’s Cummins.

“Who lifts for the best batsmen from the opposition? That ball to (Joe) Root in 2019, pitching middle hitting off.

“So he captains. He’s composed on the field, and his balance will be how much he bowls.

“Don’t over-bowl yourself, and don’t under-bowl yourself.”

WHY WE NEED PAT MORE THAN HE NEEDS US

By Robert Craddock

Think Allan Border, circa 1984, and you have got Pat Cummins 37 years later.

We’re talking men who never coveted the biggest prize in Australian cricket – the Test captaincy - and would have very happily lived without it.

But when the offer came, they looked over their shoulder, saw tumbleweeds bobbing down the main street, and realised the chastening truth that they are the standout candidate by a mile.

So, at a critical point in time for your suddenly vulnerable team, what do you do?

Can you really say no or even maybe?

Australia expects …

Make no mistake. If, as we all expect, Cummins takes the Australian captaincy later this week he will be doing his country a favour.

It’s not the other way around, especially when you are a heavily burdened fast bowler.

Yes, yes, we all know the old line about the position being the second highest office in the land behind the Prime Minister. But that line sat best in more romantic times.

The reality is Australia needs Cummins more than he needs Australia.

For Cummins, life without the “c’’ beside his name would still include a yearly salary of $2 million as Australia’s No 1 contracted player plus just as much if he wanted it to play in the Indian Premier League.

Pat Cummins has become a superstar of international cricket. Picture: AFP

He could rock around the world for the next five years and finish his career with earnings of tens of millions of dollars, an iron clad reputation as one of the greatest fast men of this or any era, and the standing as one of the game’s genuine poster boys.

He has things to gain but nothing to prove.

When Border took the post after Kim Hughes tearfully resigned against the West Indies he did so out of duty not desire.

Given the pain of Hughes exit, the job felt initially awkward as it certainly could do for Cummins following Tim Paine’s teary demise.

Cummins may not realise how strong his bargaining power is.

If he has any deep feelings about the structure of Australian cricket now is the time to slap them on the table.

If he wants staff hired or fired, just say so. The floor is yours Pat.

Anything Pat wants, he can get. Picture: Getty Images

Cummins, if he accepts the job, will do it well but the lack of captaincy candidates is telling.

Players see what a captain goes through these days and often don’t want the hassle.

When Joe Root became England captain his old teammate Graeme Swann said he didn’t really want it to happen because he loved the fact the Root was a kid-like prankster at the back of the bus who was always up for a bit of fun.

Swann felt the strain of captaincy knocks that out of you. It’s true.

Root is a fine statesmen but from afar looks like a more sober character than he was.

Australia’s best young sportsmen often surge into the professional ranks without having to join the “real life’’ work force, which is great for their golf game but not for their leadership skills.

In bygone generations Australia has had captains who were plumbers, police reporters, teachers, bookmakers, dentists and many other professions.

They brought their own charm and style moulded by the outside world into Australian teams which had no coach and few support staff but somehow got the job done.