Cricket Australia review key findings, recommendations

Players should be picked on character, and sent off for poor behaviour, a landmark report recommends | KEY FINDINGS

The Ethics Centre has delivered its review of Cricket Australia in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

The key recommendations:

• The Ethics Centre was commissioned to review Cricket Australia after the South Africa ball-tampering scandal

• The review has 42 recommendations - 10 for Australian cricket, seven for the national men’s team and the rest for CA

• While the review says Australian cricket “has lost its balance and has stumbled badly” it says the reputation of women’s cricket remains unaffected

• The review surveyed current and former players, CA staff and board members and State and territory officials. Fans were not included in the survey

Cricket

• Australian cricket establish a three-person ethics commission, which would have no formal powers. Its purpose would be to hold everyone in Australian cricket “accountable to the ethical foundations for the game”

• The establishment of the Australian Cricket Council, a consultative body to meet twice a year

• Require CA to set up a mechanism for consulting with fans

• Player honours, such as the Allan Border Medal, take into account character and behaviour as well as performance

• CA and the Australian Cricketers’ Association to start a process where they establish a constructive working relationship within 30 days

• Umpires have the power, after one informal warning, to send off players in Test, Sheffield Shield and grade matches

National team

• The current performance bonus is converted so it recognises contributions to the game such as positive relationships with fans and sponsors

• The vice-captaincy is de-coupled from being the heir apparent to the captaincy. Players with leadership capacity have formal leadership training

• Players on CA contracts encouraged and enabled to have active involvement with Shield and grade cricket

• Test and one-day players be excused from playing international T20 cricket so they can play in Shield and grade matches (this was the only recommendation that CA rejected)

Cricket Australia

• CA leadership accept its share of responsibility for the circumstances that gave rise to the ball-tampering scandal

• CA amend its anti-harassment code so that the definition of harassment includes sledging. Also, CA makes explicit a general prohibition against bullying conduct

• High Performance Unit staff are banned from industrial negotiations with players. CA says this recommendation is under consideration

• Selectors be required to take into account a player’s character as well as their skills when picking teams.

AAP