Darren Lehmann quits, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft front up

Where will this end? What madness has gripped Australian cricket? It’s only a game but it feels like someone’s died.

Darren Lehmann announces his exit as Australia’s cricket coach. Picture: Getty

Where will this end? What madness has gripped Australian cricket? These are the most surreal and sad times. It’s only a game but it feels like someone’s died.

Moments after a shattered Darren Lehmann announced he had resigned as Australian coach, and the team took to the field in an attempt to prepare for a game of cricket, the PA burst into life.

It was loud. Really loud. It belted out across the stadium and the adjoining suburb.

There was a DJ who had his finger on the pulse. He took us from AC/DC’s raucous Back in Black to Nick Cave’s Into My Arms. It felt like a funeral for a cricket team.

The Reel’s heartbreaking Kitchen Man followed. The Saints groundbreaking Know Your Product. Australian Crawl’s Reckless was interrupted by the competitive cricket team playing one of its ball games on the grass. Hunter’s Throw Your Arms Around Me. Sunnyboys.

Apparently someone in the team had sent a playlist up. Good on ‘em, they need something to distract them.

Lehmann had watched Steve Smith’s heartbreaking press conference and been broken by it. He appeared in Tim Paine’s place at a preview press conference. He gripped a piece of paper as he had the day before when he said he would continue, he could change, he recognised his mistakes.

He took his sunglasses off and a tear trickled down his face. His eyes are bloodshot. He has not slept.

The enormity of this has crept up on him slowly, but Smith’s shattered demeanour hit him like a truck.

“This will be my last Test as head coach of the Australian cricket team as I’m stepping down,’’ Lehmann said.

“After seeing events in the media today with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, the feeling is that Australian cricket needs to move forward, and this is the right thing to do

“I really felt for Steve as I saw him crying in front of the media, and all the players are really hurting.

“As I stated before, I had no prior knowledge of the incident and don’t condone what happened at all. But good people can make mistakes.

“My family and I have copped a lot of abuse over the last week and it’s taken its toll on them.

“I’m ultimately responsible for the culture of the team and I’ve been thinking about my position for a while, despite telling media yesterday that I’m not resigning, after viewing Steve and Cameron’s hurting, it’s only fair that I make this decision.

“This will allow Cricket Australia to implement changes to enable the team to regain the trust of the Australian public.”

Phew. Can we just our breathe please?

Nobody who saw Steve Smith’s heaving, sobbing, broken press conference could fail to be moved. The kid is devastated. He was devastatingly honest.

Lehmann knew, watching it, that he could not continue.

“Telling the players saying goodbye, it’s the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do,’’ he said.

He’s done some tough things, Darren, and maybe with some perspective he will realise this wasn’t the toughest. He was there when his mate David Hookes was killed. He buried Phillip Hughes. Nobody has died here as I said earlier, but God it feels Iike it.

Common sense got last Saturday in Cape Town. All perspective has been lost since.

“You think you can keep going, but the amount of abuse or whatever word you want to use, takes its toll. Speaking to my family, they’ve had enough. That’s also a reason, the main reason really. Maybe go and watch my son play cricket, which would be quite nice,” Lehmann said.

“It’s been unbelievable (he said when asked if the backlash was excessive). Watching those two young men face the media, I’m sure David (Warner) will be the same (when he fronts the press).

“I’ve been speaking with the hierarchy last few days. I had no sleep again last night, I haven’t slept since Saturday to be perfectly honest — you’re playing around in your head with what’s right.

“It’ll let the game move forward. Hopefully the game gets back to the game of cricket. I’ve had a great time. Id love to stay involved in the game because I love it so much.”

Lehmann became most emotional when asked about his proudest moment.

“The way we dealt with Phillip Hughes was my proudest moment as coach. We’re only playing a game, that’s all. We lost a great young man,’’ Lehmann said.