Former Cricket Tasmania boss Nick Cummins defends Tim Paine sexting investigation

Tim Paine received no special treatment during the investigation into the sexting affair, despite his brother-in-law being forced to resign, the former head of Cricket Tasmania says.

THE Cricket Tasmania boss in charge during the “sexting” investigation said Tim Paine did not receive any special treatment after the then Australian Test skipper was cleared and his brother-in-law forced to resign.

Paine stood down as national skipper on Friday as the 2017 text messages and a lewd image became public, while Shannon Tubb, Paine’s brother-in-law, was forced out at the time over also sexting the same CT employee.

Tubb declined to comment when contacted by News Corp previously about the matter.

Tim Paine at the press conference on Friday announcing he was stepping down as Australian Test captain. Picture: Chris Kidd

Cricket Victoria chief executive Nick Cummins was CT CEO during the investigation and said Paine’s standing in Australian cricket had no bearing on the results.

“No, not at all,” Cummins said on SEN.

“This is one of the unfortunate situations because you are bound by confidentiality.

“But I’m sure as a pub test you sat down and put the two next to each other someone would see they are quite different in terms of their nature and it is reasonable to form a different view on the two individuals.”

Nick Cummins was Cricket Tasmania CEO at the time of the investigation into Paine’s sexting. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Cummins said he was in a state of disbelief when he first heard the complaint about Paine’s behaviour, and defended the decision not to go public at the time.

He said it was CA policy not to disclose no-fault investigations and would only open the individuals to speculation and innuendo if a statement was released every time a no-fault investigation was done.

The complainant, a 47-year-old woman, is facing 63 fraud and theft charges from her time at CT.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and will face the Hobart Magistrates court in January.

Cummins denied that CT had cultural work issues or let the staffer down during his time in charge.

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Originally published as Former Cricket Tasmania boss Nick Cummins defends Tim Paine sexting investigation