Mickey Arthur attacks CA over team culture

Former Australia coach Mickey Arthur says an incident like the ball-tampering saga was bound to happen with the culture of the nation's cricket team.

A file image of former Australian coach Mickey Arthur

Ex-Australian coach Mickey Arthur says an incident like the ball-tampering saga was bound to happen. (AAP)

Former Australia coach Mickey Arthur says he copped blowback from Cricket Australia and players when he tried to fix a team culture he claims was always destined to be enveloped in crisis.

Arthur, who coached Australia between 2011 and 2013, has also questioned why Darren Lehmann was seen as the man to replace him after the Indian homework-gate drama if officials were serious about addressing the national team's attitude.

In a scathing column on PlayersVoice.com.au, Arthur accused the Australian team of being a "law unto themselves" and said each other Test nation felt the Aussies looked down on them.

However he saved his biggest critique for CA who he claimed failed to fix a culture he claimed led to the ball-tampering saga this week that has claimed Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

"When I pushed hard on issues of culture, I was told by my superiors to back off," Arthur, who applauded the latest disciplinary action, wrote.

"And when I softened my approach I was told to go in harder.

"Parameters were never set and the goalposts kept moving. It was a challenging environment in which to try to reset the culture."

Australia's team culture has become a point of contention all week, with CA chief executive James Sutherland confirming it will be reviewed by an expert panel.

Arthur, who insists his relationship with CA has improved since they settled out-of-court over his axing, accepts there were things he could have done better to improve culture.

But the now-Pakistan coach was adamant the governing body could've also made a difference.

His two-year tenure is largely remembered for standing down four players in India for not completing a review task in 2013.

However he said he also dealt with disrespect from players to coaching staff, tardiness at team meetings and a questioning of his understanding of "the Australian way" given he'd previously coached his native South Africa.

Eventually, it came to an end shortly after Warner was suspended for an altercation with now-England captain Joe Root inside a Birmingham pub in the early hours of the morning.

But given that, he questioned why Lehmann - who on Thursday admitted the team's culture had to change - was seen as the right man to take over in 2013.

"I've got a lot of admiration for Darren. I think he's a damn fine coach," Arthur wrote.

"But the impression I got was, at a period in time where they could've been addressing the broader issue of team culture, Cricket Australia were instead intent on bringing in an Aussie knockabout for beers at the bar at 6pm, telling stories about yesteryear, everyone sitting around the campfire and having a laugh and going to bed happy."


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Source: AAP


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