Morgan hopes ball-tampering bans will restore cricket's image

Cricket Australia handed 12-month bans to former captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months after he was caught using a piece of sandpaper on the ball in the third test against South Africa.

Morgan hopes ball-tampering bans will restore cricket's image

(Reuters)

Morgan said the severity of the punishment has sent a firm message to the players that such tactics against the spirit of the game will not be tolerated.

"In the last two weeks cricket has been battered and not for the right reasons," he told reporters.

"I'd like to think that the balance changed when the sanctions were imposed, because they were serious sanctions. You can see it and say it's wrong but to then back it up with such a sanction says a huge amount."

Smith and Bancroft were also barred from holding leadership positions within the Australian team for two years, while Warner will never be able to hold such a position again.

Morgan accepts there are some "grey areas" around the issue of ball-tampering but Cricket Australia's actions have made it clear that none of methods to scuff up the ball are acceptable.

"Throwing the ball in, one bounce, is fine... but if you throw to the keeper from long-on or long-off, the umpires will monitor how often the ball hits the playing surface and tell you they'll change the ball if you do it again," he added.

"So, yes, there are grey areas but I think Cricket Australia have gone a long way to saying none of it is acceptable."

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru)


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world