SYDNEY: The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA), the official players’ representative body for cricket in Australia has promised to be ‘relentless’ in its pursuit to convince Cricket Australia (CA) for ending the one-year suspensions imposed on former captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner as well as the nine-month ban on opening batsman Cameron Bancroft over the Newlands ball tampering scandal which took place in March this year.
ACA president Greg Dyer said: “I make some further comments on the harshness of penalties handed down to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
“What the Longstaff Review reveals is that Cricket Australia itself must also take a share of responsibility for what happened in South Africa.
“Yes, this moment of madness was ‘individual’ but now there is evidence and independent verification of system failure as well.
“This is hugely significant.
“With this new information common sense, common decency, basic fairness, proportionality and natural justice demand that the punishment is reduced.
“The players have already lost time in the game, chances to play for Australia, endured public humiliation and faced massive financial penalties.
“My message to Cricket Australia is a simple one: These contrite men have been punished enough. Let these contrite men play.
“I add that the ACA will be relentless in pursuing this end.
“Finally, I also offer a message to the Australian public on behalf of the ACA. In short, Australia’s cricket players ‘get it.’ We assure you. The players ‘get it.’ The players understand.”
ACA’s response came a day after CA released its independent cultural review report commissioned by Simon Longstaff and Rick McCosker. While board chairman David Peever assured of a better future of cricket in Australia courtesy the aftermath of the review, he categorically denied lifting the bans. So action in the near future in this regard remains to be seen.
Amongst the 13 resolutions the ACA passed, it thanked the commission for its efforts and assured that ACA has largely accepted recommendations related to them for having a better relationship with CA as well as other stakeholders of the game.
While it also acknowledged CA’s willingness for permitting a comprehensive review of this sort, it also called for the board to release a blueprint of implementing the commission’s 42 recommendations in the report.
