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Cricket Hero Breaks Down in Tears on TV Over Cheating Cricket Hero Breaks Down in Tears on TV Over Cheating
(about 3 hours later)
Disgraced in a blatant ball-scuffing scandal that has transfixed the cricket world, one of its most exalted players flew home to Australia from South Africa on Thursday and broke down in tears, apologizing on live national television for sullying his country and its national pastime. SYDNEY, Australia — Disgraced in a blatant ball-scuffing scandal that has transfixed the cricket world, one of its most exalted players flew home to Australia from South Africa on Thursday and broke down in tears, apologizing on live national television for sullying his country and its national pastime.
“I know I’ll regret this for the rest of my life,” said the athlete, Steve Smith, who until a few days ago had been the Australia team’s heroic captain. “I’m absolutely gutted.”“I know I’ll regret this for the rest of my life,” said the athlete, Steve Smith, who until a few days ago had been the Australia team’s heroic captain. “I’m absolutely gutted.”
“I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness,” Mr. Smith told a news conference at the Sydney airport as he struggled to keep his composure, his father standing behind him. “Cricket is the greatest game in the world. It’s been my life, and I hope it will be again.”“I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness,” Mr. Smith told a news conference at the Sydney airport as he struggled to keep his composure, his father standing behind him. “Cricket is the greatest game in the world. It’s been my life, and I hope it will be again.”
Mr. Smith returned to Australia five days after admitting to having concocted a plot with teammates to doctor the cricket ball by scuffing it with sandpaper during a match with South Africa last weekend. Scuffing can make the ball act unpredictably, making it more difficult for batsmen to hit. The cheating was caught on video.Mr. Smith returned to Australia five days after admitting to having concocted a plot with teammates to doctor the cricket ball by scuffing it with sandpaper during a match with South Africa last weekend. Scuffing can make the ball act unpredictably, making it more difficult for batsmen to hit. The cheating was caught on video.
“I don’t blame anyone,” Mr. Smith said. “I’m the captain of the Australian team, and I take responsibility for the actions that happened.”“I don’t blame anyone,” Mr. Smith said. “I’m the captain of the Australian team, and I take responsibility for the actions that happened.”
Cricket Australia, the sport’s governing body in the country, removed Mr. Smith as captain and barred him and the vice captain, David Warner, from play for a year. A third conspirator, Cameron Bancroft, a batsman, was barred for nine months. The team’s head coach, Darren Lehmann, who was not implicated in the plot, announced on Thursday that he would resign. Cricket Australia, the sport’s governing body in the country, removed Mr. Smith as captain and barred him and the vice captain, David Warner, from play for a year. A third conspirator, Cameron Bancroft, a batsman, was barred for nine months.
This was head-spinning news not only in Australia but also among worldwide fans of cricket, a sport that arrogates to itself a particular moral sanctimony, though it is not immune to cheating. The ball-scuffing scandal dominated the home page of the website of the International Cricket Council, the sport’s 105-member global governing body. The team’s head coach, Darren Lehmann, who was not implicated in the plot, announced on Thursday that he would resign, wiping tears from his eyes as he said goodbye.
For Australia in particular, it is difficult to understate the impact of the scandal, which is regarded as more serious than a pitcher illegally defacing a baseball in the United States. The captain of the national cricket team is considered by many to be the most important job besides prime minister. Mr. Smith, who had been regarded as one of Australia’s most talented players, was a hero to children, many of them now struggling with how to account for his misbehavior. The rapid team collapse was head-spinning news not only in Australia but also among worldwide fans of cricket, a sport that arrogates to itself a particular moral sanctimony. The ball-scuffing scandal dominated the home page of the website of the International Cricket Council, the sport’s 105-member global governing body.
For Australia in particular, it is difficult to overstate the impact of the scandal. The captain of the national cricket team is considered by many to be the most important job besides prime minister and Mr. Smith’s error in judgment has led news reports all week, drawing criticism from other athletes, fans, television personalities and politicians.
Mr. Smith and his teammates are hardly the first to have engaged in ball-tampering, and in many other cases, the penalties and shaming have not been so severe.
But Australia tends to see itself as a model of upstanding sportsmanship — and the intensity of the response here reveals the degree to which Australia sees itself through the lens of sports.
Mr. Smith’s fall from grace has led many Australians to question whether the image they have of themselves and their country — as a place of the “fair go” and a healthy understated sense of competition — is actually exaggerated.
What if Australia is actually a “win at all costs” kind of country? What if its heroes are cheats? And if cricket is corrupt, what else is?
Mr. Smith, who is still regarded as one of Australia’s most talented players, now seems to doing everything he can to accept responsibility and plead for mercy.
His apology, with the image of his scrunched up face and obvious regret, has been shared countless times online, and many Australians are beginning to shift from scolding to empathy.
“Australia wants decency, and decency is to forgive,” said Peter FitzSimons, an author and former professional rugby player who frequently writes about sports, culture and politics. “Sit it out, come back completely remorseful, saying you’re going to be an exemplar for good sportsmanship from this point on, O.K. come home.”
Mr. Smith was a hero to children, and with many of them now struggling with how to account for his misbehavior, the dynamic has at times felt parental: Australians are seizing on what is clearly a “teachable moment.”
Asked at the news conference whether he had a message for young fans, Mr. Smith said: “Firstly, I’m deeply sorry. I love the game of cricket, I love entertaining young kids, I love kids wanting to play the great game of cricket that I love.”Asked at the news conference whether he had a message for young fans, Mr. Smith said: “Firstly, I’m deeply sorry. I love the game of cricket, I love entertaining young kids, I love kids wanting to play the great game of cricket that I love.”
“The two other things,” he added, “is that anytime you think about making a questionable decision, think about who you’re affecting — you’re affecting your parents.”“The two other things,” he added, “is that anytime you think about making a questionable decision, think about who you’re affecting — you’re affecting your parents.”