I must change, Oz coach says after cricket scandal
'We need to stay within the boundaries because we’ve been butting our heads on the line and that is not the way to go,' Lehmann says.
Coach, Darren Lehmann, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft as the Australian Cricket team arrive from Cape Town at domestic arrivals in OR Tambo International Airport, 27 March 2018. Picture: Neil McCartney
Coach Darren Lehmann admits there needs to be a change in the way the Australian team is run in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal that has seen captain Steven Smith and vice-captain David Warner banned for a year by their own governing body.
Lehmann himself escaped any censure for the incident, having satisfied Cricket Australia’s head of integrity, Iain Roy, that he was not involved in the ball-tampering plan and had no prior knowledge of it, according to CEO James Sutherland.
The coach, who played for Australia from 1996-2005, has been criticised for a win-at-all-costs attitude that it appears was taken too far by Warner, who was fingered as the chief instigator by Cricket Australia’s investigation.
“I need to change,” Lehmann said yesterday.
“I’m not going to resign because I had no prior knowledge of the plan, but we need to change the way we play. We need to stay within the boundaries because previously we’ve been butting our heads on the line and that is not the way to go.
“We need to take a leaf out of New Zealand’s book in terms of respecting the opposition. We need to make sure we respect the game’s traditions. I apologise to the Australian public because what happened was not acceptable.
“We know we have let them down and we are truly sorry. Three players have been given very serious sentences, they made a grave mistake and now they must face the consequences,” Lehmann said.
Warner, continuously in the middle of all the strife in this series, was given the most serious punishment of the three players found to be involved in the ball-tampering plan.
He was not only suspended for a year and ordered to do 100 hours of community service, but has also been banned from any leadership position in Australian cricket in the future, Cricket Australia citing an “apparent lack of contrition”.
Smith can be considered for leadership again after two years, while Bancroft’s ban is for nine months. Both also have to do 100 hours of community service.
– news@citizen.co.za
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