Australia coach Darren Lehmann has told the media that his side need to learn from the way New Zealand play cricket following the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
A distraught and disappointed Lehmann admits both he and Australia's cricket team have to change, vowing to oversee a cultural overhaul in response to the ball-tampering scandal.
Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland and Lehmann have promised to dig in and disinfect a competitive streak that turned turned toxic in Cape Town, where three players conspired to cheat on Saturday.
"I'm not going to resign as was said. We need to change how we play and within the boundaries we play. Obviously previously we've butted heads on the line but that's not the way to go about us playing cricket moving forward," Lehmann said in Johannesburg.
Read more: Steve Smith and David Warner banned for a year, Cameron Bancroft for nine months
"The thing for me would be if we take a leaf out of someone like say New Zealand's book the way they play and respect the opposition.
Under former captain Brendon McCullum and coach Mike Hesson the Black Caps took an approach of playing hard but respecting the traditions of the game. The playing style has continued under Kane Williamson.
"One of the things which Mike has tried to instil is to play like the kids who fell in love with the game," McCullum told the BBC in 2015.
"The coaches empower players to make decisions for themselves, to exhibit their skills in the manner in which they grew up watching the game. If in doubt, always take the aggressive option' is one of our big catch-cries."
"How we were viewed two years ago was that we were overpaid, under-delivering prima donnas, and a lot of that was fair," McCullum said. "We hit rock bottom but that allowed us to strip everything out and plot a pathway forward. One of the things that we decided we had to change was the public perception of us as people, not just on the cricket field but off it as well."
So Lehmann wants Australia to follow New Zealand’s lead. Almost three years to the day https://t.co/NaCOPntPT6
— Tristan Lavalette (@trislavalette) March 28, 2018
CA will soon conduct an independent review into the team's culture and conduct. Lehmann's influence will be examined but at this stage he enjoys the full support of Sutherland.
The governing body's investigation found the coach wasn't aware of David Warner's plan to illegally scuff the ball with sandpaper.
Lehmann has long planned to leave the job when his current contract expires at the end of the 2019 Ashes in England, which follows a World Cup in the same country.
"What the f*** is going on!?"
James Sutherland insists footage of Lehmann from the third Test has been misconstrued, suggesting the stunned coach demanded Peter Handscomb find out "what the f*** is going on!?".
Cricket Australia (CA) has finalised a formal investigation of the cheating scandal, with every member of the touring party cleared apart from Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
The host broadcaster captured images of an alarmed Lehmann shortly after Bancroft attempted to cheat by scuffing the ball with sandpaper.
The footage shows Lehmann using a walkie-talkie to contact 12th man Handscomb. Handscomb then runs out a message to Bancroft.
It has been widely alleged that Lehmann wanted Bancroft to conceal the evidence, something the side's most inexperienced player spectacularly failed to do when he shoved the sandpaper down his pants.
CA chief executive Sutherland says his organisation's head of integrity Iain Roy, who investigated the scandal by grilling players and support staff on Monday, found that to be untrue.
The charges laid by Cricket Australia against Steven Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft https://t.co/mYk1ZSYCMc pic.twitter.com/c4DWNh4kAr
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 28, 2018
"It's been verified by others that on the walkie-talkie ... he radioed down and said 'what the f*** is going on!?'," Sutherland told reporters.
"He said to Handscomb, 'find out what the f*** is going on'.
Lehmann then interrogated players himself at tea on day three of the Test in Cape Town.
"He brought everyone into a room when the next break was and he basically went through everyone and said 'what is going on'," Sutherland said.
However, Sutherland admitted that Lehmann "feels some sort of personal responsibility" for overseeing a team culture that allowed such a "terrible situation" to unfold.
"We all do," he said.
"Questions (are) obviously being asked of lots of people as to why or how that might have happened.
"That's part of the purpose of later discussion and review (into team culture and conduct). We'll clearly take on board whatever comes out of such investigations."
CA has finally revealed more details, admitting via press release that Bancroft used sandpaper to illegally scuff the ball in the third Test.
Steve Smith told reporters on Saturday that Bancroft worked on the ball at Newlands with sticky tape, which contained debris from the pitch.
CA allege it was Smith who directed "that evidence of attempted tampering be concealed on the field of play".
CRICKET AUSTRALIA'S RESPONSE TO BALL-TAMPERING BOMBSHELL
STEVE SMITH
* Banned from playing for Australia for 12 months, also barred from playing domestic first-class, one-day and Twenty20 cricket at home
* Sacked as captain. Banned from holding any leadership position for 24 months
* Won't be considered for a national contract in 2018-19 (current deal believed to be worth $2 million)
DAVID WARNER
* Banned from playing for Australia for 12 months, also barred from playing domestic first-class, one-day and Twenty20 cricket at home
* Sacked as vice-captain. Banned from holding any leadership position ever again
* Won't be considered for a national contract in 2018-19 (current deal believed to be worth $1.4 million)
CAMERON BANCROFT
* Banned from playing for Australia for nine months, also barred from playing domestic first-class, one-day and Twenty20 cricket at home
* Banned from holding any leadership position for 21 months
* Won't be considered for a national contract in 2018-19 (was set to earn a deal worth more than $500,000)
ALL THREE
*Encouraged to play grade cricket in 2018-19
*Required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket
OTHER PUNISHMENTS:
* BCCI has blocked the trio from playing in this year's Indian Premier League. Smith and Warner were set to captain their respective franchises and take home $2.4 million
* ECB yet to indicate whether Bancroft's county deal will be voided
WHAT CRICKET AUSTRALIA ALLEGE THEY DID WRONG
SMITH
* Knew of a potential plan to tamper with the ball
* Failed to stop it from happening
* Directed Bancroft conceal evidence
* Sought to mislead match officials regarding Bancroft's attempts
* Made "misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent and participants"
WARNER
* Developed a plan to tamper
* Instructed Bancroft to tamper with sandpaper
* Advised Bancroft and demonstrated how to tamper
* Failed to stop it from happening
* Failed to report his knowledge of the plan at any time, prior to or during the match
* Misled match officials through the concealment of his knowledge of and involvement in the plan
* Failed to voluntarily report his knowledge of the plan after the match
BANCROFT
* Knew and was party to the plan (artificially altering the condition of the ball using sandpaper)
* Carried out instructions
* Sought to conceal evidence
* Sought to mislead match officials and others regarding his attempts
* Made "misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent, implementation and participants of the plan"
WHAT NOW?
* All three players are returning home in shame
* Players have seven days to consider their response. They have the right to accept or reject the charges, sanctions or both
* Warner, having been painted as the chief architect who corrupted Bancroft, may never be accepted in the dressing room ever again
* Tim Paine will lead the side in the fourth Test and beyond
* Darren Lehmann remains coach, with CA satisfied he had no idea about the plan
* CA will launch an independent review into the team's culture and conduct.
- AAP
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