The cricket world has reacted strongly to Steve Smith and David Warner's decisions to step down from their leadership positions for the remainder of the third test in Cape Town following the ball-tampering controversy that has rocked the sport.
Shortly before play commenced on Sunday the pair revealed they would relinquish their roles as captain and vice-captain of Australia's test team for days four and five of the test.
Tim Paine was named the team's new skipper, completing a remarkable career turnaround for a man who only a year ago was considering quitting the game for good when he couldn't force his way into Tasmania's first XI.
Despite not leading the team in an official capacity, both Smith and Warner still took the field on day four. Australia went onto lose the test by a 322 runs after being bowled out for 107 in the fourth innings.
Read more: Steve Smith stood down as Australia captain
During the test the ICC announced that Smith would be handed a one-match ban and fined 100 per cent of his match fee.
Plenty had already called for Smith to be removed as captain but that he was still standing alongside his teammates was not something that sat well with everyone.
#ThisIsAustralia Cricket Australia is piss weak. Smith and Warner should be off the field, indefinitely. All they lost is their titles. Big deal. #ausport #cricket #balltampering #sandpapergate #CricketAustralia https://t.co/5LbEtYnZIv
— Andrew Heslop (@AndrewHeslop) March 25, 2018
Eh? Cricket Australia trying to protect (their best player) Steve Smith here? Shouldn’t be on the field at all at very least pending investigation. Ridiculous. Compare the England Ben Stokes (best player) situation. Vanished until all was dealt with. Poor show. #SandpaperGate
— Chris Skudder (@chris_skudder) March 25, 2018
So Steve Smith realised he f***ed up.
— Shane McInnes (@shanemcinnes) March 25, 2018
Shouldn’t even be wearing a baggy green for mine. https://t.co/R3hse929Wd
Smith was also fielding alongside Paine in the slips, making the situation more awkward. Having stepped down as captain he likely would not be offering any advice to Paine — a tough scenario to avoid when fielding in such close proximity to the new skipper.
On the other side of the coin, Shane Warne said while the cheating that took place was "un-Australian", it was not the right move for the pair to stand down in the middle of the match.
OH DEAR ... TOMORROW’S FRONT PAGE pic.twitter.com/gnudHxk8zs
— The NT News (@TheNTNews) March 25, 2018
Sunday TIMES Sport: "CHEATS" #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/bcZ5SAwqIQ
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) March 24, 2018
"I don't think it's the right thing Steve Smith and David Warner should be stood down during the match," Warne said in commentary. "Wait until the end of the test match.
"If it means to dismiss Smith, dismiss Warner, get them out of the team, sack them as captain and vice-captain — that's fine. During the middle of play with only a day-and-a-half to go, I would have thought this is the time for the captain to stand up and go, 'Rightio guys, I take responsibility, I've done the wrong thing, but we've still got two days of this test match to go, now let's show some character.'
'"We've done the wrong thing which I accept total responsibility for as captain, but it's time for the team to gel together and try and win this test match.'
"I would have liked to see the captain gel them and make amends for what he did yesterday."
"At the end of the test, if you want to get them out of the team and sack them as captain and vice-captain, that's fine, but not during the test match because everyone else is flat now."
Veteran cricket broadcaster Jim Maxwell was on the verge of tears as he revealed just how deeply the scandal had impacted him.
"I do not remember being as disappointed in an Australian team as I feel at the moment," Maxwell said in commentary.
"It was so blatant and so stupid, immature, naive ... it was hugely disappointing."
Exactly what this has done to a great cricketing nation .. It’s brought my colleague @jimmaxcricket to tears on air .. No one loves cricket and Aussie cricket more than him .. All the GREAT Aussie teams he has commentated on who didn’t need to CHEAT .. and now this lot ...
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 25, 2018
Former England captain Michael Vaughan suggested Smith and Warner may not enjoy much support from Cricket Australia because they opposed their employer so steadfastly during last year's pay negotiations.
Vaughan also said Smith and Warner falling on their swords — at least for the time being — didn't go far enough, while Kevin Pietersen said coaches and the leadership group all needed to go.
It was only a few months ago the Aussie Leadership group held the CA Board to ransom for a better deal so I am pretty sure they won’t have as many friends as they think at CA ... !!!
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 25, 2018
Some heads will roll and rightly so ... But you have to think every single player & management knew what they were trying to do .. 12th man Handscombe on the Walkie Talkie was in on it .. So In my eyes they are all as bad as each other .. #Cheats
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 25, 2018
Slept on it...Lehmann, Saker & the leaderships groups jobs are untenable!
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) March 25, 2018
They’ve disgraced a great cricketing nation & Test cricket!
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland revealed the news in a statement on Sunday.
"Following discussions with Steve Smith and David Warner they have agreed to stand down as captain and vice-captain respectively for the remainder of this test match," Sutherland said.
"This Test match needs to proceed, and in the interim we will continue to investigate this matter with the urgency that it demands.
"As I said earlier today, Cricket Australia and Australian cricket fans expect certain standards of conduct from cricketers representing our country, and on this occasion these standards have not been met."
Cricket Australia chairman David Peever said the board endorsed Paine to be the acting captain.
"The Board of Cricket Australia has endorsed Tim Paine to step in as acting captain for the remainder of this test.
"Both Steve and David will take to the field today under Tim's captaincy.
"The board fully supports the process for an immediate investigation into what occurred in Cape Town. We regard this as a matter of the utmost seriousness and urgency. We will ensure we have all information available to make the right decisions for Australian Cricket."
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