Australia ball-tampering scandal — who’s saying what:
“As indicated, Cricket Australia will provide more details of an independent review into the conduct and culture of our Australian men’s team in due course.”
— CA chief James Sutherland after confirming that Steve Smith and senior batsman David Warner were banned from top-level cricket for 12 months and Cameron Bancroft nine months
“He sent a message to say ‘what the hell is going on?’, except he didn’t use the word ‘hell’.”
– Sutherland explains Darren Lehmann’s furious walkie-talkie exchange with 12th man Peter Handscomb – crucial evidence that distanced the coach from the ball tampering
“Steve Smith I think is a good guy who made a huge mistake … He needed punishing but I think this is too harsh … Bancroft who I don’t know was led astray but deserved punishing but again too harshly IMO … The other guy I really don’t care about …”
— Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan on the three protagonists
“Too many reputations on the line for the full story not to come out. Cape Town change room is a very small place!”
— Former Australian captain Michael Clarke, the man Smith succeeded in 2015, believes there is more to the story than meets the eye
“The jump to hysteria is something that has elevated the offence beyond what they actually did, and maybe we’re at a point where the punishment just might not fit the crime.”
— Former Australia spinner Shane Warne insists missing the fourth Test, a fine and a stripping of captaincy duties would have been sufficient punishment
“I honestly believe everyone is overreacting to the whole ball tampering thing look there isn’t a professional player who hasn’t done it, cricket is tough especially on flat wickets.”
— West Indies Tino Best echoing what every cricketer knows
“What kind of cricket do you want to play? It has probably given the ICC a lot more headaches and the opportunity now is for the governing bodies to show us, where is this line?”
– South African batsman Hashim Amla says the controversy is a reality check for the world of cricket
“The players that they have banned, we are also barring those two players from this season.”
– IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla confirms neither Smith nor Warner will play in the Indian Premier League this season
