Michael Clarke Believes Cricket Australia Did Not Divulge Full Details Regarding Sandpaper Gate
Mar 28, 2018 at 10:56 AM
Michael Clarke, the former Aussie skipper, has opined that Cricket Australia had not revealed full details about the ‘Sandpaper Gate’. Clarke thinks that the full story regarding the matter is yet to come out.
There were many surprises when James Sutherland addressed the media yesterday (March 27).
Firstly, he confirmed only three players viz Steven Smith, Cameron Bancroft and David Warner had a role to play in it.
Secondly, he also gave a clean chit to Darren Lehmann, Head Coach of Australia.
Also, Smith confirmed it was the idea of the team, planned during the break. Hence, only three players having a separate meeting to discuss this matter is something strange.
Coming to the second point of Lehmann, his involvement in the saga can’t also be denied.
He was the one who first spotted that Bancroft had been caught and straightway got this message delivered to him.
The reports had suggested Lehmann was under pressure and had resigned from his job.
However, he got a clean chit and is all set to continue his job as the Head Coach.
Surely, as Clarke mentioned, full facts are yet to be divulged, and some more names can come out if the investigation goes further. A final decision over the punishment of Smith, Warner and Bancroft will be announced today (March 28).
They are currently suspended and have been withdrawn from the Test squad.
Should they be banned, it will rule out Warner and Smith from IPL 2018. Smith had already resigned from his post of Rajasthan Royals’ captain a few days back.
Sunrisers Hyderabad are waiting for the next step of Cricket Australia before taking a decision. They (Smith, Warner and Bancroft) have been replaced by Matt Renshaw, Joe Burns and Glenn Maxwell, who will join the squad before the start of the fourth Test match.
Also, Tim Paine will lead Australia in the final game.