Amidst a lot of buzz and excitement, Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland addressed the media on Tuesday (March 27). Cricket fans were expecting a severe verdict on the players as well as the management guys involved in the infamous ball-tampering scandal that rocked the entire cricketing fraternity on the third day of the recently concluded Cape Town Test against South Africa.
Although Cricket Australia suspended Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft for the fourth Test in Johannesburg, they didn’t charge the head coach Darren Lehmann, who was seen using a walkie-talkie to communicate with the substitute Peter Handscomb.
In his press conference, the CA chief confirmed that Lehmann will continue to act as a coach and they haven’t received a resignation from him either.
“Darren Lehmann has not offered to resign as far as I am aware, certainly not to me,” Sutherland told reporters before adding that “CA will review the conduct and culture of the national teams. Focus on re-engaging with the cricket public to regain respect. In the next 24 hours we will be in a position to announce sanctions.”
While Sutherland issued an apology to Australian fans saying that “A situation like this is extraordinary bad for Australian cricket and I share the anger and disappointment of Australian fans”, his soft decision to not take any action on Lehmann has certainly perplexed the Twitteratis.
Here are some of the tweets reacting in shock after Lehmann escaped a charge:
Only 3 people knew ........ #MyArse
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 27, 2018
Darren Lehmann looks like a man who does not have prior knowledge about anything :)
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) March 27, 2018
If Darren Lehman didn't know about ball tampering controversy, he should be the first to go for living in a fool's paradise IMO #justsaying
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 27, 2018
To many reputations on the line for the full story not to come out. Cape Town change room is a very small place!
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) March 27, 2018
Lehmann never knew - ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) March 27, 2018
I can’t believe for one minute that only three players knew what was going on...bowlers, coach and bowling coach weren’t involved in discussions of how to get the ball moving...whether it be by cheating or not! ???????? #sandpapergate
— Matt Prior (@MattPrior13) March 27, 2018
I am not someone who generally comments on most things but to say that the coach and the other bowlers didn't know anything about what was happening is a bit too hard to firstly chew&secondly digest.. Anyways
— Kartik Murali (@kartikmurali) March 27, 2018
Finding it really hard to believe that Darren Lehmann and others weren’t aware of what was going on ???????? #SandpaperGate #SAvAUS
— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) March 27, 2018
Serious sanctions are on its way. Another 24 hours. Slightly surprised that Darren Lehmann wasn’t a part of the ‘leadership group’. Also, find it hard to digest that no one else in the team was in the know. #SandpaperGate
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 27, 2018
so the leadership group was just smith and warner?
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 27, 2018
