Distraught former Australian cricket captain Steve Smith accepted full responsibility on Thursday for the ball-tampering scandal that has shaken the sport, breaking down in tears while denying it had ever happened before.
Cricket Australia have banned Smith and David Warner from all international and domestic cricket for a year, while opening batsman Cameron Bancroft was exiled for nine months over attempted cheating during the third Test in South Africa.
Failure of leadership
Smith, a golden boy compared to Donald Bradman for his batting exploits, was a broken man at an emotional press conference on his arrival back in Sydney from Johannesburg.
“I take full responsibility, I made a serious error of judgment and I understand the consequences. It was a failure of leadership,” he said, choking back tears.
“It was a failure of leadership, of my leadership, I’ll do anything I can to make up for my mistake and the damage it has caused,” he added, breaking down for the first time. If any good can come of this, as an example to others, I can be a force for change. I know I’ll regret this for the rest of my life, I’m absolutely gutted," he said
“I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness. I’ve been so privileged and honoured to represent my country, and captain the Australian cricket team. Cricket is the greatest game in the world. It’s been my life and I hope it can be again. I’m sorry and I’m absolutely devastated.”
Smith said, to his knowledge, it was the first time it had happened and he was not about to offload the blame onto Warner.
“I don’t blame anyone,” he said. “I’m the captain of the Australian cricket team, it happened on my watch and I take responsibility for what happened in Cape Town last Saturday.”
Impact on parents
The final question he was able to field before he broke down for the last time and was ushered out of the room with his father Peter was about what he would tell cricket-loving children.
“Anytime you are thinking of making a questionable decision, think about who you are affecting, you’re affecting your parents,” he said.
“To see the way my old man’s been,” he sobbed.
“(To see) My mum it hurts. I can’t remember what I was saying. I just want to say sorry for the pain I have caused to the Australian public. I am truly sorry,” he concluded fighting back sobs.
Smith was jeered as he made his way through Johannesburg airport on Wednesday surrounded by police and media with concerns over his mental state in the current rabid climate and coach Darren Lehmann calling for all three men to be “given a second chance”.
Former great Shane Warne offered the trio an olive branch despite days of a harsh and judgmental Australian public baying for blood.“What the public wants to see is change. They want to see you be a better person,” he wrote in a column for the Sydney Daily Telegraph . “They’ll support you if they see that, and they’ll forgive you.”
