The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday said a panel of the sport’s greats would help devise stricter punishments for players caught cheating as the game reels from a ball-tampering scandal.
ICC chairman Shashank Manohar said tougher penalties were needed to avoid a repeat of the behavior in South Africa of Australia’s Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft that has thrown cricket into disrepute.
“Every team wants to win, but players can’t use dubious methods to gain victory. It is not in the spirit of the game,” Manohar told the Times of India. “The ICC has taken a serious note of the events in Cape Town and plans to put together a group of former players of impeccable reputation.”
“The new panel will operate under the existing code of conduct, but will be free to suggest any action that it may deem fit. The penalty must be such that it deters all cricketers from indulging in such malpractices in future,” he added.
The council on Sunday banned Australia captain Smith for one Test and docked his match fee for his role in the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town.
Vice captain Warner escaped any sanction, while opener Bancroft, who was caught on camera trying to alter the ball, was fined 75 percent of his match fee.
The penalties triggered criticism, with former players and fans accusing the council of being too lenient.
Cricket Australia has since banned Smith and Warner for one year and Bancroft for nine months.
The newspaper said the new panel would likely be set up at a meeting in India next month.
The panel could include the likes of Australian great Allan Border and Indian spin legend Anil Kumble, the newspaper said.
Separately yesterday, Australia coach Darren Lehmann said he was stepping down after this week’s Test against South Africa due to abuse he and his family received over the scandal.
“My family and I got a lot of abuse over the last week,” said Lehmann, a burly former Test player known for his no-nonsense approach. “Speaking to my family, it’s the right time to step away.”
Additional reporting by Reuters
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