Cameron Bancroft, left, and Steve Smith at a press conference that defined the latter's misunderstanding of the depth of the ball-tampering issue. Photo / Getty Images
Cameron Bancroft, left, and Steve Smith at a press conference that defined the latter's misunderstanding of the depth of the ball-tampering issue. Photo / Getty Images
Anything less than Steve Smith losing the Australian captaincy is unpalatable.
Smith was the mastermind of Australia's most egregious cricketing act - deliberately tampering the ball in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to generate reverse swing against South Africa at the foot of Table Mountain.
The player leadership group conspired to get Cameron Bancroft, the least experienced player in the side, to alter the condition of the ball with a piece of yellow tape.
Smith has been suspended by the ICC for one match and stood down as captain for the second half of the third test against South Africa - a team who has had their own ball-tampering escapades - but this has to be only the start of his punishments.
Ball tampering?
Australia’s Cameron Bancroft shines the ball and the moves a yellow material from his right pocket into his underwear when the umpires later intervene #sandpapergate#SAvAUShttps://t.co/8C4GETqv5Z
Smith has shown no mana. When given an opportunity to shield his junior player from the icy glare of a house of hungry reporters, he instead threw him to the wolves.
His apology seemed merely crocodile tears and had the unmistakable musk of regretting getting caught more than cheating.
His position as captain is untenable. The fact he didn't step down himself showed a complete lack of awareness around what he has done - brought Australian cricket into disrepute.
Smith showed he doesn't possess the qualities of a great leader. Being arguably the greatest batsman Australia has produced since the incomparable Sir Donald Bradman won't save him from the ignominy of cheating.
When the cards were down, he couldn't shield his own player.
The likes of predecessors Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke never stooped to these lows. Australia have always pushed the boundaries with sledging but cheating was a step too far for them.
For so long, Australia have seen themselves, possibly incorrectly, as the moral arbiters of the cricketing world. They were uncomfortably comfortable with calling out everyone else for disrespecting the sport and now they have to take any and all abuse spat at them.
This Australian side is far from the first to tamper with the ball and won't be the last, which highlights a deeper issue about punishments, but for now Australia are in the blinding spotlight.
Cricket, more than any other sport, is a game of tradition and sportsmanship. The "underarm incident" of 1981 is possibly the greatest example of something being perfectly legal but against the spirit of the game.
Parallels between Greg Chappell's decision to have brother Trevor bowl an underarm delivery to deny New Zealand a chance of hitting a six to win the game and what has been dubbed as "SandpaperGate".
But while Chappell's was a poor call in the heat of a battle that technically was a legal move, Smith and co made a calculated decision to cheat. There is no comparison.
The incident has reached Australia's highest office with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who called the act a "shocking disappointment". There are probably more pressing issues in Australia than the actions of their cricket captain but it speaks to the esteem the role has in Australian society.
The role of Australia's test captain is widely regarded as the second most important job in the country behind being Prime Minister.
Heads need to roll. Smith and vice-captain David Warner will almost certainly lose their leadership roles. Other senior players (Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood) will likely miss the final test and shouldn't be considered for any captaincy role.
Coach Darren Lehmann, who hypocritically called out the South African crowd for their sledging of players (which is definitely not okay) after calling for fans to go after England bowler Stuart Broad in 2013 and "send him home crying", could and probably should lose his role.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann with captain Steve Smith in happier times just months earlier. Photo / Getty Images
If he had input into the decision to tamper, he can't remain. If he didn't, it shows a lack of awareness and control over the squad and will have to be moved on.
The worrying thing for Australia, outside of dealing with the fact they have a group of players that showed they were willing to break the rules, is who they will bring in to captain the side.
It would be a bitter pill to swallow for nearly anyone in the current side to take the lead full time. Whether or not they had direct input into the decision, they are all tarred with that brush.
Either way, Steve Smith cannot captain this side. They need a captain with integrity and moral standards.
Where they'll find that, however, is anyone's guess.
