Tim Paine announces that he is standing down as Australia's test cricket captain during a press briefing on Friday in in Hobart. Screenshot / AP
Tim Paine announces that he is standing down as Australia's test cricket captain during a press briefing on Friday in in Hobart. Screenshot / AP
The principal of a South Australian school where Tim Paine's brother-in-law works says he had no idea of his alleged involvement in a sexting scandal when he was hired.
Adelaide's prestigious Prince Alfred College released a statement on Monday to announce the position held by Shannon Tubb, a former first-class cricketer who is married to Paine's sister, is now under review.
The Herald Sun first reported on Sunday night that Tubb was forced out of his job with Cricket Tasmania amid a probe into allegations he sent explicit messages to a colleague.
The woman alleged to have received the messages from Tubb is the same woman who Paine sent explicit texts to on the eve of the 2017/18 Ashes.
Shannon Tubb, left, is the brother-in-law of former Australian Test captain Tim Paine, right. Photos / Facebook
These texts became public on Friday and Paine resigned as captain of the Australian Test team.
The Herald Sun reports Tubb left his coaching role at Cricket Tasmania after an investigation into his alleged conduct in 2018 — the same year Paine was cleared of any code of conduct breach by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania — and took up a position as First XI coach at the school in 2019.
The school's principal, Bradley Fenner, has now released a statement to the school's community members.
Tim Paine announces that he is standing down as Australia's test cricket captain during a press briefing on Friday in in Hobart. Screenshot / AP
"I am writing to you in relation to news reports regarding our 1st XI Cricket Coach, Mr Shannon Tubb," the letter states.
"We were advised yesterday by a journalist that certain allegations had come to light in relation to Shannon's time working for Cricket Tasmania. This was the first we had heard of these allegations.
"After leaving Cricket Tasmania, Shannon secured employment with the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) during 2018. Later in the following year, Shannon applied for the part-time position of 1st XI Coach at Prince Alfred College, in addition to his ongoing work at SACA.
"He was appointed after appropriate reference checks and having received the required police clearances to work with young people. We had no concerns about Shannon's conduct and performance during his time with us.
"In the light of this news, we are reviewing Shannon's position with us and will advise the school community about this in due course. As cricket has ended for this term, there is no coaching taking place at present."
Fenner earlier spoke to morning breakfast TV where he said he was shocked to learn about Tubb's link to the Paine scandal.
"We were not aware of that at the time that we employed him. At that time he was, and he remains, an employee of the South Australian Cricket Association, so we need to find out all the facts and then decide how we proceed," Fenner told Nine.
Tubb responded to questions from the Herald Sun by saying: "There's no comment on that at all mate, I'm sorry."
Meanwhile, Paine and his wife Bonnie spoke about the sexting saga that cost him the Australian captaincy in a wide-ranging interview published in the Herald Sun on Sunday.
Paine, who has two children with Bonnie, said the text message exchanges with the Cricket Tasmania employee began as normal communications "but then it became a flirtatious exchange that should never have".
Asked why he took it to the next level, he replied: "Maybe it's as simple as stupidity? Or an inflated ego? Or feeling needed or wanted, being flattering.
"Or that it was dangerous or risque? I don't know, I'm not sure. But I know I wish I hadn't, and it'll be a life of regret that I did."
Paine denied any physical relationship with the woman.
The wicketkeeper admitted he always feared the media would break the story and it had been a stressful time reliving the incident after he and Bonnie had worked through their issues.
"I feel terrible, to be honest. Although Bonnie and I have both known about all this for three years, to have it played out like this is really distressing, and upsetting, and I'm really embarrassed," Paine said.
"I feel sick for Bonnie, and for my family more than anything else."
Bonnie opened up on her decision to forgive her husband, despite admitting it was "horrific" when they worked through the issue three years ago.
"I have a bit of sympathy for Tim. A lot actually. He and I went through all of this privately in 2018," she said.
"I feel a bit frustrated that it's all been brought up and aired in the public when we put it to bed years ago. I have moved forward since then. I feel like there is a lot of injustice for it being dragged out again."
