Ball-tampering scandal: Michael Clarke not convinced with Aus bowlers’ statement
Updated On: 20 May, 2021 07:15 AM IST | Melbourne | PTI
Clarke said their statement finds no mention of the incident`s chief protagonist, Cameron Bancroft, and the Australian team`s former bowling coach, David Saker.
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Michael Clarke
Not convinced by the Australian bowlers` clarification in the 2018 ball-tampering episode, former captain Michael Clarke on Wednesday said the quartet missed a very important detail in an otherwise "smartly worded" joint statement -- their involvement was hinted at by a former teammate and not outsiders. Sticking to his stand that the bowlers, who were part of that team, were aware of the plot to tamper with the red cherry during the infamous Cape Town Test against South Africa, Clarke said their statement finds no mention of the incident`s chief protagonist, Cameron Bancroft, and the Australian team`s former bowling coach, David Saker. The four bowlers -- Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon -- found themselves caught in a storm triggered by Bancroft`s recent comments hinting that they were aware of the plot. "I knew when I made my comments about what Cameron Bancroft`s quotes were it was more than likely going to offend certain people," Clarke said on `Sky Sports` radio.
"It certainly was not done personally from my perspective, particularly with the four bowlers concerned, I`m good friends with all of them." Bancroft, in a recent interview, had claimed that team`s bowlers could have been aware of the illegal plot. He has since backtracked from his statement after Cricket Australia offered a reinvestigation. Clarke, one of the world`s top batsmen during his time, cited Saker`s comment, that even he could have been blamed for the fiasco, to drive home the point of collective responsibility. "I think there have been a number of people, past players, journalists who have made comments based on what Cameron Bancroft said and then what David Saker, the bowling coach, as well had said. I think that is what`s really important after seeing the joint statement," Clarke said. "The one thing that stands out for mine in that statement (is) they forgot how this conversation was brought up. It was comments from a teammate Cameron Bancroft who was involved in the situation and then quotes from David Saker who was the bowling coach at the time.
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