Cricket: Best of social media as Australia's cricket meltdown continues
Australia’s cricket crisis continued on Thursday as former captain Steven Smith burst into tears mid-interview, upon his arrival in Sydney.
Smith was one of three found guilty of cheating by Cricket Australia, the nation’s governing body for the sport, alongside vice-captain David Warner and Test newbie Cameron Bancroft.
READ MORE: Darren Lehmann to resign from Australia role
READ MORE: Steve Smith bursts into tears in emotional interview
And on Thursday afternoon, the farce continued as head coach Darren Lehmann – who seemingly had refused to step down – admitted he will exit his role following the conclusion of the fourth and final Test in the series, due to start in Johannesburg on Friday.
It concluded a particularly miserable week for the Australians in which a heavy defeat in Cape Town was succeeded by accusations of ball-tampering using sandpaper.
READ MORE: Smith, Warner banned for 12 months by Cricket Australia
READ MORE: Aussie trio sent home in disgrace but coach cleared
The guilty trio were sent home in humiliation from the tour, with Smith and Bancroft fronting up to the cameras on Thursday morning.
And although the duo found some support from the cricketing world, it is fair to say their reactions were also met with considerable derision.
Meanwhile, Warner is still searching for whatever support he can muster.
Here is the best of Twitter’s reaction to the meltdown.
‘Warner in tears… would be terrific’
must admit I'm hoping to get Warner in tears on camera at some point, that would be terrific.
— Dave 大卫 (@carr2k1987) March 29, 2018
That was gut wrenching to watch from Steve Smith. Took courage. And Warner, the main culprit, takes the easy way out with a Twitter post… #cricket
— Jon Tuxworth (@Tuxy81) March 29, 2018
Sandpapering his what now?!
This is the face of a man who regrets sandpapering his balls pic.twitter.com/6nl1BhVE84
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) March 29, 2018
Steve Smith looks like James Hewitt finding out he's not invited to his own son's wedding in May pic.twitter.com/8s2pp3dQ9n
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) March 29, 2018
Seeing some quality tweets from England fans laughing at Steve Smith crying. Because #Ashes #bantz trumps everything, including basic human empathy.
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) March 29, 2018
A damning indictment…
Australia's batting line-up from the third Test –
1. Flying home
2. Flying home
3. Waste
4. Flying home
5. One of the Marsh bros
6. One of the Marsh bros
7. Captain
8. Cummins
9. The one who couldn't do much with the tampered ball
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood#SAvAUS #SandpaperGate— Nikhil Mane (@nikhiltait) March 27, 2018
I found Steve Smith’s Interview tough to watch. Made a massive mistake that he will have to live with but he shouldn’t be punished forever! Serve the punishment and move on.#peoplemakemistakes
— Mark Schwarzer (@schwarzer_mark) March 29, 2018
Turn of events:
"Steve Smith to be suspended for 1 year"
"Steve Smith to lose ad contracts"
"Steve Smith to lose 2018 IPL contract"— The UnReal Times (@TheUnRealTimes) March 29, 2018
58 all out? Anyone?
85 mins spent on #SandpaperGate .. 5 mins spent on England’s hammering in Auckland .. England chose a good week to be very poor .. #TuffersandVaughan
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 26, 2018
Dry your eyes Steve Smith – I suggest using some Wet and Dry, bit finer than 240 grit. #baftaworthy
— Rich (@richmillener) March 29, 2018
Does anyone care for ‘the other guy’?
Steve Smith I think is a good guy who made a huge mistake … He needed punishing but I think this is too harsh … Bancroft who I don’t know was led astray but deserved punishing but again too harshly IMO … The other guy I really don’t care about …
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 28, 2018
#SandpaperGate
SandpaperGate now arguably the gravest crisis in Australian sports history.
Has taken out the team’s captain, vice-captain, opening batsman & head coach.
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland giving his 3rd press conference of the week here in Joburg in an hour.— Dan Roan (@danroan) March 29, 2018
