The fall out has got me thinking about the response to this act of cheating from the wider community. I did a quick scan on Twitter and while I haven't quantified it, I saw loads of responses talking about the undercurrent of racism in Cricket. If a subcontinental team did this, the focus would be on how there is a culture of bending the rules there but it seems that the focus is now on the shame brought to the baggy green cap, which apparently stands for fair but aggressive play.
People like Shane Warne, who was once banned for taking illegal substances, are now admonishing the current bunch for bringing shame to the game. There are things said about how the great Australian teams of the past were hard but fair. Really? Because throughout my life at least, I only remember a bunch of bullies that repeatedly pushed the envelope when it came to sledging or abuse on the field but immediately turned around and whined about "lines" as soon as it was returned. Dominic Cork seems to think similarly. In fact, most ex-players seem to think similarly when it comes to their cricket team; see the likes of Boucher and Smith for examples.
So why does this image of the Australian team being hard but fair continue to persist? Recent history suggests the opposite and confirms that they've dropped the ball here but are going for a swift apology towards immediately sweeping the skeletons under the carpet. I don't think they're getting hammered hard enough given their terrible behaviour for years and the added sanctimony from not just the teams and administrators but the wider community including parts of the media such as Channel 9. Hopefully, once the cricketers themselves are punished for their cheating, there will be a longer look at the culture across cricket as a whole.
