Michael Slater criticises timing of Cameron Bancroft, Steven Smith interview

12/27/2018

Michael Slater revealed his disappointment at the timing of the recent interviews of banned Australian duo - Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft. Former Australia coach, Darren Lehmann, added to Slater's comments as he urged the ‘isolated’ David Warner to give his side of the story.

Earlier in a recent interview with Channel 7, Ricky Ponting had revealed the initial shock that he experienced when he first viewed the recently telecast interviews of banned Australian cricketers - Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft. In the interview conducted by former captain, Adam Gilchrist for Fox Sports, Smith and Bancroft gave a more detailed insight into all the events that led to the infamous ball-tampering saga on the earlier tour of South Africa in February.

Now, former Australian cricketer Michael Slater, also echoed the sentiments of Ponting as Slater added that the duo have thrown Aussie opener David Warner under the bus.

"The timing of it was wrong. I think there's a strategy behind Steve Smith and Bancroft and Dave Warner - (it's) off the radar at the moment. They are all running some strategy to gain some respect from the public and their players. In those comments, he's buried David Warner. They had the chance way back when it happened to tell the truth about the situation. There is no use now coming back and saying something different than was said then. They all collectively said as a group that they were all involved, and now they are saying something very different," Slater told Channel 7.

"I don't want to hear it. I know there's an element of the public that would like to get to the bottom of it but in terms of a respectful comment on Dave Warner, there's been none of that. It makes it untenable and they've buried him very quickly."

Meanwhile, former Australia coach Darren Lehmann who resigned after the whole ‘Sandpapergate’ saga was highly critical about the some of the comments the two players made during the pre-recorded interviews. Lehmann said Bancroft should have talked to him or other staff if he felt suffocated by the pressure.

“Yeah he could’ve and should’ve come to us. At the end of the day it was a mistake – we know that. A severe mistake made by the guys and a lot of people have suffered one way or the other through that. We know it shouldn’t have happened, but it did. I had the opportunity to stop it at that point rather than say, ‘I don’t want to know anything about it’,” Lehmann said.

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Michael Slater criticises timing of Cameron Bancroft, Steven Smith interview

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