I could have stopped it, but didn’t: Steve Smith admits over ball-tampering row

Tags: Australia, Steven Peter Devereux Smith, David Andrew Warner

Published on: Dec 22, 2018

Former Australia captain Steve Smith has admitted that he had an opportunity to stop the ball-tampering scandal but chose the wrong route by deciding to turn a blind eye to it.

Former Australia captain Steve Smith has admitted that he had an opportunity to stop the ball-tampering scandal but chose the wrong route by deciding to turn a blind eye to it.

Being part of a media interaction for the first time since the teary press conference in Sydney earlier this April, Smith was quoted as saying in a CricBuzz report, "In the room I walked past something and had the opportunity to stop it and I didn't do it and that was my leadership failure. It was a potential for something to happen. It went out and happened on the field. I had the opportunity to stop it rather than say I didn't want to know anything about it. That was my failure of leadership for that and I have taken responsibility for that.

Smith said that he regrets the fact that he chose to walk away. “So, that was my chance where I could have stopped something from happening. That's something I have learned over the last nine months. Every decision you make can have a negative outlook. If things go pear-shaped what's it going to look like. If things go well, what's that going to look like. Now it's about learning and almost slowing your thinking down and ensuring you make the right decisions more often than not."

Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were all handed bans for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal while then coach Darren Lehmann retired.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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