Australia woman cricketer Emily Smith banned for Instagram post
Khan Mutasim Billah LifeEditor
Posted - 2019-11-19T20:53:39+06:00
Updated - 2019-11-19T20:53:39+06:00
Cricket Australia (CA) has banned Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) cricketer Emily Smith for breaking the anti-corruption policy by posting team line-up on Instagram about an hour before its official release. As a result, she will not be able to participate in the rest of the ongoing Big Bash tournament. She won’t be able to participate in the 50 over domestic league too.
Hobart Hurricanes wicketkeeper Smith posted the team line-up on Instagram about some hours ago before the start of the match against Sydney Thunder. But according to Cricket Australia's (CA) anti-corruption rules, this was enough to get the punishment. According to them, no information inside the team can be leaked with exchange or without exchange of anything. However, CA head of integrity and security, Sean Carroll, said Smith had no ill intentions.
Bookies may be in touch with this incident. Although unwilling, bookies can take advantage of this mistake. That is why Emily was severely punished by Cricket Australia. Cricket Australia has stated in its statement:
“Under the Anti-Corruption Act, no news inside the team can be leaked out. By doing this there is a possibility of betting. Emily may have done this mistakenly. However, such mistakes cannot be forgiven.”
Cricket Australia's Anti-Corruption Unit declared the ban for a year for the crime. However, with the announcement of the punishment, the Anti-Corruption Department of Cricket Australia canceled the six-month punishment. So the Hobart Hurricanes’ cricketer will have only three months to spare. However, being out on the field for three months means his entire season is over.
An hour before Hobart Hurricanes’ match against the Sydney Thunder on November 2, Emily Smith posted a full playing eleven on her Instagram account. However, the match was not able to be made on the field due to rain in the end. Yet the 24-year old cricketer was punished for the crime.
The image of Australian cricket has deteriorated a lot after the ball-tampering incident last year. For that incident, Steve Smith, David Warner, Cameron Bancroft were banned for one year. After that, CA made it hard to ensure that the discipline of the cricketers on the field and outside the field was not disrupted. Two days ago, Aussie paceman James Pattinson was banned from the first Test against the
after he made derogatory remarks in the Sheffield Shield match.