'Awkward' decision facing Australian cricket

3 years ago 433

Appointing Steve Smith arsenic Test vice-captain to Pat Cummins would beryllium "awkward" according to Nine sports presenter Tony Jones.

Smith was stripped of the captaincy successful 2018 aft the ill-fated South African tour, which saw him suspended for 12 months and banned from holding a enactment presumption for a further year.

Following Tim Paine's resignation past Friday, Smith has emerged arsenic the favourite for the vice-captaincy, with Cummins earmarked arsenic the captain-in-waiting.

An announcement is expected arsenic soon arsenic today.

Cricket fable Shane Warne wrote successful his News Corp file that appointing Smith arsenic vice-captain would permission Cricket Australia unfastened to "ridicule and criticism."

"Everyone makes mistakes, we cognize that and we've each moved connected from sandpaper-gate," Warne wrote.

"But that happened nether Steve Smith's captaincy, helium allowed that to hap connected his watch. I deliberation the punishment helium was fixed was mode excessively severe, which I said astatine the time. He paid a immense terms for his mistake.

"But his 2nd accidental is getting to play for Australia again and successful my sentiment announcing him arsenic vice-captain opens up CA for ridicule and criticism, and they should propulsion the codification of behaviour retired the window.

"CA has to basal for something."

Speaking connected Nine's Today, Jones said Smith has already paid the terms for what happened successful South Africa.

"It's hard to disagree with thing Shane Warne says," Jones said.

"How agelong does idiosyncratic person to transportation the tin for thing that was done truthful agelong ago?

"I deliberation if we're superior astir getting backmost connected track, I don't deliberation determination would beryllium excessively galore Australians disappointed if Steve Smith was to instrumentality the mantle again.

"I would alternatively spot him skipper than vice-captain, I deliberation that would conscionable beryllium a small awkward.

"If they're going to person him successful immoderate enactment capacity, it should beryllium the captaincy."

Jones added that Cummins should inactive beryllium the favourite for the captaincy, becoming the archetypal fast-bowler to pb Australia successful a Test since Ray Lindwall successful 1956.

"I deliberation it's clip for a change, I deliberation it's clip for a existent refresh and reset. I deliberation Pat Cummins volition bash an outstanding job, he's had a small spot of acquisition with NSW, I deliberation helium would beryllium a precise bully look for Australia."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!