‘It beggars belief’: Malcolm Turnbull slams Aussie cricket cheats

Malcolm Turnbull has joined the chorus of critics hitting out at the Australian cricket team today, saying he’s “shocked and bitterly disappointed” by their actions.

Captain Steve Smith has admitted he and other senior members of the Australian squad instructed bowler Cameron Bancroft to tamper with the ball during the third Test in South Africa on Saturday.

Bancroft was caught on video rubbing a yellow object on the ball and was immediately confronted with umpires. He had since been charged with ball tampering, a fine that carries four demerit points and a possible 100 per cent match fee fine as a level two offence, according to the ABC.

The shocking admission sparked anger across the country, and such is the magnitude of the incident that even the prime minister felt compelled to comment.

Can we talk about this? pic.twitter.com/cmpRrOArgD

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) March 24, 2018

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Turnbull said he’s spoken to Cricket Australia chairman David Peever and hoped the sport’s governing body would take “decisive action”.

“We all woke up this morning shocked and bitterly disappointed by the news from South Africa,” he told reporters. “It seemed completely beyond belief that the Australian cricket team had been involved in cheating.

“After all, our cricketers are role models and cricket is synonymous with fair play. How can our team by engaged in cheating like this? It beggars belief. There’s a lot of disappointment.”

He said the unsportsman-like display was in stark contrast to the fair and just morals Australia likes to promote itself on.

“I’ve expressed to him very clearly and unequivocally my disappointment and my concern about the events in South Africa,” Turnbull said.

“It’s their responsibility to deal with it but I have to say the whole nation who holds those who wear the baggy green up on a pedestal — about as high as you can get in Australia, higher than any politician that’s for sure — this is a shocking disappointment and it’s wrong and I look forward to Cricket Australia taking decisive action soon.”

Cricket Australia announced today it was sending representatives to South Africa to address the incident. Meanwhile, a defiant Smith has rejected calls for his resignation.

“Today was a big mistake on my behalf and on the leadership group’s behalf as well,” Smith said at a hostile press conference after the match,” he said in a press conference after the match.

“But I take responsibility as the captain. I need to take control of the ship, but this is certainly something I’m not proud of and something that I can hope I learn from and come back strong from.”

Do you agree with Turnbull’s words? Should Steve Smith resign as captain of the team?