The nation’s heart collectively broke last night watching former captain of the Australian men’s cricket team Steve Smith sobbing into his microphone, apologising for the recent ball-tampering scandal.
He has been forced to resign his captaincy and he, along with teammate David Warner, has been handed a 12-month ban from the game. Former coach Darren Lehmann also resigned between tears. And player Cameron Bancroft is facing a nine-month suspension for lying in a South African press conference about the extent of their cheating.
It’s a sombre moment for Australian sport and, with a game so thoroughly intertwined with the Aussie identity, it’s impossible not to become emotional.
But there is another Australian cricket team that needs our attention this weekend and will serve as a happy remedy for our aching hearts.
The Australian women’s cricket team is set to face England on Saturday for the final of the Twenty20 tri-series. And they’ve been absolutely crushing it.
Before going into the competition, our Aussie women landed the number-one position in the international cricket rankings after smashing India in a 3-0 series in mid-March.
Now, after blitzing their way through the Twenty20 tri-series against England and India, the Australian Women’s Cricket Team is gearing up to face England in the decider on Saturday.
We unpack the ball tampering saga, and why we perhaps shouldn’t care as much as we do, on the latest episode of Mamamia Out Loud. Post continues below.
They’re in a great position, considering their eight-wicket victory against the English when the teams met in Mumbai on Wednesday.
