No reprieve for Smith likely, says Lawson

Former Australia fast bowler Geoff Lawson said here on Monday the ball-tampering episode in the Cape Town Test had become global news.

“When the Newlands events broke, it made the back pages of Le Figaro and L'Équipe. I got a call from Istanbul Radio asking me ‘What do you make of ball-tampering’.’’

“These events went around the globe,” said Lawson while addressing a select audience at the second ‘Rajsingh Dungarpur Spirit of Cricket Lecture’.

Lawson spoke mainly on the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Spirit of Cricket preamble, emphasising the ball-tampering issue that became the talking point during the South Africa-Australia Test series.

When asked if Cricket Australia would review the 12-month ban on Steve Smith, Lawson said: “CA has decided on the ban and they will stick to it. Even if they change it, I dont think he(Smith) will change.

“He has said he deserved it, that he would take his penance and move on in 12 months time. Smith is a very shy, naive sort, he's a nice guy. He wants to play cricket, does not like the media.

“Steve is taking his medicine. At the end of it all, this will be positve for Australian cricket.’’

Responding to ECB’s decision to introduce a 100-ball competition in 2020, Lawson said: “We never thought 20-over cricket would be effective. I don't know whether it’s good for the game.

“I have to see it played. Bowlers have been exlcuded from the game (Twenty20). It ridicules (the bowlers), it's not a contest any more. We need to get the bowlers back in the game.

“In Big Bash, the bowlers have a bit more chance because of the bounce in the pitch and bigger boundaries,” he added.