Warne slams Aussie rivals for ‘slam booting’ team

Spin legend calls act disappointing, says all cricket-playing countries need to introspect

NEW DELHI/BRISBANE: Australian spin legend Shane Warne has accused the country's rivals of unfairly using the Test ball tampering controversy to kick the team when it is down.

Warne, advisor to Indian Premier League side the Rajasthan Royals, said the cheating scandal should be used as an opportunity for other cricket teams to reflect on their own conduct.

"It is very disappointing but I feel that this has given an opportunity to others to slam [the] boot into Australians without any reason," Warner was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.

The 48-year-old said he would not defend the conduct of cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner, who have been removed from their leadership positions on the Australian team, and that he was "embarrassed" as any other Australian over the affair.

"[But] anyone who has been beaten by Australia, who don't like the way the Australians play the game or they don't like any individual in any country have taken the opportunity to take boots into the Australians," he said in Jaipur. "I think it is a great opportunity for every single country to look into its own backyards and think [about] the way they want to play cricket."

Smith and Warner have each been banned for a year by Australia and the IPL, keeping them out of contention for the Indian tournament, which starts this weekend.

Smith was slated to captain the Royals, who Warne led to the IPL title in 2008 during the competition's inaugural season.

Warner was to have been captain at Sunrisers Hyderabad and led them to the title in 2016.

Cricket Australia defends role in crisis

Australia top cricket chiefs Friday ruled out stepping down after a ball-tampering scandal that shocked the nation, saying it was "not the time for a witch-hunt" as a review into player conduct was announced.

"James Sutherland's position is not under review, he continues to retain the full support of the board," CA chairman David Peever told reporters in Brisbane. "In respect of my own position, no, I do not intend to step down, and that hasn't been suggested by the board. Our task now is to work through this problem and make sure we come through and cricket comes through it much more strongly.”

"I think we will all come under the microscope about what is happening in the organisation. But this is not the time for a witch-hunt."

Peever said the governing body was "moving forward", with an independent review announced last week to "have a broad remit" and look into wider cultural and organisational issues in the sport. AFP