UK papers call Australian team ‘hypocrites’ and ‘cheats’ but reaction is more muted in South Africa

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The Australian cricket team have been roasted on newspaper front pages – particularly in the UK – after the ball-tampering scandal.

Quick guide Ball tampering Show Hide What is ball tampering? When someone interferes with the condition of the ball with the primary aim of altering its aerodynamics. Why would they do that? To gain an advantage over the batsman by making the ball swing more in the air, to achieve reverse swing or to degrade the ball to a point that a new one is required. New balls are favoured by fast bowlers as they move quicker and bounce more. How can it be it done? The ball can either be shined on one side – with the application of lip balm, saliva sweetened by a lolly, polish, sun cream or hair gel – or made more abrasive on the other – by scuffing the ball with a finger nail, rough paper, dirt or even teeth. The seam of the ball can also be picked. Why is it considered cheating? Ball tampering is outlawed by the Laws of Cricket. Under law 41, it is an offence for any player to take any action which changes the condition of the ball, however polishing it on clothing, removing mud and drying the ball with a pre-approved piece of cloth are acceptable. If an offence is found to have taken place during a match, five penalty runs are awarded to the batting side and the doctored ball must be replaced. If discovered retrospectively, other sanctions can be applied.

Photograph: www.alamy.com

The UK tabloids pulled no punches, with the Mirror opting for the headline “Clown Under” next to a picture of a glum-looking Steve Smith.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) MIRROR SPORT: Clown Under #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/VLD2kvVd18

The Sun labelled the Australian team “Hypocrites” and was one of several UK papers to question whether the previous Ashes series (which Australia won) was a fair series.

The UK Sunday Times led with the blunt headline “Cheats: Aussies admit ball tampering after being caught red-handed”.

The decision by cricketer Cameron Bancroft to hide the yellow tape that was used to tamper with the ball in his underwear gave free licence to headline writers. Enter the NT News front page, “Why I’ve got some sticky near my dicky”.

The NT News (@TheNTNews) OH DEAR ... TOMORROW’S FRONT PAGE pic.twitter.com/gnudHxk8zs

Rupert Murdoch’s Australian tabloid accompanied the headline with a photograph of Bancroft opening the top of his pants and looking down.

Michael Miller (@mm_newscorpaus) Very strong front pages in News Corp Australia newspapers today - sadly for a sporting moment we all wish never happened @newscorpaus #media #marketing pic.twitter.com/8K4oD1QaBC

The Guardian’s front page was simply “Not Cricket” while its sport front declared “It’s Time for Smith to go”.



The Express went for just one word, “Shameful”.

The Independent called it a “Cheating Scandal that ‘Beggars Belief’” and the Times said “There’s the Rub”.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) MAIL SPORT: Did they cheat in Ashes too? #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/rr9edk7LWG

In the subcontinent, the Indian Express aimed its ire at comments by the Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, who said news the country’s cricket team had cheated was “completely beyond belief”. It reported: “[It is] a statement that will be met with incredulous laughter by anyone who has been up close and personal with an Aussie team.”

While every Australian newspaper splashed with the cricket ball-tampering scandal, reaction in South Africa, where the Test is being played, appeared muted.

The sports broadcaster SuperSport, which provides the feed, can claim the scoop because it was its footage that revealed the scandal.

jason gladwin (@jasongladwin) Oscar doesn’t dress like this for nothing. He means business.



Great work catching the Aussies cheating!#SandpaperGate #SAvsAUS pic.twitter.com/ILtvqQlupy

But apart from the Johannesburg Sunday Times, which headlined its sports section with “Cheating Aussies hit a sticky patch”, and Business Day Sport (“Aussies Sent Packing”), there was a low-key reaction in the Sunday newspapers in South Africa.

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The South African Sunday Independent did give half a page to the incident with the headline “All-time low for these Aussies”.

The Australian press was far more scathing on Monday. The Herald Sun ran the headline “Sack them all”, the Advertiser had “Smith falls on the sword” and the Canberra Times had “Cricket in Crisis”.